Evaluation of the Pharmacokinetics and Safety of a Single Oral Dose of Fasiglifam in Subjects with Normal or Varying Degrees of Impaired Renal Function

INTRODUCTION: Approximately one-third of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have concurrent renal impairment. There are limited therapeutic options for these patients. Fasiglifam is a G protein-coupled receptor 40 agonist that was under investigation for the treatment of T2DM. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential effect of renal impairment on the pharmacokinetics and safety of a single dose of fasiglifam and its metabolite M-1. METHODS: This was a phase I, open-label, parallel-group study. Subjects with varying degrees of renal function received a single oral dose of fasiglifam 50 mg. Blood and urine samples were collected through 168 h postdose. Study endpoints were pharmacokinetic and safety variables. RESULTS: Fifty-three subjects were enrolled. Mean fasiglifam plasma concentrations were higher in subjects with mild renal impairment compared with other groups, but within each renal function cohort, plasma concentrations tended to decrease with decreasing renal function. Regression analyses indicated that fasiglifam exposure decreased and M-1 exposure increased with decreasing renal function. Predicted exposure values at about the midpoint of creatinine clearance for each renal impairment group differed by up to 21 % (fasiglifam) and 87 % (M-1) from that of the normal renal function group. Hemodialysis had no effect on fasiglifam or M-1 exposure. Fasiglifam renal clearance (CL(R)) was not affected, but M-1 CL(R) decreased with increasing impairment. No incidences of hypoglycemia were reported during the study. CONCLUSION: Varying renal function status did not have a significant impact on the clearance of fasiglifam in this study.