Alogliptin And Pioglitazone

Monotherapy And Combination Therapy

Alogliptin And Pioglitazone is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus when treatment with both alogliptin and pioglitazone is appropriate.

Important Limitations Of Use

Alogliptin And Pioglitazone is not indicated for the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus or diabetic ketoacidosis, as it would not be effective in these settings.

Recommendations For All Patients

Alogliptin And Pioglitazone should be taken once daily and can be taken with or without food. The tablets must not be split before swallowing.

The recommended starting dose for Alogliptin And Pioglitazone (alogliptin and pioglitazone):

• for patients inadequately controlled on diet and exercise is 25 mg/15 mg or 25 mg/30 mg,
• for patients inadequately controlled on metformin monotherapy is 25 mg/15 mg or 25 mg/30 mg,
• for patients on alogliptin who require additional glycemic control is 25 mg/15 mg or 25 mg/30 mg,
• for patients on pioglitazone who require additional glycemic control is 25 mg/15 mg, 25 mg/30 mg or 25 mg/45 mg as appropriate based upon current therapy,
• for patients switching from alogliptin coadministered with pioglitazone, Alogliptin And Pioglitazone may be initiated at the dose of alogliptin and pioglitazone based upon current therapy,
• for patients with congestive heart failure (NYHA Class I or II) is 25 mg/15 mg.

The Alogliptin And Pioglitazone dose can be titrated up to a maximum of 25 mg/45 mg once daily based on glycemic response as determined by hemoglobin A1c (A1C).

After initiation of Alogliptin And Pioglitazone or with dose increase, monitor patients carefully for adverse reactions related to fluid retention as has been seen with pioglitazone (e.g., weight gain, edema and signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure).

Patients With Renal Impairment

No dose adjustment of Alogliptin And Pioglitazone is necessary for patients with mild renal impairment (creatinine clearance [CrCl] ≥60 mL/min).

The dose of Alogliptin And Pioglitazone is 12.5 mg/15 mg, 12.5 mg/30 mg or 12.5 mg/45 mg once daily for patients with moderate renal impairment (CrCl ≥30 to <60 mL/min).

Alogliptin And Pioglitazone is not recommended for patients with severe renal impairment or ESRD. Coadministration of pioglitazone and alogliptin 6.25 mg once daily based on individual requirements may be considered in these patients.

Because there is a need for dose adjustment based upon renal function, assessment of renal function is recommended prior to initiation of Alogliptin And Pioglitazone therapy and periodically thereafter.

Coadministration With Strong CYP2C8 Inhibitors

Coadministration of pioglitazone and gemfibrozil, a strong CYP2C8 inhibitor, increases pioglitazone exposure approximately three-fold. Therefore, the maximum recommended dose of Alogliptin And Pioglitazone is 25 mg/15 mg daily when used in combination with gemfibrozil or other strong CYP2C8 inhibitors.

History of a serious hypersensitivity reaction to alogliptin or pioglitazone, components of Alogliptin And Pioglitazone, such as anaphylaxis, angioedema or severe cutaneous adverse reactions.

Do not initiate in patients with NYHA Class III or IV heart failure.

WARNINGS

Included as part of the PRECAUTIONS section.

PRECAUTIONS

Congestive Heart Failure

Consider the risks and benefits of Alogliptin And Pioglitazone prior to initiating treatment in patients at risk for heart failure, such as those with a prior history of heart failure and a history of renal impairment, and observe these patients for signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure. Patients should be advised of the characteristic symptoms of congestive heart failure and should be instructed to immediately report such symptoms. If congestive heart failure develops, it should be managed according to current standards of care and consider discontinuation of Alogliptin And Pioglitazone.

Alogliptin

In the EXAMINE trial which enrolled patients with type 2 diabetes and recent acute coronary syndrome, 106 (3.9%) of patients treated with alogliptin and 89 (3.3%) of patients treated with placebo were hospitalized for congestive heart failure.

Pioglitazone

Pioglitazone, like other thiazolidinediones, can cause dose-related fluid retention when used alone or in combination with other antidiabetic medications and is most common when pioglitazone is used in combination with insulin. Fluid retention may lead to or exacerbate congestive heart failure.

Pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis has been reported in the postmarketing setting and in randomized clinical trials. In glycemic control trials in patients with type 2 diabetes, acute pancreatitis was reported in six (0.2%) patients treated with alogliptin 25 mg and two (<0.1%) patients treated with active comparators or placebo. In the EXAMINE trial (a cardiovascular outcomes trial of patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular (CV) risk), acute pancreatitis was reported in ten (0.4%) patients treated with alogliptin and in seven (0.3%) patients treated with placebo.

It is unknown whether patients with a history of pancreatitis are at increased risk for pancreatitis while using Alogliptin And Pioglitazone.

After initiation of Alogliptin And Pioglitazone, patients should be observed for signs and symptoms of pancreatitis. If pancreatitis is suspected, Alogliptin And Pioglitazone should promptly be discontinued and appropriate management should be initiated.

Hypersensitivity Reactions

There have been postmarketing reports of serious hypersensitivity reactions in patients treated with alogliptin. These reactions include anaphylaxis, angioedema and severe cutaneous adverse reactions, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome. If a serious hypersensitivity reaction is suspected, discontinue Alogliptin And Pioglitazone, assess for other potential causes for the event and institute alternative treatment for diabetes. Use caution in patients with a history of angioedema with another dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor because it is unknown whether such patients will be predisposed to angioedema with Alogliptin And Pioglitazone.

Hepatic Effects

There have been postmarketing reports of fatal and nonfatal hepatic failure in patients taking pioglitazone or alogliptin, although some of the reports contain insufficient information necessary to establish the probable cause.

In glycemic control trials of alogliptin in patients with type 2 diabetes, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevations greater than three times the upper limit of normal (ULN) were reported in 1.3% of patients treated with alogliptin 25 mg and 1.7% of patients treated with active comparators or placebo. In the EXAMINE trial (a cardiovascular outcomes trial of patients with type 2 diabetes and high cardiovascular (CV) risk), increases in serum alanine aminotransferase three times the upper limit of the reference range occurred in 2.4% of patients treated with alogliptin and in 1.8% of patients treated with placebo.

Patients with type 2 diabetes may have fatty liver disease or cardiac disease with episodic congestive heart failure, both of which may cause liver test abnormalities, and they may also have other forms of liver disease, many of which can be treated or managed. Therefore, obtaining a liver test panel (ALT, aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alkaline phosphatase and total bilirubin) and assessing the patient is recommended before initiating Alogliptin And Pioglitazone therapy. In patients with abnormal liver tests, Alogliptin And Pioglitazone should be initiated with caution.

Measure liver tests promptly in patients who report symptoms that may indicate liver injury, including fatigue, anorexia, right upper abdominal discomfort, dark urine or jaundice. In this clinical context, if the patient is found to have abnormal liver tests (ALT greater than three times the upper limit of the reference range), Alogliptin And Pioglitazone treatment should be interrupted and an investigation done to establish the probable cause. Alogliptin And Pioglitazone should not be restarted in these patients without another explanation for the liver test abnormalities.

Edema

Pioglitazone

In controlled clinical trials, edema was reported more frequently in patients treated with pioglitazone than in placebo-treated patients and is dose-related. In postmarketing experience, reports of new onset or worsening of edema have been received.

Alogliptin And Pioglitazone should be used with caution in patients with edema. Because thiazolidinediones, including pioglitazone, can cause fluid retention, which can exacerbate or lead to congestive heart failure, Alogliptin And Pioglitazone should be used with caution in patients at risk for congestive heart failure. Patients treated with Alogliptin And Pioglitazone should be monitored for signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure.

Fractures

Pioglitazone

In PROactive (the Prospective Pioglitazone Clinical Trial in Macrovascular Events), 5238 patients with type 2 diabetes and a history of macrovascular disease were randomized to pioglitazone (N=2605), force-titrated up to 45 mg daily or placebo (N=2633) in addition to standard of care. During a mean follow-up of 34.5 months, the incidence of bone fracture in females was 5.1% (44/870) for pioglitazone versus 2.5% (23/905) for placebo. This difference was noted after the first year of treatment and persisted during the course of the study. The majority of fractures observed in female patients were nonvertebral fractures including lower limb and distal upper limb. No increase in the incidence of fracture was observed in men treated with pioglitazone (1.7%) versus placebo (2.1%). The risk of fracture should be considered in the care of patients, especially female patients, treated with pioglitazone and attention should be given to assessing and maintaining bone health according to current standards of care.

Urinary Bladder Tumors

Pioglitazone

Tumors were observed in the urinary bladder of male rats in the two-year carcinogenicity study. In addition, during the three year PROactive clinical trial, 14 patients out of 2605 (0.54%) randomized to pioglitazone and 5 out of 2633 (0.19%) randomized to placebo were diagnosed with bladder cancer. After excluding patients in whom exposure to study drug was less than one year at the time of diagnosis of bladder cancer, there were 6 (0.23%) cases on pioglitazone and two (0.08%) cases on placebo. After completion of the trial, a large subset of patients was observed for up to 10 additional years, with little additional exposure to pioglitazone. During the 13 years of both PROactive and observational follow-up, the occurrence of bladder cancer did not differ between patients randomized to pioglitazone or placebo (HR =1.00; [95% CI: 0.59– 1.72]).

Findings regarding the risk of bladder cancer in patients exposed to pioglitazone vary among observational studies; some did not find an increased risk of bladder cancer associated with pioglitazone, while others did.

A large prospective10 year observational cohort study conducted in the United States found no statistically significant increase in the risk of bladder cancer in diabetic patients ever exposed to pioglitazone, compared to those never exposed to pioglitazone (HR =1.06 [95% CI 0.89–1.26]).

A retrospective cohort study conducted with data from the United Kingdom found a statistically significant association between ever exposure to pioglitazone and bladder cancer (HR: 1.63; [95% CI: 1.22–2.19]).

Associations between cumulative dose or cumulative duration of exposure to pioglitazone and bladder cancer were not detected in some studies including the 10 year observational study in the U.S., but were in others. Inconsistent findings and limitations inherent in these and other studies preclude conclusive interpretations of the observational data.

Pioglitazone may be associated with an increase in the risk of urinary bladder tumors. There are insufficient data to determine whether pioglitazone is a tumor promoter for urinary bladder tumors.

Consequently, Alogliptin And Pioglitazone should not be used in patients with active bladder cancer and the benefits of glycemic control versus unknown risks for cancer recurrence with Alogliptin And Pioglitazone should be considered in patients with a prior history of bladder cancer.

Use With Medications Known To Cause Hypoglycemia

Insulin and insulin secretagogues, such as sulfonylureas, are known to cause hypoglycemia. Therefore, a lower dose of insulin or insulin secretagogue may be required to minimize the risk of hypoglycemia when used in combination with Alogliptin And Pioglitazone.

Macular Edema

Pioglitazone

Macular edema has been reported in postmarketing experience in diabetic patients who were taking pioglitazone or another thiazolidinedione. Some patients presented with blurred vision or decreased visual acuity, but others were diagnosed on routine ophthalmologic examination.

Most patients had peripheral edema at the time macular edema was diagnosed. Some patients had improvement in their macular edema after discontinuation of their thiazolidinedione.

Patients with diabetes should have regular eye exams by an ophthalmologist according to current standards of care. Patients with diabetes who report any visual symptoms should be promptly referred to an ophthalmologist, regardless of the patient's underlying medications or other physical findings.

Severe And Disabling Arthralgia

There have been postmarketing reports of severe and disabling arthralgia in patients taking DPP-4 inhibitors. The time to onset of symptoms following initiation of drug therapy varied from one day to years. Patients experienced relief of symptoms upon discontinuation of the medication. A subset of patients experienced a recurrence of symptoms when restarting the same drug or a different DPP-4 inhibitor. Consider DPP-4 inhibitors as a possible cause for severe joint pain and discontinue drug if appropriate.

Bullous Pemphigoid

Postmarketing cases of bullous pemphigoid requiring hospitalization have been reported with DPP-4 inhibitor use. In reported cases, patients typically recovered with topical or systemic immunosuppressive treatment and discontinuation of the DPP-4 inhibitor. Tell patients to report development of blisters or erosions while receiving Alogliptin And Pioglitazone. If bullous pemphigoid is suspected, Alogliptin And Pioglitazone should be discontinued and referral to a dermatologist should be considered for diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Macrovascular Outcomes

There have been no clinical studies establishing conclusive evidence of macrovascular risk reduction with Alogliptin And Pioglitazone.

Patient Counseling Information

Advise the patient to read the FDA-approved patient labeling (Medication Guide).

Inform patients of the potential risks and benefits of Alogliptin And Pioglitazone.

Patients should be informed of the signs and symptoms of heart failure. Patients who experience an unusually rapid increase in weight or edema or who develop shortness of breath or other symptoms of heart failure while on Alogliptin And Pioglitazone should immediately report these symptoms to their physician. Before initiating Alogliptin And Pioglitazone, patients should be asked about a history of heart failure or other risk factors for heart failure including moderate to severe renal impairment.

Patients should be informed that acute pancreatitis has been reported during use of alogliptin. Patients should be informed that persistent, severe abdominal pain, sometimes radiating to the back, which may or may not be accompanied by vomiting, is the hallmark symptom of acute pancreatitis. Patients should be instructed to promptly discontinue Alogliptin And Pioglitazone and contact their physician if persistent severe abdominal pain occurs.

Patients should be informed that allergic reactions have been reported during use of alogliptin and pioglitazone. If symptoms of allergic reactions (including skin rash, hives and swelling of the face, lips, tongue and throat that may cause difficulty in breathing or swallowing) occur, patients should be instructed to discontinue Alogliptin And Pioglitazone and seek medical advice promptly.

Patients should be informed that postmarketing reports of liver injury, sometimes fatal, have been reported during use of alogliptin and pioglitazone. If signs or symptoms of liver injury occur (e.g., unexplained nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fatigue, anorexia or dark urine), patients should be instructed to discontinue Alogliptin And Pioglitazone and seek medical advice promptly.

Tell patients to promptly report any sign of macroscopic hematuria or other symptoms such as dysuria or urinary urgency that develop or increase during treatment, as these may be due to bladder cancer.

Inform patients that hypoglycemia can occur, particularly when an insulin secretagogue or insulin is used in combination with Alogliptin And Pioglitazone. Explain the risks, symptoms and appropriate management of hypoglycemia.

Inform female patients that treatment with pioglitazone, like other thiazolidinediones, may result in an unintended pregnancy in some premenopausal anovulatory females due to its effect on ovulation.

Inform patients that severe and disabling joint pain may occur with this class of drugs. The time to onset of symptoms can range from one day to years. Instruct patients to seek medical advice if severe joint pain occurs.

Inform patients that bullous pemphigoid may occur with this class of drugs. Instruct patients to seek medical advice if blisters or erosions occur.

Instruct patients to take Alogliptin And Pioglitazone only as prescribed daily. Alogliptin And Pioglitazone can be taken with or without meals. If a dose is missed, advise patients not to double their next dose. Patients should be informed that the tablets must never be split.

Instruct patients to read the Medication Guide before starting Alogliptin And Pioglitazone therapy and to reread each time the prescription is refilled. Instruct patients to inform their healthcare provider if an unusual symptom develops or if a symptom persists or worsens.

Nonclinical Toxicology

Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment Of Fertility

Alogliptin And Pioglitazone

No carcinogenicity, mutagenicity or impairment of fertility studies have been conducted with Alogliptin And Pioglitazone. The following data are based on findings in studies performed with alogliptin or pioglitazone individually.

Alogliptin

Rats were administered oral doses of 75, 400 and 800 mg/kg alogliptin for two years. No drug-related tumors were observed up to 75 mg/kg or approximately 32 times the maximum recommended clinical dose of 25 mg, based on area under the plasma concentration curve (AUC) exposure. At higher doses (approximately 308 times the maximum recommended clinical dose of 25 mg), a combination of thyroid C-cell adenomas and carcinomas increased in male but not female rats. No drug-related tumors were observed in mice after administration of 50, 150 or 300 mg/kg alogliptin for two years, or up to approximately 51 times the maximum recommended clinical dose of 25 mg, based on AUC exposure.

Alogliptin was not mutagenic or clastogenic, with and without metabolic activation, in the Ames test with S. typhimurium and E. coli or the cytogenetic assay in mouse lymphoma cells. Alogliptin was negative in the in vivo mouse micronucleus study.

In a fertility study in rats, alogliptin had no adverse effects on early embryonic development, mating or fertility at doses up to 500 mg/kg, or approximately 172 times the clinical dose based on plasma drug exposure (AUC).

Pioglitazone

A two year carcinogenicity study was conducted in male and female rats at oral doses up to 63 mg/kg (approximately 14 times the MRHD of 45 mg based on mg/m²). Drug-induced tumors were not observed in any organ except for the urinary bladder. Benign and/or malignant transitional cell neoplasms were observed in male rats at 4 mg/kg and above (approximately equal to the MRHD based on mg/m²). A two-year carcinogenicity study was conducted in male and female mice at oral doses up to 100 mg/kg (approximately 11 times the MRHD based on mg/m²). No drug-induced tumors were observed in any organ.

Pioglitazone was not mutagenic in a battery of genetic toxicology studies, including the Ames bacterial assay, a mammalian cell forward gene mutation assay (CHO/HPRT and AS52/XPRT), an in vitro cytogenetics assay using CHL cells, an unscheduled DNA synthesis assay and an in vivo micronucleus assay.

No adverse effects upon fertility were observed in male and female rats at oral doses up to 40 mg/kg pioglitazone daily prior to and throughout mating and gestation (approximately nine times the MRHD based on mg/m²).

Use In Specific Populations

Pregnancy

Risk Summary

Limited data with Alogliptin And Pioglitazone in pregnant women are not sufficient to inform a drug-associated risk for major birth defects or miscarriage. There are risks to the mother and fetus associated with poorly controlled diabetes in pregnancy.

In animal reproduction studies, no adverse developmental effects were observed when pioglitazone was administered to pregnant rats and rabbits during organogenesis at exposures up to 5 and 35 times the 45 mg clinical dose, respectively, based on body surface area. No adverse developmental effects were observed when alogliptin was administered to pregnant rats and rabbits during organogenesis at exposures 180 and 149 times the 25 mg clinical dose, respectively, based on plasma drug exposure (AUC).

The estimated background risk of major birth defects is 6-10% in women with pre-gestational diabetes with a HbA1c >7 and has been reported to be as high as 20-25% in women with a HbA1c >10. The estimated background risk of miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2-4% and 15-20%, respectively.

Clinical Considerations

Disease-Associated Maternal And/Or Embryo/Fetal Risk

Poorly controlled diabetes in pregnancy increases the maternal risk for diabetic ketoacidosis, preeclampsia, spontaneous abortions, preterm delivery, still birth and delivery complications. Poorly controlled diabetes increases the fetal risk for major birth defects, still birth, and macrosomia related morbidity.

Data

Animal Data

Alogliptin And Pioglitazone

Co-administration of 100 mg/kg alogliptin and 40 mg/kg pioglitazone (39 and 10 times the 25 mg and 45 mg clinical doses, respectively, based on body surface area) to pregnant rats during organogenesis slightly augmented pioglitazone-related fetal effects of delayed development and reduced fetal weights but did not result in embryofetal mortality or teratogenicity.

Alogliptin

Alogliptin administered to pregnant rabbits and rats during the period of organogenesis did not cause adverse developmental effects at doses of up to 200 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg, or 149 times and 180 times, the 25 mg clinical dose, respectively, based on plasma drug exposure (AUC). Placental transfer of alogliptin into the fetus was observed following oral dosing to pregnant rats.

No adverse developmental outcomes were observed in offspring when alogliptin was administered to pregnant rats during gestation and lactation at doses up to 250 mg/kg (~95 times the 25 mg clinical dose, based on AUC).

Pioglitazone

Pioglitazone administered to pregnant rats during organogenesis did not cause adverse developmental effects at a dose of 20 mg/kg (~5-times the 45 mg clinical dose), but delayed parturition and reduced embryofetal viability at 40 and 80 mg/kg, or ≥9-times the 45 mg clinical dose, by body surface area. In pregnant rabbits administered pioglitazone during organogenesis, no adverse developmental effects were observed at 80 mg/kg (~35-times the 45 mg clinical dose), but reduced embryofetal viability at 160 mg/kg, or ~69-times the 45 mg clinical dose, by body surface area. When pregnant rats received pioglitazone during late gestation and lactation, delayed postnatal development, attributed to decreased body weight, occurred in offspring at maternal doses of 10 mg/kg and above or ≥2 times the 45 mg clinical dose, by body surface area.

Lactation

Risk Summary

There is no information regarding the presence of pioglitazone or alogliptin in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production. Pioglitazone and alogliptin are present in rat milk; however, due to species-specific differences in lactation physiology, animal data may not reliably predict drug levels in human milk. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for Alogliptin And Pioglitazone and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from Alogliptin And Pioglitazone or from the underlying maternal condition.

Females And Males Of Reproductive Potential

Discuss the potential for unintended pregnancy with premenopausal women as therapy with pioglitazone, like other thiazolidinediones, may result in ovulation in some anovulatory women.

Pediatric Use

Safety and effectiveness of Alogliptin And Pioglitazone in pediatric patients have not been established.

Alogliptin And Pioglitazone is not recommended for use in pediatric patients based on adverse effects observed in adults, including fluid retention and congestive heart failure, fractures and urinary bladder tumors.

Geriatric Use

Alogliptin And Pioglitazone

Of the total number of patients (N=1533) in clinical safety and efficacy studies treated with alogliptin and pioglitazone, 248 (16.2%) patients were 65 years and older and 15 (1%) patients were 75 years and older. No overall differences in safety or effectiveness were observed between these patients and younger patients. While this and other reported clinical experiences have not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients, greater sensitivity of some older individuals cannot be excluded.

Alogliptin

Of the total number of patients (N=9052) in clinical safety and efficacy studies treated with alogliptin, 2257 (24.9%) patients were ≥65 years old and 386 (4.3%) patients were ≥75 years old. No overall differences in safety or effectiveness were observed between patients ≥65 years old and younger patients.

Pioglitazone

A total of 92 patients (15.2%) treated with pioglitazone in the three pooled, 16 to 26 week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, monotherapy trials were ≥65 years old and two patients (0.3%) were ≥75 years old. In the two pooled 16 to 24 week add-on to sulfonylurea trials, 201 patients (18.7%) treated with pioglitazone were ≥65 years old and 19 (1.8%) were ≥75 years old. In the two pooled 16 to 24 week add-on to metformin trials, 155 patients (15.5%) treated with pioglitazone were ≥65 years old and 19 (1.9%) were ≥75 years old. In the two pooled 16 to 24 week add-on to insulin trials, 272 patients (25.4%) treated with pioglitazone were ≥65 years old and 22 (2.1%) were ≥75 years old.

In PROactive, 1068 patients (41%) treated with pioglitazone were ≥65 years old and 42 (1.6%) were ≥75 years old.

In pharmacokinetic studies with pioglitazone, no significant differences were observed in pharmacokinetic parameters between elderly and younger patients. These clinical experiences have not identified differences in effectiveness and safety between the elderly (≥65 years) and younger patients although small sample sizes for patients ≥75 years old limit conclusions.

Renal Impairment

Alogliptin

A total of 602 patients with moderate renal impairment (eGFR ≥30 and <60 mL/min/1.73 m²) and four patients with severe renal impairment/end-stage renal disease (eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m² or <15 mL/min/1.73 m², respectively) at baseline were treated with alogliptin in clinical trials in patients with type 2 diabetes. Reductions in HbA1c were generally similar in this subgroup of patients. The overall incidence of adverse reactions was generally balanced between alogliptin and placebo treatments in this subgroup of patients.

In the EXAMINE trial of high CV risk type 2 diabetes patients, 694 patients had moderate renal impairment and 78 patients had severe renal impairment or end-stage renal disease at baseline. The overall incidences of adverse reactions, serious adverse reactions and adverse reactions leading to study drug discontinuation were generally similar between the treatment groups.

Hepatic Impairment

Alogliptin

No dose adjustments are required in patients with mild to moderate hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh Grade A and B) based on insignificant change in systemic exposures (e.g., AUC) compared to subjects with normal hepatic function in a pharmacokinetic study. Alogliptin has not been studied in patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh Grade C). Use caution when administering alogliptin to patients with liver disease.

Pioglitazone

No dose adjustments are required in patients with hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh Grade B and C) based on insignificant change in systemic exposures (e.g., AUC) compared to subjects with normal hepatic function in a pharmacokinetic study. However, use with caution in patients with liver disease.

The following serious adverse reactions are described below or elsewhere in the prescribing information:

• Congestive Heart Failure
• Pancreatitis
• Hypersensitivity Reactions
• Hepatic Effects
• Severe and Disabling Arthralgia
• Bullous Pemphigoid

Clinical Trials Experience

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.

Alogliptin And Pioglitazone

Over 1500 patients with type 2 diabetes have received alogliptin coadministered with pioglitazone in four large, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trials. The mean exposure to Alogliptin And Pioglitazone was 29 weeks with more than 100 subjects treated for more than one year. The studies consisted of two placebo-controlled studies of 16 to 26 weeks in duration and two active-controlled studies of 26 weeks and 52 weeks in duration. In the Alogliptin And Pioglitazone arm, the mean duration of diabetes was approximately six years, the mean body mass index (BMI) was 31 kg/m² (54% of patients had a BMI ≥30 kg/m²), and the mean age was 54 years (16% of patients ≥65 years of age).

In a pooled analysis of these four controlled clinical studies, the overall incidence of adverse reactions was 65% in patients treated with Alogliptin And Pioglitazone compared to 57% treated with placebo. Overall discontinuation of therapy due to adverse reactions was 2.5% with Alogliptin And Pioglitazone compared to 2.0% with placebo, 3.7% with pioglitazone or 1.3% with alogliptin.

Adverse reactions reported in ≥4% of patients treated with Alogliptin And Pioglitazone and more frequently than in patients who received alogliptin, pioglitazone or placebo are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1: Adverse Reactions Reported in ≥4% of Patients Treated with Alogliptin And Pioglitazone and More Frequently than in Patients Receiving Either Alogliptin, Pioglitazone or Placebo

Alogliptin Add-On Therapy To A Thiazolidinedione

In addition, in a 26 week, placebo-controlled, double-blind study, patients inadequately controlled on a thiazolidinedione alone or in combination with metformin or a sulfonylurea were treated with add-on alogliptin therapy or placebo; the adverse reactions reported in ≥5% of patients and more frequently than in patients who received placebo was influenza (alogliptin, 5.5%; placebo, 4.1%).

Hypoglycemia

In a 26 week, placebo-controlled factorial study with alogliptin in combination with pioglitazone on background therapy with metformin, the incidence of subjects reporting hypoglycemia was 0.8%, 0% and 3.8% for alogliptin 25 mg with pioglitazone 15 mg, 30 mg or 45 mg, respectively; 2.3% for alogliptin 25 mg; 4.7%, 0.8% and 0.8% for pioglitazone 15 mg, 30 mg or 45 mg, respectively; and 0.8% for placebo.

In a 26 week, active-controlled, double-blind study with alogliptin alone, pioglitazone alone or alogliptin coadministered with pioglitazone in patients inadequately controlled on diet and exercise, the incidence of hypoglycemia was 3% on alogliptin 25 mg with pioglitazone 30 mg, 0.6% on alogliptin 25 mg and 1.8% on pioglitazone 30 mg.

In a 52 week, active-controlled, double-blind study of alogliptin as add-on therapy to the combination of pioglitazone 30 mg and metformin compared to the titration of pioglitazone 30 mg to 45 mg and metformin, the incidence of subjects reporting hypoglycemia was 4.5% in the alogliptin 25 mg with pioglitazone 30 mg and metformin group versus 1.5% in the pioglitazone 45 mg and metformin group.

Alogliptin

A total of 14,778 patients with type 2 diabetes participated in 14 randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trials of whom 9052 subjects were treated with alogliptin, 3469 subjects were treated with placebo and 2257 were treated with an active comparator. The mean duration of diabetes was seven years, the mean body mass index (BMI) was 31 kg/m² (49% of patients had a BMI ≥30 kg/m²) and the mean age was 58 years (26% of patients ≥65 years of age).

The mean exposure to alogliptin was 49 weeks with 3348 subjects treated for more than one year.

In a pooled analysis of these 14 controlled clinical trials, the overall incidence of adverse reactions was 73% in patients treated with alogliptin 25 mg compared to 75% with placebo and 70% with active comparator. Overall discontinuation of therapy due to adverse reactions was 6.8% with alogliptin 25 mg compared to 8.4% with placebo or 6.2% with active comparator.

Adverse reactions reported in ≥4% of patients treated with alogliptin 25 mg and more frequently than in patients who received placebo are summarized in Table 2.

Table 2: Adverse Reactions Reported in ≥4% Patients Treated with Alogliptin 25 mg and More Frequently than in Patients Given Placebo in Pooled Studies

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemic events were documented based upon a blood glucose value and/or clinical signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia.

In the monotherapy study, the incidence of hypoglycemia was 1.5% in patients treated with alogliptin compared to 1.6% with placebo. The use of alogliptin as add-on therapy to glyburide or insulin did not increase the incidence of hypoglycemia compared to placebo. In a monotherapy study comparing alogliptin to a sulfonylurea in elderly patients, the incidence of hypoglycemia was 5.4% with alogliptin compared to 26% with glipizide.

In the EXAMINE trial, the incidence of investigator reported hypoglycemia was 6.7% in patients receiving alogliptin and 6.5% in patients receiving placebo. Serious adverse reactions of hypoglycemia were reported in 0.8% of patients treated with alogliptin and in 0.6% of patients treated with placebo.

Renal Impairment

In glycemic control trials in patients with type 2 diabetes, 3.4% of patients treated with alogliptin and 1.3% of patients treated with placebo had renal function adverse reactions. The most commonly reported adverse reactions were renal impairment (0.5% for alogliptin and 0.1% for active comparators or placebo), decreased creatinine clearance (1.6% for alogliptin and 0.5% for active comparators or placebo) and increased blood creatinine (0.5% for alogliptin and 0.3% for active comparators or placebo).

In the EXAMINE trial of high CV risk type 2 diabetes patients, 23% of patients treated with alogliptin and 21% of patients treated with placebo had an investigator reported renal impairment adverse reaction. The most commonly reported adverse reactions were renal impairment (7.7% for alogliptin and 6.7% for placebo), decreased glomerular filtration rate (4.9% for alogliptin and 4.3% for placebo) and decreased renal clearance (2.2% for alogliptin and 1.8% for placebo). Laboratory measures of renal function were also assessed. Estimated glomerular filtration rate decreased by 25% or more in 21.1% of patients treated with alogliptin and 18.7% of patients treated with placebo. Worsening of chronic kidney disease stage was seen in 16.8% of patients treated with alogliptin and in 15.5% of patients treated with placebo.

Pioglitazone

Over 8500 patients with type 2 diabetes have been treated with pioglitazone in randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trials, including 2605 patients with type 2 diabetes and macrovascular disease treated with pioglitazone in the PROactive clinical trial. In these trials, over 6000 patients have been treated with pioglitazone for six months or longer, over 4500 patients have been treated with pioglitazone for one year or longer, and over 3000 patients have been treated with pioglitazone for at least two years.

Common Adverse Reactions: 16 To 26 Week Monotherapy Trials

A summary of the incidence and type of common adverse reactions reported in three pooled 16 to 26 week placebo-controlled monotherapy trials of pioglitazone is provided in Table 3. Terms that are reported represent those that occurred at an incidence of >5% and more commonly in patients treated with pioglitazone than in patients who received placebo. None of these adverse reactions were related to pioglitazone dose.

Table 3: Three Pooled 16 to 26 Week Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trials of Pioglitazone Monotherapy: Adverse Reactions Reported at an Incidence >5% and More Commonly in Patients Treated with Pioglitazone than in Patients Treated with Placebo

Congestive Heart Failure

A summary of the incidence of adverse reactions related to congestive heart failure for the 16 to 24 week add-on to sulfonylurea trials, for the 16 to 24 week add-on to insulin trials, and for the 16 to 24 week add-on to metformin trials were (at least one congestive heart failure, 0.2% to 1.7%; hospitalized due to congestive heart failure, 0.2% to 0.9%). None of the reactions were fatal.

Patients with type 2 diabetes and NYHA class II or early class III congestive heart failure were randomized to receive 24 weeks of double-blind treatment with either pioglitazone at daily doses of 30 mg to 45 mg (N=262) or glyburide at daily doses of 10 mg to 15 mg (N=256). A summary of the incidence of adverse reactions related to congestive heart failure reported in this study is provided in Table 4.

Table 4: Treatment-Emergent Adverse Reactions of Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) in Patients with NYHA Class II or III Congestive Heart Failure Treated with Pioglitazone or Glyburide

Congestive heart failure events leading to hospitalization that occurred during the PROactive trial are summarized in Table 5.

Table 5: Treatment-Emergent Adverse Reactions of Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) in PROactive Trial

Cardiovascular Safety

In the PROactive trial, 5238 patients with type 2 diabetes and a history of macrovascular disease were randomized to pioglitazone (N=2605), force-titrated up to 45 mg daily or placebo (N=2633) in addition to standard of care. Almost all patients (95%) were receiving cardiovascular medications (beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, calcium channel blockers, nitrates, diuretics, aspirin, statins and fibrates). At baseline, patients had a mean age of 62 years, mean duration of diabetes of 9.5 years and mean A1C of 8.1%. Mean duration of follow-up was 34.5 months.

The primary objective of this trial was to examine the effect of pioglitazone on mortality and macrovascular morbidity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who were at high risk for macrovascular events. The primary efficacy variable was the time to the first occurrence of any event in a cardiovascular composite endpoint that included all-cause mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) including silent MI, stroke, acute coronary syndrome, cardiac intervention including coronary artery bypass grafting or percutaneous intervention, major leg amputation above the ankle and bypass surgery or revascularization in the leg. A total of 514 (19.7%) patients treated with pioglitazone and 572 (21.7%) placebo-treated patients experienced at least one event from the primary composite endpoint (hazard ratio 0.90; 95% Confidence Interval: 0.80, 1.02; p=0.10).

Although there was no statistically significant difference between pioglitazone and placebo for the three-year incidence of a first event within this composite, there was no increase in mortality or in total macrovascular events with pioglitazone. The number of first occurrences and total individual events contributing to the primary composite endpoint is shown in Table 6.

Table 6: PROactive: Number of First and Total Events for Each Component Within the Cardiovascular Composite Endpoint

Weight Gain

Dose-related weight gain occurs when pioglitazone is used alone or in combination with other antidiabetic medications. The mechanism of weight gain is unclear but probably involves a combination of fluid retention and fat accumulation.

Edema

Edema induced from taking pioglitazone is reversible when pioglitazone is discontinued. The edema usually does not require hospitalization unless there is coexisting congestive heart failure.

Hepatic Effects

There has been no evidence of pioglitazone-induced hepatotoxicity in the pioglitazone controlled clinical trial database to date. One randomized, double-blind, three-year trial comparing pioglitazone to glyburide as add-on to metformin and insulin therapy was specifically designed to evaluate the incidence of serum ALT elevation to greater than three times the upper limit of the reference range, measured every eight weeks for the first 48 weeks of the trial then every 12 weeks thereafter. A total of 3/1051 (0.3%) patients treated with pioglitazone and 9/1046 (0.9%) patients treated with glyburide developed ALT values greater than three times the upper limit of the reference range. None of the patients treated with pioglitazone in the pioglitazone controlled clinical trial database to date have had a serum ALT greater than three times the upper limit of the reference range and a corresponding total bilirubin greater than two times the upper limit of the reference range, a combination predictive of the potential for severe drug-induced liver injury.

Hypoglycemia

In the pioglitazone clinical trials, adverse reactions of hypoglycemia were reported based on clinical judgment of the investigators and did not require confirmation with finger stick glucose testing. In the 16 week add-on to sulfonylurea trial, the incidence of reported hypoglycemia was 3.7% with pioglitazone 30 mg and 0.5% with placebo. In the 16 week add-on to insulin trial, the incidence of reported hypoglycemia was 7.9% with pioglitazone 15 mg, 15.4% with pioglitazone 30 mg and 4.8% with placebo. The incidence of reported hypoglycemia was higher with pioglitazone 45 mg compared to pioglitazone 30 mg in both the 24 week add-on to sulfonylurea trial (15.7% versus 13.4%) and in the 24 week add-on to insulin trial (47.8% versus 43.5%). Three patients in these four trials were hospitalized due to hypoglycemia. All three patients were receiving pioglitazone 30 mg (0.9%) in the 24 week add-on to insulin trial. An additional 14 patients reported severe hypoglycemia (defined as causing considerable interference with patient's usual activities) that did not require hospitalization. These patients were receiving pioglitazone 45 mg in combination with sulfonylurea (N=2) or pioglitazone 30 mg or 45 mg in combination with insulin (N=12).

Urinary Bladder Tumors

Tumors were observed in the urinary bladder of male rats in the two-year carcinogenicity study. During the three year PROactive clinical trial, 14 patients out of 2605 (0.54%) randomized to pioglitazone and 5 out of 2633 (0.19%) randomized to placebo were diagnosed with bladder cancer. After excluding patients in whom exposure to study drug was less than one year at the time of diagnosis of bladder cancer, there were 6 (0.23%) cases on pioglitazone and two (0.08%) cases on placebo. After completion of the trial, a large subset of patients was observed for up to 10 additional years, with little additional exposure to pioglitazone. During the 13 years of both PROactive and observational follow-up, the occurrence of bladder cancer did not differ between patients randomized to pioglitazone or placebo (HR =1.00; 95% CI: 0.59-1.72).

Laboratory Abnormalities

Pioglitazone

Hematologic Effects

Pioglitazone may cause decreases in hemoglobin and hematocrit. In placebo-controlled monotherapy trials, mean hemoglobin values declined by 2% to 4% in patients treated with pioglitazone compared with a mean change in hemoglobin of -1% to +1% in placebo-treated patients. These changes primarily occurred within the first four to 12 weeks of therapy and remained relatively constant thereafter. These changes may be related to increased plasma volume associated with pioglitazone therapy and are not likely to be associated with any clinically significant hematologic effects.

Creatine Phosphokinase

During protocol-specified measurement of serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) in pioglitazone clinical trials, an isolated elevation in CPK to greater than 10 times the upper limit of the reference range was noted in nine (0.2%) patients treated with pioglitazone (values of 2150 to 11400 IU/L) and in no comparator-treated patients. Six of these nine patients continued to receive pioglitazone, two patients were noted to have the CPK elevation on the last day of dosing and one patient discontinued pioglitazone due to the elevation. These elevations resolved without any apparent clinical sequelae. The relationship of these events to pioglitazone therapy is unknown.

Postmarketing Experience

Alogliptin

The following adverse reactions have been identified during the postmarketing use of alogliptin. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.

Acute pancreatitis, hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis, angioedema, rash, urticaria and severe cutaneous adverse reactions, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, hepatic enzyme elevations, fulminant hepatic failure, severe and disabling arthralgia and bullous pemphigoid , diarrhea, constipation, nausea and ileus.

Pioglitazone

The following adverse reactions have been identified during the postmarketing use of pioglitazone. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.

New onset or worsening diabetic macular edema with decreased visual acuity.

Fatal and nonfatal hepatic failure.

Postmarketing reports of congestive heart failure have been reported in patients treated with pioglitazone, both with and without previously known heart disease and both with and without concomitant insulin administration.

In postmarketing experience, there have been reports of unusually rapid increases in weight and increases in excess of that generally observed in clinical trials. Patients who experience such increases should be assessed for fluid accumulation and volume-related events such as excessive edema and congestive heart failure.

Alogliptin

The highest doses of alogliptin administered in clinical trials were single doses of 800 mg to healthy subjects and doses of 400 mg once daily for 14 days to patients with type 2 diabetes (equivalent to 32 times and 16 times the maximum recommended clinical dose of 25 mg, respectively). No serious adverse reactions were observed at these doses.

In the event of an overdose, it is reasonable to institute the necessary clinical monitoring and supportive therapy as dictated by the patient's clinical status. Per clinical judgment, it may be reasonable to initiate removal of unabsorbed material from the gastrointestinal tract.

Alogliptin is minimally dialyzable; over a three-hour hemodialysis session, approximately 7% of the drug was removed. Therefore, hemodialysis is unlikely to be beneficial in an overdose situation. It is not known if alogliptin is dialyzable by peritoneal dialysis.

Pioglitazone

During controlled clinical trials, one case of overdose with pioglitazone was reported. A male patient took 120 mg per day for four days, then 180 mg per day for seven days. The patient denied any clinical symptoms during this period.

In the event of overdosage, appropriate supportive treatment should be initiated according to patient's clinical signs and symptoms.

Alogliptin And Pioglitazone

In a 26 week, randomized, active-controlled study, patients with type 2 diabetes received alogliptin 25 mg coadministered with pioglitazone 30 mg, alogliptin 12.5 mg coadministered with pioglitazone 30 mg, alogliptin 25 mg alone or pioglitazone 30 mg alone. Patients who were randomized to alogliptin 25 mg with pioglitazone 30 mg achieved a 26.2% decrease in triglyceride levels from a mean baseline of 214.2 mg/dL compared to an 11.5% decrease for alogliptin alone and a 21.8% decrease for pioglitazone alone. In addition, a 14.4% increase in HDL cholesterol levels from a mean baseline of 43.2 mg/dL was also observed for alogliptin 25 mg with pioglitazone 30 mg compared to a 1.9% increase for alogliptin alone and a 13.2% increase for pioglitazone alone. The changes in measures of LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol were similar between alogliptin 25 mg with pioglitazone 30 mg versus alogliptin alone and pioglitazone alone. A similar pattern of lipid effects was observed in a 26 week, placebo-controlled factorial study.

Alogliptin

Single-dose administration of alogliptin to healthy subjects resulted in a peak inhibition of DPP-4 within two to three hours after dosing. The peak inhibition of DPP-4 exceeded 93% across doses of 12.5 mg to 800 mg. Inhibition of DPP-4 remained above 80% at 24 hours for doses greater than or equal to 25 mg. Peak and total exposure over 24 hours to active GLP-1 were three-to four-fold greater with alogliptin (at doses of 25 to 200 mg) than placebo. In a 16 week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study alogliptin 25 mg demonstrated decreases in postprandial glucagon while increasing postprandial active GLP-1 levels compared to placebo over an eight-hour period following a standardized meal. It is unclear how these findings relate to changes in overall glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this study, alogliptin 25 mg demonstrated decreases in two-hour postprandial glucose compared to placebo (-30 mg/dL versus 17 mg/dL respectively).

Multiple-dose administration of alogliptin to patients with type 2 diabetes also resulted in a peak inhibition of DPP-4 within one to two hours and exceeded 93% across all doses (25 mg, 100 mg and 400 mg) after a single dose and after 14 days of once-daily dosing. At these doses of alogliptin, inhibition of DPP-4 remained above 81% at 24 hours after 14 days of dosing.

Pioglitazone

Clinical studies demonstrate that pioglitazone improves insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant patients. Pioglitazone enhances cellular responsiveness to insulin, increases insulin-dependent glucose disposal, and improves hepatic sensitivity to insulin. In patients with type 2 diabetes, the decreased insulin resistance produced by pioglitazone results in lower plasma glucose concentrations, lower plasma insulin concentrations and lower A1C values. In controlled clinical trials, pioglitazone had an additive effect on glycemic control when used in combination with a sulfonylurea, metformin or insulin. Patients with lipid abnormalities were included in clinical trials with pioglitazone. Overall, patients treated with pioglitazone had mean decreases in serum triglycerides, mean increases in HDL cholesterol and no consistent mean changes in LDL and total cholesterol. There is no conclusive evidence of macrovascular benefit with pioglitazone.

In a 26 week, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging monotherapy study, mean serum triglycerides decreased in the pioglitazone 15 mg, 30 mg and 45 mg dose groups compared to a mean increase in the placebo group. Mean HDL cholesterol increased to a greater extent in patients treated with pioglitazone than in the placebo-treated patients. There were no consistent differences for LDL and total cholesterol in patients treated with pioglitazone compared to placebo (Table 7).

Table 7: Lipids in a 26 Week, Placebo-Controlled, Monotherapy, Dose-Ranging Study

In the two other monotherapy studies (16 weeks and 24 weeks) and in combination therapy studies with sulfonylurea (16 weeks and 24 weeks), metformin (16 weeks and 24 weeks) or insulin (16 weeks and 24 weeks), the lipid results were generally consistent with the data above.

Absorption And Bioavailability

Alogliptin And Pioglitazone

In bioequivalence studies of Alogliptin And Pioglitazone, the area under the plasma concentration curve (AUC) and maximum concentration (Cmax) of both the alogliptin and the pioglitazone component following a single dose of the combination tablet (12.5 mg/15 mg or 25 mg/45 mg) were bioequivalent to alogliptin (12.5 mg or 25 mg) concomitantly administered with pioglitazone (15 mg or 45 mg respectively) tablets under fasted conditions in healthy subjects.

Administration of Alogliptin And Pioglitazone 25 mg/45 mg with food resulted in no significant change in overall exposure of alogliptin or pioglitazone. Alogliptin And Pioglitazone may therefore be administered with or without food.

Alogliptin

The absolute bioavailability of alogliptin is approximately 100%. Administration of alogliptin with a high-fat meal results in no significant change in total and peak exposure to alogliptin. Alogliptin may therefore be administered with or without food.

Pioglitazone

Following oral administration of pioglitazone hydrochloride, peak concentrations of pioglitazone were observed within two hours. Food slightly delays the time to peak serum concentration (Tmax) to three to four hours but does not alter the extent of absorption (AUC).

Distribution

Alogliptin

Following a single, 12.5 mg intravenous infusion of alogliptin to healthy subjects, the volume of distribution during the terminal phase was 417 L, indicating that the drug is well distributed into tissues.

Alogliptin is 20% bound to plasma proteins.

Pioglitazone

The mean apparent Vd/F of pioglitazone following single-dose administration is 0.63 ± 0.41 (mean ± SD) L/kg of body weight. Pioglitazone is extensively protein bound (>99%) in human serum, principally to serum albumin. Pioglitazone also binds to other serum proteins, but with lower affinity. Metabolites M-III and M-IV also are extensively bound (>98%) to serum albumin.

Metabolism

Alogliptin

Alogliptin does not undergo extensive metabolism and 60% to 71% of the dose is excreted as unchanged drug in the urine.

Two minor metabolites were detected following administration of an oral dose of [¹⁴C] alogliptin, N-demethylated, M-I (less than 1% of the parent compound), and N-acetylated alogliptin, M-II (less than 6% of the parent compound). M-I is an active metabolite and is an inhibitor of DPP-4 similar to the parent molecule; M-II does not display any inhibitory activity toward DPP-4 or other DPP-related enzymes. In vitro data indicate that CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 contribute to the limited metabolism of alogliptin.

Alogliptin exists predominantly as the (R)-enantiomer (more than 99%) and undergoes little or no chiral conversion in vivo tothe (S)-enantiomer. The (S)-enantiomer is not detectable at the 25 mg dose.

Pioglitazone

Pioglitazone is extensively metabolized by hydroxylation and oxidation; the metabolites also partly convert to glucuronide or sulfate conjugates. Metabolites M-III and M-IV are the major circulating active metabolites in humans. Following once-daily administration of pioglitazone, steady-state serum concentrations of both pioglitazone and its major active metabolites, M-III (keto derivative of pioglitazone) and M-IV (hydroxyl derivative of pioglitazone), are achieved within seven days. At steady-state, M-III and M-IV reach serum concentrations equal to or greater than that of pioglitazone. At steady-state, in both healthy volunteers and patients with type 2 diabetes, pioglitazone comprises approximately 30% to 50% of the peak total pioglitazone serum concentrations (pioglitazone plus active metabolites) and 20% to 25% of the total AUC.

Maximum serum concentration (Cmax), AUC and trough serum concentrations (Cmin) for pioglitazone and M-III and M-IV, increased proportionally with administered doses of 15 mg and 30 mg per day.

In vitro data demonstrate that multiple CYP isoforms are involved in the metabolism of pioglitazone. The cytochrome P450 isoforms involved are CYP2C8 and, to a lesser degree, CYP3A4 with additional contributions from a variety of other isoforms, including the mainly extrahepatic CYP1A1. In vivo studies of pioglitazone in combination with gemfibrozil, a strong CYP2C8 inhibitor, showed that pioglitazone is a CYP2C8 substrate. Urinary 6β-hydroxycortisol/cortisol ratios measured in patients treated with pioglitazone showed that pioglitazone is not a strong CYP3A4 enzyme inducer.

Excretion And Elimination

Alogliptin

The primary route of elimination of [¹⁴C] alogliptin derived radioactivity occurs via renal excretion (76%) with 13% recovered in the feces, achieving a total recovery of 89% of the administered radioactive dose. The renal clearance of alogliptin (9.6 L/hr) indicates some active renal tubular secretion and systemic clearance was 14.0 L/hr.

Pioglitazone

Following oral administration, approximately 15% to 30% of the pioglitazone dose is recovered in the urine. Renal elimination of pioglitazone is negligible, and the drug is excreted primarily as metabolites and their conjugates. It is presumed that most of the oral dose is excreted into the bile either unchanged or as metabolites and eliminated in the feces.

The mean serum half-life of pioglitazone and its metabolites (M-III and M-IV) range from three to seven hours and 16 to 24 hours, respectively. Pioglitazone has an apparent clearance, CL/F, calculated to be 5 to 7 L/hr.