Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Clinical Trial
. 2014 Jun;27(3):178-84.
doi: 10.1089/jamp.2013.1042. Epub 2013 May 13.

Lung deposition and pharmacokinetics of nebulized cyclosporine in lung transplant patients

Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Lung deposition and pharmacokinetics of nebulized cyclosporine in lung transplant patients

T E Corcoran et al. J Aerosol Med Pulm Drug Deliv. 2014 Jun.

Abstract

Background: Inhaled cyclosporine (CsA) is being investigated as a prophylaxis for lung transplant rejection. Lung deposition and systemic exposure of nebulized CsA in lung transplant patients was evaluated as part of the Phase 3 cyclosporine inhalation solution (CIS) trial (CYCLIST).

Methods: Ten patients received 300 mg of CIS (62.5 mg/mL CsA in propylene glycol) admixed with 148 MBq of Tc-DTPA (technetium-99m bound to diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) administered using a Sidestream(®) disposable jet nebulizer. Deposition was assessed using a dual-headed gamma camera. Blood samples were collected over a 24-hr time period after aerosol dosing and analyzed for CsA levels. A pharmacokinetic analysis of the resulting blood concentration versus time profiles was performed.

Results: The average total deposited dose was 53.7 ± 12.7 mg. Average pulmonary dose was 31.8 ± 16.3 mg, and stomach dose averaged 15.5 ± 11.1 mg. Device performance was consistent, with breathing maneuvers influencing dose variation. Predose coaching with five of 10 patients reduced stomach deposition (22.6 ± 11.2 vs. 8.3 ± 5.2 mg; p=0.03). Blood concentrations declined quickly from a maximum of 372 ± 140 ng/mL to 15.3 ± 9.7 ng/mL at 24 hr post dose. Levels of AUC(0-24) [area under the concentration vs. time curve from 0 to 24 hr] averaged 1,493 ± 746 ng hr/mL. On a three times per week dose regimen, this represents <5% of the weekly systemic exposure of twice per day oral administration.

Conclusions: Substantial doses of CsA can be delivered to the lungs of lung transplant patients by inhaled aerosol. Systemic levels are small relative to typical oral CsA administration.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00755781.

Keywords: aerosol deposition; inhaled cyclosporine; lung transplant.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

<b>FIG. 1.</b>
FIG. 1.
Comparing radioactivity and drug dose through NGI studies. Radioactivity is compared with drug mass within each aerosol size range after the nebulization of CsA solution for inhalation with a small amount of added Tc-DTPA. Results are means±SD.
<b>FIG. 2.</b>
FIG. 2.
Demonstrating the linear relationship between CsA drug mass and radioactivity associated with Tc-DTPA. The correlation between radioactivity and drug mass provides the basis for the performance of deposition scintigraphy studies. Results are means±SD.
<b>FIG. 3.</b>
FIG. 3.
Deposition scintigraphy images from lung transplant recipients. (A) Subject with lowest pulmonary dose (13.2 mg). (B) Subject with highest pulmonary dose (61.3 mg). (C) A single-lung recipient [3.9 mg (native)/25.7 mg (transplant)]. All images are posterior.
<b>FIG. 4.</b>
FIG. 4.
Blood concentration versus time profiles of CsA after inhalation. Time was assessed from the end of nebulized delivery. Results are means±SD.

References

    1. Iacono AT, Keenan RJ, Duncan SR, Smaldone GC, Dauber JH, Paradis IL, Ohori NP, Grgurich WF, Burckart GJ, Zeevi A, Delgado E, O'Riordan TG, Zendarsky MM, Yousem SA, and Griffith BP: Aerosolized cyclosporine in lung recipients with refractory chronic rejection. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1996;153(4 Pt 1):1451–1455 - PubMed
    1. McCurry KR, Iacono AT, Dauber JH, Grgurich WF, Pham SM, Hattler BG, Keenan RJ, and Griffith BP: Lung and heart-lung transplantation at the University of Pittsburgh. Clin Transpl. 1997:209–218 - PubMed
    1. Iacono A, Dauber J, Keenan R, Spichty K, Cai J, Grgurich W, Burckart G, Smaldone G, Pham S, Ohori NP, Yousem SA, Williams P, Griffith B, and Zeevi A: Interleukin 6 and interferon-gamma gene expression in lung transplant recipients with refractory acute cellular rejection: implications for monitoring and inhibition by treatment with aerosolized cyclosporine. Transplantation. 1997;64:263–269 - PubMed
    1. Keenan RJ, Iacono A, Dauber JH, Zeevi A, Yousem SA, Ohori NP, Burckart GJ, Kawai A, Smaldone GC, and Griffith BP: Treatment of refractory acute allograft rejection with aerosolized cyclosporine in lung transplant recipients. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1997;113:335–340; discussion 340–331 - PubMed
    1. Iacono AT, Corcoran TE, Griffith BP, Grgurich WF, Smith DA, Zeevi A, Smaldone GC, McCurry KR, Johnson BA, and Dauber JH: Aerosol cyclosporin therapy in lung transplant recipients with bronchiolitis obliterans. Eur Respir J. 2004;23:384–390 - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Associated data