Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model for Topotecan in Mice

Topotecan is a chemotherapeutic agent of choice for the second-line treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer. In this article, we have developed a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model to characterize and predict topotecan concentrations in mouse plasma and tissues. Single intravenous (IV) doses (5, 10 and 30 mg/kg) of topotecan were administered to male Swiss Webster mice, with plasma and tissue samples collected over 24 h, and with sample analysis by high performance liquid chromatography. Topotecan disposition in the lungs, heart, muscle, skin, spleen, gut, liver, brain and adipose was described by perfusion rate-limited compartments, whereas the testes and intraperitoneal (IP) fluid were described with permeability rate-limited compartments. The kidneys were modeled as a permeability rate-limited compartment with nonlinear efflux. The model included enterohepatic recycling of topotecan, with re-absorption of drug secreted in the bile and nonlinear bioavailability. Topotecan demonstrated dose-dependent, nonlinear pharmacokinetics and its elimination was described by nonlinear clearance from the liver and a parallel nonlinear and linear clearance from the kidneys. Mean tissue-to-plasma partition coefficients ranged from 0.123 (brain) to 55.3 (kidney). The model adequately characterized topotecan pharmacokinetics in plasma and tissue for all three doses. Additionally, the model provided good prediction of topotecan pharmacokinetics from several external data sets, including prediction of topotecan tissue pharmacokinetics following administration of 1 or 20 mg/kg IV, and prediction of plasma pharmacokinetics following doses of 1, 1.25, 15, 20 and 80 mg/kg IV and 20 mg/kg IP.