Pharmacokinetics of a new testosterone transdermal delivery system, TDS-testosterone in healthy males

The Transdermal Delivery System (TDS) is a liquid formulation that can be applied to the skin via a metered pump spray to deliver drug to the systemic circulation. The aims of this study were to assess the ability of the TDS preparation to deliver testosterone systemically, and to characterize the pharmacokinetic profiles of the hormone in healthy males.

An open label, comparative, randomized placebo controlled study involving three treatments and three periods with a minimum of a 1 week washout period was conducted. Twelve healthy males received 50 mg TDS-testosterone, TDS-placebo, and 50 mg of a commercially available topical testosterone preparation (Androgel, 1% topical testosterone gel).

The mean AUC(0,12 h) was higher following application of TDS-testosterone (61.8 ng ml-1 h), compared with Androgel (57.7 ng ml-1 h) and TDS-placebo (50.7 ng ml-1 h. The mean Cmax (0,12 h) was similar for TDS-testosterone (6.6 ng ml-1) and Androgel (6.5 ng ml-1) and these values were higher than those for TDS-placebo (5.7 ng ml-1). Analysis of variance showed that the 90% confidence intervals on the relative difference of the ratio for the AUC(0,12 h) and the Cmax (0,12 h) between TDS-testosterone and Androgel, were contained within the bioequivalence limit (80, 125%) (Cmax 89.2, 112.3% and AUC 93.5, 120.5%). Serum testosterone concentrations were lower following TDS-Placebo and were not bioequivalent either to the gel or spray.

The TDS preparation was shown to deliver testosterone systemically to humans and the concentrations of the hormone in the 12 h following TDS administration were bioequivalent to an existing topical delivery gel.