Lampit (nifurtimox)

Antiprotozoal Agents Oral Tablet

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Last reviewed · Source: First Databank (FDB) drug data

Overview

Nifurtimox is a nitrofuran antiprotozoal agent with antitrypanosomal activity.

Nifurtimox is a nitrofuran antiprotozoal agent that is active against T. cruzi. While the exact mechanism of action is not clearly understood, the drug is metabolized/activated by Type I (oxygen insensitive) and Type II (oxygen sensitive) nitroreductases, resulting in DNA damage and cell death of both intracellular and extracellular forms of T. cruzi due to the production of toxic intermediate metabolites and/or reactive oxygen species.

Nifurtimox is active against all 3 stages of T. cruzi, which include tryptomastigotes, the flagellated stage of trypanosomes that is found in the blood of infected persons; amastigotes, a non-flagellated, intracellular replicative form of trypanosomes; and epimastigotes, a form of trypanosomes that multiplies and differentiates in the midgut. T. cruzi sensitivity varies based on geographic region. The mechanism of resistance to antitrypanosomal therapy is multifactorial.

There is evidence of multi-drug resistance to benznidazole with a demonstrated risk for cross-resistance to nifurtimox.

Administration of nifurtimox with a high-fat meal containing 800-1000 calories increases the peak plasma concentration of the drug by 68%, AUC by 71%, and time to peak plasma concentration by 1 hour compared to the fasted state. The median time to reach peak plasma concentration of nifurtimox under fed conditions was 4 hours (range: 2 to 8 hours). Nifurtimox crosses both the blood brain barrier and the placental barrier.

Nifurtimox is 42% bound to plasma proteins. Nifurtimox is primarily metabolized via nitroreductases into two major pharmacologically inactive metabolites, M-4 and M-6, and several minor metabolites; the half-life of M-4 is approximately 28 hours and the half-life of M-6 is about 10 hours. The mean coefficient of variation of the elimination half-life ranged from 2.4-3.6 hours (12-37%).

Approximately 44% and 27% of a nifurtimox dose is recovered in the urine as metabolites under fed and fasted conditions, respectively. There is no information about the elimination of nifurtimox via the biliary or fecal routes. While the effect of renal and/or hepatic impairment on the pharmacokinetics of nifurtimox is unknown, plasma concentrations of the drug are elevated in patients with end-stage renal disease.

USES: Nifurtimox is used to treat a certain parasitic infection (Chagas disease). It works by stopping the growth of a certain parasite.

Generic name: nifurtimox
Pronunciation: (ney-FURE-ti-mox)
Drug class: Antiprotozoal Agents
Therapeutic class: Anti-Infective Agents

Reference product & biosimilars

No reference, biosimilar or interchangeable associated with this drug.

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Indications

The following indications are listed for Lampit:

  • Chagas Disease

Also known as: American Trypanosomiasis, Chagas-Mazza Disease, Infection Caused By Trypanosoma Cruzi, South American Trypanosomiasis.

Dosing

No dosing information is available for this tab.

Drug interactions

The potential for drug interactions with nifurtimox has not been studied.

Cytochrome P-450 (CYP) isoenzymes do not appear to play a major role in the metabolism of nifurtimox. In vitro studies indicate that nifurtimox is not a substrate of CYP isoenzymes. Neither nifurtimox nor its metabolites (M-4 or M-6) inhibit or induce CYP isoenzymes.

Nifurtimox is not a substrate of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) or breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP). Neither nifurtimox nor its major metabolites (M-4 or M-6z) are inhibitors of P-gp, BCRP, organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP), multidrug and toxin extrusion (MATE) proteins (MATE1/MATE2-K), organic anion transporter 1/3 (OAT1/OAT3), or organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2).

Contraindications

*Known hypersensitivity to nifurtimox or to any of its excipients.

*Patients who consume alcohol during treatment.

Adverse reactions

The most common (>=5%) adverse effects of nifurtimox in clinical studies were vomiting, abdominal pain, headache, decreased appetite, nausea, fever, and rash.

Precautions

No enhanced messaging available.

ICD codes

CodeTypeDescription
Chagas disease
B57ICD10CMChagas' disease
B57.0ICD10CMAcute chagas' disease with heart involvement
B57.1ICD10CMAcute chagas' disease without heart involvement
B57.2ICD10CMChagas' disease (chronic) with heart involvement
B57.3ICD10CMChagas' disease (chronic) with digestive system involvement
B57.30ICD10CMChagas' disease with digestive system involvement, unspecified
B57.31ICD10CMMegaesophagus in chagas' disease
B57.32ICD10CMMegacolon in chagas' disease
B57.39ICD10CMOther digestive system involvement in chagas' disease
B57.4ICD10CMChagas' disease (chronic) with nervous system involvement
B57.40ICD10CMChagas' disease with nervous system involvement, unspecified
B57.41ICD10CMMeningitis in chagas' disease
B57.42ICD10CMMeningoencephalitis in chagas' disease
B57.49ICD10CMOther nervous system involvement in chagas' disease
B57.5ICD10CMChagas' disease (chronic) with other organ involvement

ICD code information from First Databank (FDB).

Formulary status

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Last reviewed · Source: First Databank (FDB) drug data