One piece of the puzzle: Population pharmacokinetics of FVIII during perioperative Haemate P(®)/Humate P(®) treatment in von Willebrand disease patients

INTRODUCTION: Many patients with von Willebrand disease (VWD) are treated on demand with von Willebrand factor and factor VIII (FVIII) containing concentrates present with VWF and/or FVIII plasma levels outside set target levels. This carries a risk for bleeding and potentially for thrombosis. Development of a population pharmacokinetic (PK) model based on FVIII levels is a first step to more accurate on‐demand perioperative dosing of this concentrate. METHODS: Patients with VWD undergoing surgery in Academic Haemophilia Treatment Centers in the Netherlands between 2000 and 2018 treated with a FVIII/VWF plasma‐derived concentrate (Haemate® P/Humate P®) were included in this study. Population PK modeling was based on measured FVIII levels using nonlinear mixed‐effects modeling (NONMEM). RESULTS: The population PK model was developed using 684 plasma FVIII measurements of 97 VWD patients undergoing 141 surgeries. Subsequently, the model was externally validated and reestimated with independent clinical data from 20 additional patients undergoing 31 surgeries and 208 plasma measurements of FVIII. The observed PK profiles were best described using a one‐compartment model. Typical values for volume of distribution and clearance were 3.28 L/70 kg and 0.037 L/h/70 kg. Increased VWF activity, decreased physical status according to American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification (ASA class >2), and increased duration of surgery were associated with decreased FVIII clearance. CONCLUSION: This population PK model derived from real world data adequately describes FVIII levels following perioperative administration of the FVIII/VWF plasma‐derived concentrate (Haemate(®) P/Humate P(®)) and will help to facilitate future dosing in VWD patients.