Population Pharmacokinetic Modeling With Enterohepatic Circulation for AZD3241 in Healthy Subjects and Patients With Multiple System Atrophy

AZD3241 is a potent and selective myeloperoxidase inhibitor potentially for the treatment of a number of neurodegenerative disorders, including multiple system atrophy (MSA). The objectives of this work were to develop a population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) model for AZD3241 and to investigate the correlation between AZD3241 exposure and myeloperoxidase inhibition. The PopPK model was developed using AZD3241 data from one phase 1 study in healthy subjects and one phase 2 study in patients with MSA. A one‐compartment model incorporating a gallbladder compartment for enterohepatic circulation, sequential zero‐first order absorption, and first‐order elimination adequately described the AZD3241 concentration profiles. The apparent clearance and central volume of distribution were 63.1 L/h (interindividual variability: 34.8%) and 121.9 L (interindividual variability: 44.0%), respectively. The enterohepatic circulation model reasonably captured the second peak of AZD3241, and high‐fat food increased the absorption rate by 69%. A linear regression model was applied to describe the relationship between AZD3241 exposure and percentage change from baseline in myeloperoxidase‐specific activity. The developed PopPK model was consistent with known pharmacokinetic characteristics of AZD3241. This model can be used to estimate AZD3241 exposure in patients with MSA and could be applied to future pharmacokinetic‐pharmacodynamic analyses of AZD3241 in clinical development.