Population pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics of sunitinib in pediatric patients with solid tumors.

purposeThe safety profile of sunitinib in children, including the impact of sunitinib exposure on safety endpoints, was assessed using population pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) models.

methodsData were from two clinical studies in 59 children with solid tumors (age range 2-21 years, 28 male/31 female, body weight range 16.2-100 kg, body surface are [BSA] range 0.7-2.1 m

resultsThe models well described the time courses of concentrations of sunitinib and its primary active metabolite SU012662, as well as safety and tolerability endpoints. In PK models for sunitinib and SU012662, BSA was the only covariate that statistically significantly affected apparent clearance (CL/F) and apparent central volume of distribution (Vc/F). Higher BSA was associated with greater CL/F and Vc/F. No statistically significant covariates were identified in the PK-PD models. For safety endpoints that had a sufficient number of adverse events, a higher probability of adverse events was associated with higher average plasma sunitinib concentrations.

conclusionIn PK models, BSA was the only covariate that affected major PK parameters of sunitinib and SU012662. Based on analysis of safety and tolerability endpoints, the PK-PD relationships were mainly driven by sunitinib plasma exposures and were not affected by age, sex, respective baseline safety endpoint values, baseline Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, or body size.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00387920 (registered October 13, 2006), NCT01462695 (registered October 31, 2011).