The Pharmacokinetics and Bioequivalence of Desvenlafaxine Succinate in Chinese Healthy Subjects Under Fasting and Fed States

Abstract Desvenlafaxine succinate is a selective serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor for the treatment of major depressive disorder. The pharmacokinetic profile of desvenlafaxine succinate at the clinically recommended dose of 50 mg in Chinese healthy subjects has been reported rarely. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence of desvenlafaxine succinate in Chinese healthy subjects. A single‐dose, open‐label, randomized, two‐way crossover study with a 7‐day washout period was conducted. A total of 88 individuals were incorporated to show bioequivalence of a generic and a reference drug, with 48 individuals in the fasting state and 40 receiving a high‐fat diet. Finally, 46 and 38 individuals completed the fasting and the fed study, respectively. The 90% confidence intervals of the adjusted geometric mean ratios for maximum plasma concentration, area under the concentration–time curve from time zero to the last measurable concentration, and area under the concentration–time curve from time zero to infinity all fell in the bioequivalent interval of 80%–125% in both the fasting and fed states. A total of 33 adverse events were reported, and all were mild or moderate in severity. In summary, the generic and reference formulations were bioequivalent, with no observable safety differences in the fasting/fed state.