Published papers

We previously reported a pilot study of thalidomide monotherapy for Japanese patients with refractory or relapsed multiple myeloma. In the present work, we have extended this clinical trial to a single-institute phase 2 study with a larger number of patients and longer follow-up time. New information on the optimal dose and prognostic factors as well as the correlation of toxicities with treatment schedule was obtained. Fifteen of 56 (27%) patients achieved a partial response, including three cases with near-complete remission. Most patients suffered toxicities at a dose of 400 mg per day, but there was no clear dose-response relationship. Thus, a lower dose such as 200.mg per day or less is considered optimal. Multivariate analyses identified only lack of response to therapy as an adverse prognostic factor for progression-free survival. Chromosomal abnormality, C-reactive protein. >10 mg/L, and more than six previous courses of chemotherapy were significantly associated with shorter overall survival. Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were observed in 23 and 11% of patients, respectively. Grade 4 interstitial pneumonia and grade 5 pulmonary hypertension were observed; however, no patient suffered deep vein thrombosis, which has frequently been observed in other studies. Duration of therapy was closely related to the development of peripheral neuropathy. The efficacy and prognostic factors of this treatment were confirmed in long-term observation. However, special attention should be paid to toxicities such as hematological and pulmonary complications as well as peripheral neuropathy in long-term users. © 2008 Japanese Cancer Association.

Two phase II studies of S-1 monotherapy have shown promising response rates (RR) of 35-40% with good tolerability in patients with untreated metastatic colorectal cancer. To investigate the usefulness of S-1 plus oxaliplatin (SOX) as an alternative to infusional 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin plus oxaliplatin, the recommended dose (RD) of SOX was determined, and its safety and preliminary efficacy were evaluated in a phase I/II study. Oxaliplatin was administered at a dose of 100 mg m-2 (level 1) or 130 mg m-2 (level 2) on day 1, and S-1 (80-120) was given twice daily for 2 weeks followed by a 1-week rest. This schedule was repeated every 3 weeks. Level 2 was determined to be the RD. For the 28 patients who received the RD, the median treatment course was 6.5 cycles (2-14), RR of 50% (1 CR and 13 PR: 95% CI 31-69%), with a median progression-free survival of 196 days. Survival rate (1 year) was 79%. Peripheral neuropathy was observed in all patients but with no functional disorders. Major grade 3 or 4 adverse reactions at the RD were neutropaenia (14%), thrombocytopaenia (28%), and diarrhoea (3%). SOX regimen is effective and easily manageable without central vein access. © 2008 Cancer Research UK.

Objective: Although the drug interaction between fluconazole and calcineurin inhibitors has been established, the influence of the route of fluconazole administration on its drug interaction with calcineurin inhibitors has yet to be fully examined. The aim of the present study is to examine whether different routes of fluconazole administration alter its drug interactions with intravenous calcineurin inhibitors. Methods: In 53 recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation receiving calcineurin inhibitors intravenously, steady-state whole-blood levels of cyclosporine A (CsA) or tacrolimus were measured after the route of fluconazole (200 mg/day) administration was switched from intravenous to oral. Results: The mean steady-state whole-blood level of CsA or tacrolimus significantly increased after the route of fluconazole administration was switched from intravenous to oral (CsA: to 394±28.4 from 362±17.8 ng/mL; tacrolimus: to 18.8±0.64 from 17.4±0.39 ng/mL, P<0.05). Conclusion: This finding strongly suggests that oral fluconazole has a greater impact on its drug interactions with intravenous calcineurin inhibitors than intravenous fluconazole. Monitoring of blood levels of intravenous calcineurin inhibitors is recommended when the route of fluconazole administration is switched from intravenous to oral. © 2007 Springer-Verlag.

In previous reports, the effects of 12 Ca2+ antagonists on a multidrug resistant transporter, P-glycoprotein/MDR1, were evaluated in terms of those on MDR1-mediated transport of [3H]digoxin and the sensitivity of vinblastine sulfate or paclitaxel, and they were able to be classified into 4 subgroups based on their actions, as those with transport inhibition and sensitivity recovery, those with or without transport inhibition but marginal sensitivity recovery, and those without both. In this study, our previous findings were confirmed by the resistance against doxorubicin hydrochloride and daunorubicin hydrochloride, and by the recovery of [3H] vinblastine sulfate accumulation. Furthermore, it was found that the effects of 12 Ca2+ antagonists on the sensitivity recovery were also explained by the down-regulation of MDR1 mRNA, suggesting a novel mechanism to reverse the MDR1-mediated multidrug resistance.

The efficacy and safety of garenoxacin mesilate hydrate(GRNX), new oral des-fluoroquinolone antimicrobial, were investigated in patients with secondary infection occurred on chronic respiratory disorders. Patients were treated with GRNX 400 mg once daily for 10 days. Plasma concentration of GRNX in each patient was determined and the obtained clinical results were analysed based on pharmacokinetics(PK) and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics(PK/PD) parameters. Clinical efficacy rates were 87.8% (108/123) at the end of treatment and 83.7% (103/123) at the 7th day of post-treatment. Bacteriological eradication rates were 89.6% (60/67) and 85.1% (57/67) at the above time points. Eradication rates of causative organisms were 100% (13/13) in Streptococcus pneumoniae, 7/8 in Staphylococcus aureus, 100% (28/28) in Haemophilus influenzae and 8/8 in Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis at the end of treatment. All penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae(PRSP) including penicillin-intermediate resistant S. pneumoniae(PISP) were eradicated. Drug-related adverse events were observed in 19 patients (26 events), the incidence rate was 14.0% (19/136). Gastrointestinal disorders including 4 cases of diarrhea (2.9%), 3 of loose stool (2.2%) and 3 of vomiting (2.2%) were frequently observed. Laboratory abnormalities were observed in 26 patients (19.3%). Frequent abnormalities were 14 cases of AST elevation (10.4%), 13 of ALT elevation (9.6%) and 5 of serum amylase elevation (3.8%). No relationship was observed between PK parameters (AUC0-24 and Cmax) and incidence of adverse events. 90.9% of patient in this study exceeded the target value of fAUC0-24/MIC > 50. Clinical efficacy at the 7th day of post-treatment was 91.7% (55/60) in those cases whose target value was more than 50, but it was only 3/6 in those whose target value was less than 50. Similar results were obtained in studies in US and EU. From aboves, it indicates that GRNX is a beneficial antimicrobial agent for secondary infection of chronic respiratory diseases.

Background: Although oxaliplatin (L-OHP) combined with infusional 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin (LV) is one of the standard chemotherapy regimens for metastatic or recurrent colorectal cancer, its introduction to Japan has been delayed. Phase I studies of L-OHP monotherapy in Japan showed no dose-limiting toxicity at the internationally recommended dose of 130 mg/m2 every 3 weeks, as well as no racial differences in pharmacokinetics as compared with Western subjects. This study aimed to clarify the efficacy and safety of L-OHP monotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer refractory to fluoropyrimidines. Methods: Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who had failed to respond to fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy received L-OHP at a dose of 130 mg/m2 every 3 weeks. Results: Sixty patients were enrolled. Two ineligible patients and one untreated patient were excluded from analysis. The median number of treatment cycles was 4 (range, 1 - 6). The overall response rate was 9% (5/57, 95% CI: 4 - 19%). The median time to progression was 2.7 months, and the median survival time was 11.1 months. Grade 3 major toxicity comprised thrombocytopenia (12%) and nausea (11%). There was no grade 4 toxicity. All patients experienced mild to moderate sensory neurotoxicity without functional impairment interfering with activities of daily living. Conclusions: The efficacy and toxicity of L-OHP in Japanese patients with metastatic colorectal cancer refractory to fluoropyrimidines is apparently similar to those in Western patients. © 2007 Foundation for Promotion of Cancer Research.

The objective of this study was to propose the appropriate dosage regimen of micafungin for pediatric use, considering the effects of dose-linearity, age and other cofactors on the pharmacokinetics. Pharmacokinetic analysis of micafungin and its active metabolites (M1 and M2) after intravenous infusion at doses of 1 to 3 mg/kg was conducted for 19 Japanese pediatric patients (3 infants, 7 toddlers, and 9 pupils) with deep mycosis caused by either Aspergillus or Candida species. One patient was given the maximum dose of 6 mg/kg. The Cmax of micafungin increased in proportion to the dose. The mean values (S.D.) were 5.03 (2.33), 10.25 (4.45), 14.8 (5.52) and 21.1 μg/ml at 1, 2 , 3 and 6 mg/kg, respectively. These parameters were comparable to those seen in adults when the parameter was normalized by body weight. The elimination half life (t1/2) of micafungin over the dose range was apparently constant with the value of 13.1 h. There was no difference between the age groups observed. In fact, the metabolite concentrations were almost the same as those obtained for non-pediatric patients. Thus, micafungin showed the same dose-proportional pharmacokinetics in pediatric patients as it did in adults. No age dependent pharmacokinetics were observed in this study. It was concluded that the body weight adjustment was adequate for the treatment of micafungin in pediatric patients. © 2006 Pharmaceutical Society of Japan.

BACKGROUND. Because no biomarker that reflects small bowel allograft rejection is available, we applied surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF MS) to develop noninvasive markers required for routine diagnosis. METHODS. Heterotopic small bowel transplantation (SBT) was performed in rats, and they were divided into four experimental groups: sham-operated rats (sham), syngeneic transplants (syngeneic), allogeneic transplants (allogeneic), allogeneic transplants received FK506 (allo+FK). Plasma samples were analyzed with SELDI ProteinChip arrays to detect peaks that predominated in the allogeneic model. Possible biomarkers were identified in combination with SELDI retentate chromatography mass spectrometry (RCMS) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). The identified protein was further analyzed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS. An increase in the level of a 14.8-kDa protein, identified as lysozyme, was observed specifically in the plasma of the allogeneic group; the levels of this protein remained unchanged in the plasma of the other groups. On the other hand, the levels of a 10.1-kDa and a 13.0-kDa protein, identified as migration inhibitory factor-related proteins (MRP), MRP-8 and MRP-14, respectively, began to increase from an early stage of acute rejection. We also observed that lysozyme-positive macrophages had strongly infiltrated the lamina propria during acute rejection. CONCLUSIONS. We identified three plasma proteins-MRP-8, MRP-14, and lysozyme-that increased during small bowel allograft rejection. The identified proteins appeared to be markers for inflammation associated with allograft rejection. This proteomic approach will be useful for the identification of candidate biomarkers. Copyright © 2006 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.