Absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of [¹⁴C]BYL719 (alpelisib) in healthy male volunteers

To determine the pharmacokinetics of the p110α-selective inhibitor alpelisib (BYL719) in humans, to identify metabolites in plasma and excreta, and to characterize pathways of biotransformation.

Four healthy male volunteers received a single oral dose of [¹⁴C]-labeled alpelisib (400 mg, 2.78 MBq). Blood, urine, and feces samples were collected throughout the study. Total radioactivity was measured by liquid scintillation counting, and metabolites were quantified and identified by radiometry and mass spectrometry. Complementary in vitro experiments characterized the hydrolytic, oxidative, and conjugative enzymes involved in metabolite formation.

Over 50 % of [¹⁴C] alpelisib was absorbed, with a T _max of 2 h and an elimination half-life from plasma of 13.7 h. Over the first 12 h, exposure to alpelisib and the primary metabolite M4 was 67.9 and 26.7 % of total drug-related material in circulation, respectively. Mass balance was achieved, with 94.5 % of administered radioactivity recovered in excreta. In total, 38.2 % of alpelisib was excreted unchanged, while 39.5 % was excreted as M4. Based on the excreta pools analyzed, excretion occurred mainly via feces (79.8 % of administered dose); 13.1 % was excreted via urine. In vitro experiments showed that spontaneous and enzymatic hydrolysis contributed to M4 formation, while CYP3A4-mediated oxidation and UGT1A9-mediated glucuronidation formed minor metabolites. Alpelisib was well tolerated, and no new safety concerns were raised during this study.

Alpelisib was rapidly absorbed and cleared by multiple metabolic pathways; the primary metabolite M4 is pharmacologically inactive. Alpelisib has limited potential for drug–drug interactions and is therefore a promising candidate for combination therapy.