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Pharmacotherapeutic group: Antithrombotic agents, direct factor Xa inhibitors. ATC code: B01AF02.
Pharmacology: Mechanism of action: Apixaban is a potent, oral, reversible, direct and highly selective active site inhibitor of factor Xa. It does not require antithrombin III for antithrombotic activity. Apixaban inhibits free and clot-bound factor Xa, and prothrombinase activity. Apixaban has no direct effects on platelet aggregation, but indirectly inhibits platelet aggregation induced by thrombin. By inhibiting factor Xa, apixaban prevents thrombin generation and thrombus development. Preclinical studies of apixaban in animal models have demonstrated antithrombotic efficacy in the prevention of arterial and venous thrombosis at doses that preserved haemostasis.
Pharmacodynamics: The pharmacodynamic effects of apixaban are reflective of the mechanism of action (FXa inhibition). As a result of FXa inhibition, apixaban prolongs clotting tests such as prothrombin time (PT), INR and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). Changes observed in these clotting tests at the expected therapeutic dose are small and subject to a high degree of variability. They are not recommended to assess the pharmacodynamic effects of apixaban. In the thrombin generation assay, apixaban reduced endogenous thrombin potential, a measure of thrombin generation in human plasma.
Apixaban also demonstrates anti-FXa activity as evident by reduction in Factor Xa enzyme activity in multiple commercial anti-FXa kits, however results differ across kits. Data from clinical trials are only available for the Rotachrom Heparin chromogenic assay. Anti-FXa activity exhibits a close direct linear relationship with apixaban plasma concentration, reaching maximum values at the time of apixaban peak plasma concentrations. The relationship between apixaban plasma concentration and anti-FXa activity is approximately linear over a wide dose range of apixaban.
Pharmacokinetics: Absorption: The absolute bioavailability of apixaban is approximately 50% for doses up to 10 mg. Apixaban is rapidly absorbed with maximum concentrations (Cmax) appearing 3 to 4 hours after tablet intake. Intake with food does not affect apixaban AUC or Cmax at the 10 mg dose. Apixaban can be taken with or without food.
Apixaban demonstrates linear pharmacokinetics with dose proportional increases in exposure for oral doses up to 10 mg. At doses ≥ 25 mg apixaban displays dissolution limited absorption with decreased bioavailability. Apixaban exposure parameters exhibit low to moderate variability reflected by a within-subject and inter-subject variability of ~20% CV and ~30% CV, respectively.
Following oral administration of 10 mg of apixaban as 2 crushed 5 mg tablets suspended in 30 mL of water, exposure was comparable to exposure after oral administration of 2 whole 5 mg tablets. Following oral administration of 10 mg of apixaban as 2 crushed 5 mg tablets with 30 g of apple puree, the Cmax and AUC were 21% and 16% lower, respectively, when compared to administration of 2 whole 5 mg tablets. The reduction in exposure is not considered clinically relevant.
Following administration of a crushed 5 mg apixaban tablet suspended in 60 mL of D5W and delivered via a nasogastric tube, exposure was similar to exposure seen in other clinical trials involving healthy subjects receiving a single oral 5 mg apixaban tablet dose.
Given the predictable, dose-proportional pharmacokinetic profile of apixaban, the bioavailability results from the conducted studies are applicable to lower apixaban doses.
Distribution: Plasma protein binding in humans is approximately 87%. The volume of distribution (Vss) is approximately 21 litres.
Biotransformation and elimination: Apixaban has multiple routes of elimination. Of the administered apixaban dose in humans, approximately 25% was recovered as metabolites, with the majority recovered in faeces. Renal excretion of apixaban accounts for approximately 27% of total clearance. Additional contributions from biliary and direct intestinal excretion were observed in clinical and nonclinical studies, respectively.
Apixaban has a total clearance of about 3.3 L/h and a half-life of approximately 12 hours.
O-demethylation and hydroxylation at the 3-oxopiperidinyl moiety are the major sites of biotransformation. Apixaban is metabolised mainly via CYP3A4/5 with minor contributions from CYP1A2, 2C8, 2C9, 2C19, and 2J2. Unchanged apixaban is the major drug-related component in human plasma with no active circulating metabolites present. Apixaban is a substrate of transport proteins, P-gp and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP).
Renal impairment: Impaired renal function does not impact the peak concentration of apixaban. Decrease in renal function as measured by creatinine clearance is correlated to increase in apixaban exposure. Relationship between apixaban plasma concentration and anti-FXa activity is not expected to be affected by renal impairment.
Hepatic impairment: Single-dose pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of apixaban 5 mg were not altered in patients with hepatic impairment. Changes in anti-Factor Xa activity and INR were comparable between the healthy and those with mild to moderate hepatic impairment.
Elderly: Elderly patients (above 65 years) exhibited higher plasma concentrations than younger patients, with mean AUC values being approximately 32% higher and no difference in Cmax.
Gender: Exposure to apixaban was approximately 18% higher in females than in males.
Ethnic origin and race: The results across phase I studies showed no discernible difference in apixaban pharmacokinetics between White/Caucasian, Asian and Black/African American subjects. Findings from a population pharmacokinetic analysis in patients who received apixaban were generally consistent with the phase I results.
Body weight: Compared to apixaban exposure in subjects with body weight of 65 to 85 kg, body weight > 120 kg was associated with approximately 30% lower exposure and body weight < 50 kg was associated with approximately 30% higher exposure.
Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationship: The pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) relationship between apixaban plasma concentration and several PD endpoints (anti-FXa activity, INR, PT, aPTT) has been evaluated after administration of a wide range of doses (0.5-50 mg). The relationship between apixaban plasma concentration and anti-Factor Xa activity was best described by a linear model. The PK/PD relationship observed in patients was consistent with that established in healthy subjects.
