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Arzneimittelforschung 2012; 62(09): 401-409
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1321831
Review
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Development of a Subcutaneous Formulation for Trastuzumab – Nonclinical and Clinical Bridging Approach to the Approved Intravenous Dosing Regimen

B. Bittner
1   F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Clinical Pharmacology, Basel, Switzerland
2   F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Pharma Medicines Global Product Strategy, Basel, Switzerland
,
W. F. Richter
3   F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Nonclinical Safety, Basel, Switzerland
,
F. Hourcade-Potelleret
4   F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Clinical Modeling & Simulation, Basel, Switzerland
,
C. McIntyre
1   F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Clinical Pharmacology, Basel, Switzerland
,
F. Herting
5   Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Penzberg, Germany
,
M. L. Zepeda
6   Halozyme Therapeutics Inc., San Diego, CA, USA
,
J. Schmidt
2   F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Pharma Medicines Global Product Strategy, Basel, Switzerland
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 16 March 2012

accepted 02 July 2012

Publication Date:
23 August 2012 (online)

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Development of a Subcutaneous Formulation for Trastuzumab – Nonclinical and Clinical Bridging Approach to the Approved Intravenous Dosing RegimenDrug Res (Stuttg) 2013; 63(11): 602-602
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1357211

Abstract

A subcutaneous (SC) formulation has been developed for the humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) trastuzumab as an alternative to established intravenous (IV) infusion. The ready-to-use liquid SC formulation is injected as a fixed dose in approximately 5 min, which is expected to increase patient’s convenience, reduce pharmacy preparation time, and administration costs overall.

The trastuzumab dose as well as the dose of recombinant human hyaluronidase (rHuPH20), an enzyme that enables SC administration of volumes larger than 2 mL, was selected based on nonclinical xenograft, pharmacology, and pharmacokinetics mouse and minipig studies.

The basic assumption for bridging from the IV to the SC regimen was that comparable trastuzumab serum trough concentrations would result in comparable efficacy. This hypothesis is confirmed by the results from the Phase 3 study in the neo-adjuvant/adjuvant setting. The safety profiles of the trastuzumab SC and IV formulations are comparable and consistent with the known safety profile of trastuzumab.

Key words

subcutaneous - trastuzumab - injection device - dose finding - nonclinical - clinical
 

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