Effects of Single and Multiple Ascending Doses of BI 1358894 in Healthy Male Volunteers on Safety, Tolerability and Pharmacokinetics: Two Phase I Partially Randomised Studies

The transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) ion channels have been implicated in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD), and TRPC inhibition has been shown to reduce depressive-like behaviour in rodent models of depression. BI 1358894, a small-molecule inhibitor of TRPC ion channels, is currently being developed for the treatment of MDD.

Two phase I studies assessed the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of oral BI 1358894 in fed and fasted states following a single ascending dose (SAD) [NCT03210272/1402-0001] and multiple ascending doses (MAD) [NCT03754959/1402-0002] in healthy male volunteers. In addition, any potential food effect was evaluated after a single dose.

In both studies, eligible healthy male volunteers (aged 18–45 years; body mass index of 18.5–29.9 kg/m²) were allocated to receive BI 1358894 or placebo. In the SAD study (1402-0001), volunteers were randomised 3:1 to receive BI 1358894 or placebo in fasted (3, 6, 10, 25, 50, 100, or 200 mg) and fed states (200 mg). The food effect part was conducted as an open-label, randomised, two-way crossover study at doses of 50 and 100 mg in fasted and fed states (high-calorie, high-fat breakfast). For the MAD study (1402-0002), volunteers were randomised 4:1 to receive BI 1358894 (10, 25, 50, 100, or 200 mg) or placebo once daily for 14 days under fed conditions. Primary endpoint (both studies): number of volunteers with drug-related adverse events (DRAEs). Secondary PK endpoints for study 1402-0001: area under the concentration–time curve (AUC) from time zero extrapolated to infinity (AUC_∞), maximum plasma concentration (C_max), and AUC from time zero to the last quantifiable data time point (AUC_0–tz). Secondary PK endpoints for study 1402-0002: AUC over 0–24 h (AUC_0–24), C_max after the first dose, and steady-state AUC and C_max over a uniform dosing interval (AUC_τ,ss and C_max,ss, respectively) after the last dose.

BI 1358894 was well tolerated at doses ≤ 200 mg under all tested conditions and no dose dependency was observed in DRAE frequency for either study. In the SAD study, BI 1358894 exposure increased dose proportionally across 3–50 mg in the fasted state and across 50–200 mg in the fed state. A positive food effect was observed at the tested doses. In the MAD study, BI 1358894 exposure increased less than dose proportionally across 10–200 mg.

These studies demonstrate that BI 1358894 is well tolerated in healthy male volunteers following single and multiple doses, with no dose dependency observed in DRAE frequency. BI 1358894 exposure increased dose dependently in both the SAD and MAD studies, with higher exposure of BI 1358894 observed in the fed state.

These trials have been registered on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03210272/1402-0001 (registered on 6 July 2017) and NCT03754959/1402-0002 (registered on 27 November 2018).