Thorough QT/QTc Study Shows That a Novel 5-HT₄ Receptor Partial Agonist Minesapride Has No Effect on QT Prolongation

Minesapride (drug code: DSP-6952) is a potential gastrointestinal prokinetic agent with high selectivity for 5-hydroxytryptamine 4 (5-HT₄ ) receptor that acts as a partial agonist. Although 5-HT₄ receptor agonists are expected to show efficacy in patients with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation, only tegaserod is available for female patients, with limitations, in the United States. Previously, another 5-HT₄ receptor agonist, cisapride, was widely used for the treatment of upper gastrointestinal diseases, but was withdrawn from the market because of arrhythmia with QT prolongation. Chemically, benzamide is one of the most common structures among 5-HT₄ receptor agonists. Some benzamide derivatives, such as cisapride, are responsible for QT prolongation, while some, such as mosapride, are not. Thus, we planned a thorough QT/QTc study to investigate the effects of minesapride, a newly designed benzamide derivative, on the QT/QTc. This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, 4-arm, 4-period, crossover study conducted in healthy adults, with administration of single oral doses of minesapride (40 mg and 120 mg), placebo, and moxifloxacin in the fasted state. Minesapride and placebo were administered in a double-blind fashion, while the positive control moxifloxacin was administered in an open-label fashion. Japanese subjects (48 total: 24 males and 24 females) were randomized, and 47 subjects completed all treatment periods. A review of other electrocardiographic data revealed that neither therapeutic (40 mg) nor supratherapeutic (120 mg) doses of minesapride were associated with increased risk of prolonged QT interval.