Pharmacokinetic Properties of Ibuprofen (IBU) From the Fixed-Dose Combination IBU/Caffeine (400/100 mg; FDC) in Comparison With 400 mg IBU as Acid or Lysinate Under Fasted and Fed Conditions-Data From 2 Single-Center, Single-Dose, Randomized Crossover Studies in Healthy Volunteers.

Rapid onset of analgesic action is linked with rapid absorption of analgesics (high maximum concentration [C ] and short time to maximum concentration [t ]). After overnight fasting, ibuprofen lysinate reaches higher peak plasma levels (C ) earlier than ibuprofen acid (t ) with comparable exposure (area under the plasma concentration-time curve [AUC]); however, subjects usually take ibuprofen with or within a short time of a meal. Therefore, pharmacokinetic (PK) studies under fed conditions may better characterize properties under real-life conditions. We investigated a new fixed-dose combination (FDC) of ibuprofen acid 400 mg and caffeine 100 mg in 2 single-dose, randomized, crossover PK studies in healthy subjects (both N = 36). The FDC was compared with ibuprofen 400 mg as acid and as lysinate after an overnight fast in Study 1, and with ibuprofen lysinate after a meal in Study 2. After fasting, results for ibuprofen in the FDC were comparable with those from ibuprofen acid alone. Caffeine did not affect the C , t , and AUC. As expected, a higher C and shorter t were observed with ibuprofen lysinates vs the FDC. Compared with administration after fasting, C and t for ibuprofen lysinate administered postprandially were markedly different, while with FDC, these parameters were less sensitive to food intake. Taken after a meal, ibuprofen in the FDC reached t earlier than ibuprofen lysinate (median 1.25 vs 1.63 hours), and C was approximately 13% higher, with comparable AUC, suggesting that the profile of ibuprofen was in favor of the FDC compared with ibuprofen lysinate. Thus, under real-life conditions, ibuprofen lysinate had no PK advantage over the FDC. All preparations were well tolerated.