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Active ingredient: Miglustat - Brands, Medical Use, Clinical Data

Brands, Medical Use, Clinical Data

Drug Category

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • Enzyme Inhibitors

Dosage Forms

  • Capsules (100-mg) for oral administration

Brands / Synonyms

Miglustat, Hydrochloride; Zavesca; Zavesca

Indications

For the treatment of adult patients with mild to moderate type 1 Gaucher disease for whom enzyme replacement therapy is not a therapeutic option (e.g. due to constraints such as allergy, hypersensitivity, or poor venous access).

Pharmacology

Miglustat is an N-alkylated imino sugar, a synthetic analogue of D-glucose. Miglustat is an inhibitor of the enzyme glucosylceramide synthase, which is a glucosyl transferase enzyme responsible for the first step in the synthesis of most glycosphingolipids.

Mechanism of Action

Miglustat functions as a competitive and reversible inhibitor of the enzyme glucosylceramide synthase, the initial enzyme in a series of reactions which results in the synthesis of most glycosphingolipids. The goal of treatment with miglustat is to reduce the rate of glycosphingolipid biosynthesis so that the amount of glycosphingolipid substrate is reduced to a level which allows the residual activity of the deficient glucocerebrosidase enzyme to be more effective (substrate reduction therapy). In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that miglustat can reduce the synthesis of glucosylceramide-based glycosphingolipids. In clinical trials, miglustat improved liver and spleen volume, as well as hemoglobin concentration and platelet count.

Absorption

Mean oral bioavailability is 97%.

Toxicity

Miglustat has been administered at doses of up to 3000 mg/day (approximately 10 times the recommended starting dose administered to Gaucher patients) for up to six months in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-positive patients. Adverse events observed in the HIV studies included granulocytopenia, dizziness, and paresthesia. Leukopenia and neutropenia have also been observed in a similar group of patients receiving 800 mg/day or above.

Biotrnasformation / Drug Metabolism

There is no evidence that miglustat is metabolized in humans.

Contraindications

ZAVESCA® is contraindicated in patients who have demonstrated hypersensitivity to the active substance or any of the excipients.

Pregnancy Category X.

Miglustat may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. In female rats given miglustat by oral gavage at doses of 20, 60, 180 mg/kg/day beginning 14 days before mating and continuing through gestation day 17 (organogenesis), decreased live births including complete litter loss and decreased fetal weight was observed in the mid and high-dose groups (systemic exposures ³2 times the human therapeutic systemic exposure based on body surface area comparison). In pregnant rats given miglustat by oral gavage at doses of 20, 60, 180 mg/kg/day from gestation day 6 through lactation (postpartum day 20), dystocia and delayed parturition were observed in the mid- and high-dose groups (systemic exposures ³2 times the human therapeutic systemic exposure, based on body surface area comparison), in addition decreased live births and pup body weights were observed at >20 mg/kg/day (systemic exposures less than the human therapeutic systemic exposure, based on body surface area comparison).

In pregnant rabbits given miglustat by oral gavage at doses of 15, 30, 45 mg/kg/day during gestation days 6-18 (organogenesis), maternal death and decreased body weight gain were observed at 15 mg/kg/day (systemic exposures less than the human therapeutic systemic exposure, based on body surface area comparisons).

ZAVESCA® is contraindicated in women who are or may become pregnant. If this drug is administered to a woman with reproductive potential, the patient should be apprised of the potential hazard to a fetus.

Drug Interactions

While co-administration of ZAVESCA® appeared to increase the clearance of Cerezyme by 70%, these results are not conclusive because of the small number of subjects studied and because patients took variable doses of Cerezyme. Combination therapy with Cerezyme® (imiglucerase) and ZAVESCA® is not indicated.

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