Quantification of human brain PDE4 occupancy by GSK356278: A [C](R)-rolipram PET study.

We characterized the relationship between the plasma concentration of the phospodiesterase (PDE)-4 inhibitor GSK356278 and occupancy of the PDE4 enzyme in the brain of healthy volunteers, using the positron emission tomography (PET) tracer [C](R)-rolipram. To this end, PET scans were acquired in eight male volunteers before and at 3 and 8 h after a single 14 mg oral dose of GSK356278. A metabolite-corrected arterial input function was used in conjunction with the dynamic PET emission data to estimate volumes of distribution (V) from a two-tissue compartment model.

An evaluation of the brain distribution of [(11)C]GSK1034702, a muscarinic-1 (M 1) positive allosteric modulator in the living human brain using positron emission tomography.

Background: The ability to quantify the capacity of a central nervous system (CNS) drug to cross the human blood-brain barrier (BBB) provides valuable information for de-risking drug development of new molecules. Here, we present a study, where a suitable positron emission tomography (PET) ligand was not available for the evaluation of a potent muscarinic acetylcholine receptor type-1 (M1) allosteric agonist (GSK1034702) in the primate and human brain. Hence, direct radiolabelling of the novel molecule was performed and PET measurements were obtained and combined with in vitro equilibrium dialysis assays to enable assessment of BBB transport and estimation of the free brain concentration of GSK1034702 in vivo.

Automated preparation of the dopamine D2/3 receptor agonist ligand [11C]-(+)-PHNO for human PET imaging studies.

Carbon-11 labelled (+)-4-Propyl-3,4,4a,5,6,10b-hexahydro-2H-naphtho[1,2-b][1,4]oxazin-9-ol ([(11)C]-(+)-PHNO) is used as a high-affinity state, dopamine D(2/3) receptor ligand in clinical PET studies. To facilitate its use, robust, rapid, efficient and GMP compliant methods are required for the manufacturing and QC testing processes. Additionally, to allow for full quantification of the resulting signal in the CNS, a reliable method is required to establish the parent plasma concentration over the course of the scan.

Fully automated synthesis of the M₁ receptor agonist [¹¹C]GSK1034702 for clinical use on an Eckert & Ziegler Modular Lab system.

A fully automated and GMP compatible synthesis has been developed to reliably label the M₁ receptor agonist GSK1034702 with carbon-11. Stille reaction of the trimethylstannyl precursor with [¹¹C]methyl iodide afforded [¹¹C]GSK1034702 in an estimated 10 ± 3% decay corrected yield. This method utilises the commercially available modular laboratory equipment and provides high purity [¹¹C]GSK1034702 in a formulation suitable for human use.

Prediction of repeat-dose occupancy from single-dose data: characterisation of the relationship between plasma pharmacokinetics and brain target occupancy.

Positron emission tomography (PET) is used in drug development to assist dose selection and to establish the relationship between blood and tissue pharmacokinetics (PKs). We present a new biomathematical approach that allows prediction of repeat-dose (RD) brain target occupancy (TO) using occupancy data obtained after administration of a single dose (SD). A PET study incorporating a sequential adaptive design was conducted in 10 healthy male adults who underwent 4 PET scans with [(11)C]DASB ([(11)C]N,N-dimethyl-2-(2-amino-4-cyanophenylthio) benzylamine): 1 at baseline, 2 after 20 mg SD of the 5-hydroxytryptamine transporter (5-HTT) inhibitor duloxetine, and 1 after 4 days daily administration of 20 mg duloxetine.