Genotype-guided isoniazid dosing harmonizes drug exposure in 3HP tuberculosis preventive therapy

Polymorphisms in the N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) gene explain much of the interindividual variation in isoniazid (INH) metabolism and determine risk of toxicities. However, there is limited evidence to guide INH dose adjustment according to the NAT2 acetylator profile in weekly rifapentine-INH tuberculosis preventive therapy (TPT).

We evaluated whether NAT2 genotype-guided INH dose adjustment harmonizes drug exposure across acetylator phenotypes during 3HP and derived phenotype-specific dose recommendations.

In a prospective, multicenter, within-subject PK trial ( NCT05413551 ), adults initiating 3HP in Brazil were assigned genotype-guided INH doses (slow: 5 mg/kg ≤300 mg; intermediate: 15 mg/kg ≤900 mg; rapid: 25 mg/kg ≤1,500 mg) alongside a standard 900 mg flat dose on an alternate occasion. AUC0-24 and C24 were estimated from serial blood samples; a two-compartment Michaelis-Menten population PK model characterized NAT2 effects on clearance.

Among 228 participants, 47.4% (108/228) were intermediate, 43.4% (99/228) slow, and 9.2% (21/228) rapid acetylators. Genotype-guided dosing reduced AUC0-24 variability approximately two-fold versus standard dosing (CV 58.8% vs 76.8%) and increased exposure uniformity (median AUC0- 24 27.2 [IQR 18.8-41.3] vs 43.2 [27.3-71.0] mg·h/L). Among slow acetylators, C24 >0.15 µg/mL decreased from 27/42 (64%) with standard dosing to 1/42 (2%) with genotype-guided dosing (P<0.0001). In 104 participants with intensive PK sampling, rapid acetylators receiving guided doses had AUC0-24similar to standard-dose intermediate acetylators (42.8 vs 39.5 mg·h/L; P=.63). Monte Carlo simulations supported doses of 600, 900, and 1,200 mg for slow, intermediate, and rapid acetylators, respectively.

NAT2-guided isoniazid dosing reduced variation in drug levels, averting very low and high AUC and C ₂₄ . These findings inform genotype-stratified dosing of INH for TPT, which might reduce toxicities and improve outcomes.