Nubeqa (darolutamide)

Antiandrogen Oral Tablet

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

Overview

Darolutamide, a nonsteroidal antiandrogen, is an antineoplastic agent.

Darolutamide, a nonsteroidal antiandrogen, is an antineoplastic agent. The drug competitively inhibits androgen binding to androgen receptors; its mechanism of action is similar to those of enzalutamide and apalutamide (nonsteroidal antiandrogens structurally unrelated to darolutamide). Darolutamide inhibits nuclear translocation of the androgen receptor, interaction of the androgen receptor with DNA, and androgen receptor-mediated gene transcription.

Compared with enzalutamide and apalutamide, darolutamide appears to cross the blood-brain barrier to a negligible or lesser extent and to have less affinity for gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors in preclinical models, which has theoretical implications for a potentially improved CNS adverse effect profile (e.g., decreased risk of seizures). Darolutamide inhibited tumor growth in vitro and decreased tumor volume in xenograft models of castration-resistant prostate cancer in mice.

In castration-resistant prostate cancer, alterations in androgen receptor signaling (e.g., androgen receptor gene mutation or amplification, androgen receptor overexpression) have been shown to result in persistence of androgen receptor signaling and to contribute to disease progression despite castrate levels of androgens. Resistance to conventional antiandrogens (e.g., bicalutamide, flutamide, nilutamide) in castration-resistant prostate cancer has been associated with paradoxical agonistic effects of these drugs and continued androgen receptor signaling. Unlike these conventional antiandrogens but similar to other second generation antiandrogens (e.g., enzalutamide, apalutamide), darolutamide does not exhibit agonistic activity in cells that overexpress the androgen receptor.

In addition to inhibition of wild-type androgen receptors, darolutamide also has demonstrated inhibition of mutant androgen receptors known to trigger bicalutamide, enzalutamide, and apalutamide antagonist-to-agonist switch.

Darolutamide exhibits nearly dose-proportional exposure over a dose range of 100-700 mg. Following oral administration of a single 600-mg dose, peak plasma concentration is attained in approximately 4 hours. Absolute bioavailability of a 300-mg dose of darolutamide administered orally under fasted conditions is approximately 30%; bioavailability increases 2 to 2.5-fold when administered with food.

Steady-state concentrations of darolutamide are achieved after 2-5 days of repeated dosing with food, and the accumulation ratio is approximately 2-fold. Darolutamide is metabolized principally by cytochrome P-450 (CYP) isoenzyme 3A4 to form its major active metabolite, keto-darolutamide. Keto-darolutamide has been shown to have activity similar to that of the parent drug in vitro; however, its contribution to the overall pharmacologic effect of the drug in vivo is expected to be minor, owing to its small unbound fraction (0.2%).

Uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes 1A9 and 1A1 also contribute to the metabolism of darolutamide. Darolutamide and keto-darolutamide are 92 and 99.8% bound, respectively, to plasma proteins, mainly albumin. The half-life of both darolutamide and keto-darolutamide is approximately 20 hours.

Following oral administration of a single radiolabeled dose of darolutamide, 63.4% of the dose was recovered in urine (7% as unchanged drug) and 32.4% was recovered in feces (30% as unchanged drug).

USES: Darolutamide is used to treat a certain type of prostate cancer. This medication belongs to a class of drugs known as anti-androgens (anti-testosterone). It works by blocking the effects of testosterone to slow the growth and spread of prostate cancer.

Generic name: darolutamide
Pronunciation: (DAR-oh-LOO-ta-mide)
Drug class: Antiandrogen
Therapeutic class: Antineoplastics

Reference product & biosimilars

No reference, biosimilar or interchangeable associated with this drug.

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Indications

The following indications are listed for Nubeqa:

  • Metastatic Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer
  • Non-Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Also known as: Metastatic Hormone Sensitive Prostate Cancer, Non-Metastatic Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancer.

Dosing

No dosing information is available for this tab.

Drug interactions

Darolutamide is metabolized principally by cytochrome P-450 (CYP) isoenzyme 3A4; the drug also is metabolized by uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) 1A9 and UGT1A1.

In vitro, darolutamide is an inducer of CYP3A4 and an inhibitor of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP); darolutamide also inhibits organic anion transport protein (OATP) 1B1 and OATP1B3 in vitro.

Darolutamide did not inhibit the major CYP enzymes 1A2, 2A6, 2B6, 2C8, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, 2E1, and 3A4 or transporters, including multidrug resistance protein 2 (MRP2), bile salt export pump (BSEP), organic anion transporters (OATs), organic cation transporters (OCTs), multidrug and toxin extrusion transporters (MATEs), OATP2B1, and sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide (NTCP), at clinically relevant concentrations.

Contraindications

*None.

Adverse reactions

Adverse effects reported in >=10% of patients with nmCRPC and mCSPC administered darolutamide, with a >=2% increase over placebo, include increased AST, decreased neutrophil count, increased bilirubin, fatigue, and increased ALT.

Adverse effects reported >=10% of patients with mCSPC receiving darolutamide in combination with docetaxel, with a >=2% increase over placebo, include constipation, rash, decreased appetite, hemorrhage, increased weight, and hypertension. The most common laboratory abnormalities (>=30%) in these patients include anemia, hyperglycemia, decreased lymphocyte count, decreased neutrophil count, increased AST, increased ALT, and hypocalcemia.

Precautions

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ICD codes

CodeTypeDescription
Metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer
C61ICD10CMMalignant neoplasm of prostate
Z19.1ICD10CMHormone sensitive malignancy status
Non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer
C61ICD10CMMalignant neoplasm of prostate

ICD code information from First Databank (FDB).

Formulary status

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