Single- and multiple-dose pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of canagliflozin, a selective inhibitor of sodium glucose co-transporter 2, in healthy participants

Objective: To evaluate the pharmacokinetics of oral canagliflozin and its O-glucuronide metabolites (M7 and M5) after single and multiple doses in healthy adult participants. The pharmacodynamics, safety, and tolerability of canagliflozin were also evaluated. Methods: In this open-label, single- (day 1) and multiple-dose (days 4 9), parallelgroup, phase 1 study, 27 healthy participants were randomized into three groups (1: 1: 1) to receive 50, 100, or 300 mg canagliflozin. Phanuacoldnetics and pharmacodynamics were assessed at pre-pecified timepoints on days 1, 9, and 10. Results: Mean area under the plasma concentration-time curve, and the maximum observed plasma concentration of canagliflozin, M7, and M5 increased in a dose-dependent manner, across all the 3 doses, following single- and multiple-dose administration. The mean apparent elimination halflives of canagliflozin, M7, and M5 were independent of the dose. Canagliflozin decreased the renal threshold for glucose (RTG) and increased the urinary glucose excretion (UGE) in a concentration- and dose-dependent manner. The relationship between drug concentrations and RTG was described by a sigmoidal relationship with RTGmin (minimum value of RTG) of 37.5 ng/mL (95% confidence interval (CI): 34.3, 40.8) and half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) of 21 ng/mL (95% CI: 18.3, 23.8). No deaths, serious adverse events, hypoglycemic events, or discontinuations due to adverse events were observed. Conclusion: Pharmacokinetics of canagliflozin and its metabolites (M7 and M5) were linear, and no time-dependent changes were observed after single- and multiple-dose administration. Similarly, pharmacodynamic effects of canagliflozin on RTG and UGE were found to be dose- and concentration-dependent. Overall, canagliflozin was well-tolerated in healthy participants.