First-in-human safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pilot food-effect study of the candidate antimalarial...

To evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics in healthy participants of orally administered MMV367 (GSK3772701), a novel antimalarial interfering with Plasmodium falciparum acyl coenzyme A synthetase 10/11 function.

This first-in-human study enrolled 47 healthy male and female participants. Part 1 was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in which four sequential fasted cohorts received MMV367 single ascending doses (100, 300, 750 and 1500 mg) or placebo (six active, two placebo per cohort). Part 2 was a randomised, open-label crossover (fed-fasted) pilot food-effect study of MMV367 440 mg (n = 8). In Part 3 MMV367 400 mg was administered once daily for 3 days in a single cohort (six active, two placebo).

Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) occurred in 36.8% (14/38) of participants receiving MMV367 vs 44.4% (4/9) with placebo. There were two MMV367-related TEAEs, and no serious or severe TEAEs or clinically relevant changes in electrocardiograms, vital signs or laboratory tests. In Part 1 (fasted), maximum plasma concentrations occurred between 2.0 and 5.0 h post dose, with a geometric mean half-life of 16.5-18.4 h. Approximate dose proportionality was demonstrated across the dose range (100-1500 mg). In Part 2, MMV367 relative bioavailability (fed vs fasted) was 161.4% (90% confidence interval 148.3, 175.6) for maximum observed concentration (C_max), 130.4% (122.2, 139.1) for the area under the curve (AUC) until the last measurable concentration and 132.9% (124.1, 142.3) for AUC extrapolated to infinity. In Part 3, geometric mean day 1:3 exposure ratios (geometric co-efficient of variability) were 1.9 (4.9%) for C_max and 2.1 (7.7%) for the AUC for the defined interval between doses after once-daily dosing for 3 days.

MMV367 demonstrated acceptable safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic profiles supporting further development as an antimalarial drug.