Tipranavir/ritonavir induction of buprenorphine glucuronide metabolism in HIV-negative subjects chronically receiving buprenorphine/naloxone.

<bold>Background: </bold>Previous reports on the pharmacokinetic of tipranavir (TPV) and buprenorphine (BUP)/ naloxone found that coadministration resulted in an 80% reduction in the area under the curve AUC of the primary BUP metabolite, norBUP, without any pharmacodynamic consequences. This study was conducted to characterize how tipranivir/ritonavir effects the glucuronide metabolites of BUP and may explain the reduction in the norBUP.<bold>Methods: </bold>HIV-seronegative subjects stabilized on at least 3 weeks of BUP/naloxone sequentially underwent baseline and steady-state pharmacokinetic evaluation of twice daily TPV 500?mg coadministered with ritonavir 200?mg (TPV/r).<bold>Results: </bold>Twelve subjects were enrolled and ten completed the study. The steady-state pharmacokinetics for BUP-3-glucuronide (BUP-3G) and norBUP-3-glucuronide (norBUP-3G) in the presence and absence of steady-state TPV/r were analyzed. The C(max) of BUP-3G was 8.78???5.23?ng/mL without TPV/r and increased to 12.7???11.7 after steady state of TPV/r was achieved. The AUC of BUP-3G was 31.1???19.4?(ng/mL)?(h) without TPV/r and increased to 58. 6???49.5 after steady state of TPV/r was achieved (p?=?.0966). In contrast, steady-state norBUP-3G AUC(0?24?h) (p?=?.0216) and C(max) (p?=?.0088) were significantly decreased in the presence of steady-state TPV/r.<bold>Conclusions and Scientific Significance: </bold>This study further elucidates the effects of TPV/r on glucuronidation. The current evaluation of glucuronide metabolites of BUP and norBUP are suggestive of combined inhibition of Uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glucuronosyltransferase of the 1A family and cytochrome P450 3A4 that spares UGT2B7 leading to a shunting of BUP away from production of norBUP and toward BUP-3G as seen by a statistically significant increase in the AUC of BUP-3G. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]