Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interaction between ezetimibe and rosuvastatin in healthy male subjects

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Rosuvastatin and ezetimibe are commonly applied in lipid-lowering pharmacotherapy. However, the pharmacokinetic (PK) interaction was not clear by the coadministration of rosuvastatin and ezetimibe. This study investigated the pharmacodynamic (PD) and PK interactions between rosuvastatin and ezetimibe through a crossover clinical trial. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A randomized, open-label, multiple-dose, two-treatment, two-period, two-sequence crossover study with two treatment parts was conducted in healthy male subjects. Study part A involved rosuvastatin, and study part B involved ezetimibe. A total of 25 subjects in both parts completed the PK and PD evaluations. Rosuvastatin (20 mg) or ezetimibe (10 mg) was administered once daily for 7 days as monotherapy or co-therapy. The plasma concentrations of rosuvastatin, total ezetimibe and free ezetimibe were measured for 72 h after day 7. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC) were investigated for the PD assessments on day 1 (pretreatment) and day 8. RESULTS: Rosuvastatin and ezetimibe presented multiple peaks. The 90% confidence intervals (CIs) of the geometric mean ratios for the peak plasma concentration at steady state (C(max,ss)) and area under the plasma concentration–time curve during the dosing interval at steady state (AUC(τ,ss)) of rosuvastatin and total ezetimibe were within the range 0.8–1.25. However, the coadministration increased the systemic exposure of free ezetimibe. In the PD assessments, rosuvastatin and ezetimibe monotherapy reduced the LDL-C and TC levels effectively. In addition, the lipid-lowering effects of the coadministration corresponded to an approximate summation of the effects of rosuvastatin and ezetimibe monotherapy. However, no significant changes in HDL-C were observed with rosuvastatin or ezetimibe treatment. No significant safety issue was noted. CONCLUSION: The coadministration of rosuvastatin and ezetimibe revealed a bioequivalent PK interaction. Additional lipid-lowering effects, including decreased LDL-C and TC, were observed as expected in combination therapy without significant safety concern.