Onartuzumab (MetMAb): using nonclinical pharmacokinetic and concentration-effect data to support clinical development.

Purpose: We characterized the pharmacokinetics of onartuzumab (MetMAb) in animals and determined a concentration-effect relationship in tumor-bearing mice to enable estimation of clinical pharmacokinetics and target doses.

Experimental Design: A tumor growth inhibition model was used to estimate tumoristatic concentrations (TSC) in mice. Human pharmacokinetic parameters were projected from pharmacokinetics in cynomolgus monkeys by the species-invariant time method. Monte Carlo simulations predicted the percentage of patients achieving steady-state trough serum concentrations (Ctrough ss) ≥TSC for every 3-week (Q3W) dosing.

Results: Onartuzumab clearance (CL) in the linear dose range was 21.1 and 12.2 mL/d/kg in mice and cynomolgus monkeys with elimination half-life at 6.10 and 3.37 days, respectively. The estimated TSC in KP4 pancreatic xenograft tumor-bearing mice was 15 μg/mL. Projected CL for humans in the linear dose range was 5.74 to 9.36 mL/d/kg with scaling exponents of CL at 0.75 to 0.9. Monte Carlo simulations projected a Q3W dose of 10 to 30 mg/kg to achieve Ctrough ss of 15 μg/mL in 95% or more of patients.

Conclusions: Onartuzumab pharmacokinetics differed from typical bivalent glycosylated monoclonal antibodies with approximately 2-times faster CL in the linear dose range. Despite this higher CL, xenograft efficacy data supported dose flexibility with Q1W to Q3W dose regimens in the clinical setting with a TSC of 15 μg/mL as the Ctrough ss target. The projected human efficacious dose of 10 to 30 mg/kg Q3W should achieve the target TSC of 15 μg/mL. These data show effective pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling to project doses to be tested in the clinic.