Successful Prediction of Human Fetal Exposure to P-Glycoprotein Substrate Drugs Using the Proteomics-Informed Relative Expression Factor Approach and PBPK Modeling and Simulation

Many women take drugs during their pregnancy to treat a variety of clinical conditions. To optimize drug efficacy and reduce fetal toxicity, it is important to determine or predict fetal drug exposure throughout pregnancy. Previously, we developed and verified a maternal-fetal physiologically based pharmacokinetic (m-f PBPK) model to predict fetal K(p,uu) (unbound fetal plasma AUC/unbound maternal plasma AUC) of drugs that passively cross the placenta. Here, we used in vitro transport studies in Transwell, in combination with our m-f PBPK model, to predict fetal K(p,uu) of drugs that are effluxed by placental P-glycoprotein (P-gp)—namely, dexamethasone, betamethasone, darunavir, and lopinavir. Using Transwell, we determined the efflux ratio of these drugs in hMDR1-MDCK(cP-gpKO) cells, in which human P-gp was overexpressed and the endogenous P-gp was knocked out. Then, using the proteomics-informed efflux ratio–relative expressive factor approach, we predicted the fetal K(p,uu) of these drugs at term. Finally, to verify our predictions, we compared them with the observed in vivo fetal K(p,uu) at term. The latter was estimated using our m-f PBPK model and published fetal [umbilical vein (UV)]/maternal plasma drug concentrations obtained at term (UV/maternal plasma). Fetal K(p,uu) predictions for dexamethasone (0.63), betamethasone (0.59), darunavir (0.17), and lopinavir (0.08) were successful, as they fell within the 90% confidence interval of the corresponding in vivo fetal K(p,uu) (0.30–0.66, 0.29–0.71, 0.11–0.22, 0.04–0.19, respectively). This is the first demonstration of successful prediction of fetal K(p,uu) of P-gp drug substrates from in vitro studies. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: For the first time, using in vitro studies in cells, this study successfully predicted human fetal K(p,uu) of P-gp substrate drugs. This success confirms that the m-f PBPK model, combined with the ER-REF approach, can successfully predict fetal drug exposure to P-gp substrates. This success provides increased confidence in the use of the ER-REF approach, combined with the m-f PBPK model, to predict fetal K(p,uu) of drugs (transported by P-gp or other transporters), both at term and at earlier gestational ages.