ZOTON FASTAB Oro-dispersible tablet Ref.[27747] Active ingredients: Lansoprazole

Source: Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (GB)  Revision Year: 2021  Publisher: Pfizer Limited, Ramsgate Road, Sandwich, Kent, CN13 9NJ, United Kingdom

5.1. Pharmacodynamic properties

Pharmacotherapeutic group: Proton pump inhibitors
ATC code: A02BC03

Lansoprazole is a gastric proton pump inhibitor. It inhibits the final stage of gastric acid formation by inhibiting the activity of H+/K+ ATPase of the parietal cells in the stomach. The inhibition is dose-dependent and reversible, and the effect applies to both basal and stimulated secretion of gastric acid. Lansoprazole is concentrated in the parietal cells and becomes active in their acidic environment, whereupon it reacts with the sulphydryl group of H+/K+ ATPase causing inhibition of the enzyme activity.

Effect on gastric acid secretion

Lansoprazole is a specific inhibitor of the parietal cell proton pump. A single oral 30 mg dose of lansoprazole inhibits pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion by about 80%. After repeated daily administration for seven days, about 90% inhibition of gastric acid secretion is achieved. It has a corresponding effect on the basal secretion of gastric acid. A single oral dose of 30 mg reduces basal secretion by about 70%, and the patients' symptoms are consequently relieved starting from the very first dose. After eight days of repeated administration the reduction is about 85%. A rapid relief of symptoms is obtained by one oro-dispersible tablet (30 mg) daily, and most patients with duodenal ulcer recover within 2 weeks, patients with gastric ulcer and reflux oesophagitis within 4 weeks. By reducing gastric acidity, lansoprazole creates an environment in which appropriate antibiotics can be effective against H. pylori.

During treatment with antisecretory medicinal products, serum gastrin increases in response to the decreased acid secretion. Also CgA increases due to decreased gastric acidity. The increased CgA level may interfere with investigations for neuroendocrine tumours.

Available published evidence suggests that proton pump inhibitors should be discontinued between 5 days and 2 weeks prior to CgA measurements. This is to allow CgA levels that might be spuriously elevated following PPI treatment to return to reference range.

5.2. Pharmacokinetic properties

Lansoprazole is a racemate of two active enantiomers that are biotransformed into the active form in the acidic environment of the parietal cells. As lansoprazole is rapidly inactivated by gastric acid, it is administered orally in enteric-coated form(s) for systemic absorption.

Absorption and distribution

Lansoprazole exhibits high (80-90%) bioavailability with a single dose. Peak plasma levels occur within 1.5 to 2.0 hours. Intake of food slows the absorption rate of lansoprazole and reduces the bioavailability by about 50%. The plasma protein binding is 97%.

Studies have shown that oro-dispersible tablets dispersed in a small amount of water and given via syringe directly into the mouth or administered via naso-gastric tube result in equivalent AUC compared to the usual mode of administration.

Biotransformation and elimination

Lansoprazole is extensively metabolised by the liver and the metabolites are excreted by both the renal and biliary route. The metabolism of lansoprazole is mainly catalysed by the enzyme CYP2C19. The enzyme CYP3A4 also contributes to the metabolism. The plasma elimination half-life ranges from 1 to 2 hours following single or multiple doses in healthy subjects. There is no evidence of accumulation following multiple doses in healthy subjects. Sulphone, sulphide and 5-hydroxyl derivatives of lansoprazole have been identified in plasma. These metabolites have very little or no antisecretory activity.

A study with 14C labelled lansoprazole indicated that approximately one-third of the administered radiation was excreted in the urine and two-thirds was recovered in the faeces.

Pharmacokinetics in elderly patients

The clearance of lansoprazole is decreased in the elderly, with elimination half-life increased approximately 50% to 100%. Peak plasma levels were not increased in the elderly.

Pharmacokinetics in paediatric patients

The evaluation of the pharmacokinetics in children aged 1–17 years of age showed a similar exposure as compared to adults with doses of 15 mg for those below 30 kg of weight and 30 mg for those above. The investigation of a dose of 17 mg/m² body surface or 1 mg/kg body weight also resulted in comparable exposure of lansoprazole in children aged 2-3 months up to one year of age compared to adults.

Higher exposure to lansoprazole in comparison to adults has been seen in infants below the age of 2-3 months with doses of both 1.0 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg body weight given as a single dose.

Pharmacokinetics in hepatic insufficiency

The exposure of lansoprazole is doubled in patients with mild hepatic impairment and much more increased in patients with moderate and severe hepatic impairment.

CYP2C19 poor metabolisers

CYP2C19 is subject to genetic polymorphism and 2-6% of the population, called poor metabolisers (PMs), are homozygote for a mutant CYP2C19 allele and therefore lacks a functional CYP2C19 enzyme. The exposure of lansoprazole is several-fold higher in PMs than in extensive metabolisers (EMs).

5.3. Preclinical safety data

Non-clinical data reveal no special hazards for humans based on conventional studies of safety pharmacology, repeated dose toxicity, toxicity to reproduction or genotoxicity.

In two rat carcinogenicity studies, lansoprazole produced dose-related gastric ECL cell hyperplasia and ECL cell carcinoids associated with hypergastrinaemia due to inhibition of acid secretion. Intestinal metaplasia was also observed, as were Leydig cell hyperplasia and benign Leydig cell tumours. After 18 months of treatment retinal atrophy was observed. This was not seen in monkeys, dogs or mice.

In mouse carcinogenicity studies dose-related gastric ECL cell hyperplasia developed as well as liver tumours and adenoma of rete testis.

The clinical relevance of these findings is unknown.

Juvenile animal studies

In juvenile rats lansoprazole was administered from postnatal Day 7 (age equivalent to neonatal humans) through postnatal Day 62 (age equivalent to approximately 14 years in humans).

Studies in juvenile rats (8-week study, 6-week toxicokinetic dose titration study, developmental sensitivity study) have shown an increased incidence of cardiac valve thickening. The findings reversed or trended towards reversibility after a 4-week drug free recovery period. Juvenile rats younger than postnatal Day 21 (age equivalent to approximately 2 years in humans) were more sensitive to the development of cardiac valve thickening. The safety margin to the expected human exposure is in the range of 3- to 6-fold the exposure in juvenile studies based on the AUC at the no-observed-effect level (NOEL) (8-week study, 6-week toxicokinetic dose titration study) or lowest-observed-effect level (LOEL) (developmental sensitivity study).

These studies have also shown changes in male reproductive tissue (testis and epididymis).

Moreover, growth retardation has been recorded either in males or in female rats but this led to delayed femoral growth plate thickness only in males.

The relevance of these findings to paediatric patients is unknown.

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