Effects of Alcohol on the Pharmacokinetics of Blonanserin and N-Deethylated Blonanserin in Healthy Chinese Subjects

Abstract Purpose/Background Blonanserin is a novel antipsychotic drug approved for the treatment of schizophrenia in East Asia. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of alcohol on the pharmacokinetic properties of blonanserin and its metabolite N -deethyl blonanserin in healthy Chinese male subjects under fasting conditions. Methods/Procedures The study was designed as a randomized, open-label, crossover clinical investigation in 10 male volunteers, each of whom received 2 treatments under fasted conditions: treatment A, blonanserin (8 mg) with water, and treatment B, blonanserin (8 mg) with alcohol (1 mL/kg). Findings/Results The average values of areas under the curve (AUCs) and mean peak plasma concentrations ( C max ) were noticeably increased by alcohol consumption. In treatment A, average values of AUC 0–24h , AUC 0–∞ , and C max were 3178 ng/h/L, 3879 ng/h/L, and 492 ng/L for blonanserin, and 1932 ng/h/L, 4208 ng/h/L, and 137 ng/L for N -deethylated blonanserin, respectively. In treatment B, AUC 0–∞ and C max were both increased 2.4-fold for blonanserin and 1.4-fold and 1.7-fold, respectively, for N -deethylated blonanserin ( P < 0.05). Compared with treatment A, clearance (Cl z /F) of blonanserin and N -deethylated blonanserin decreased significantly (2.4-fold and 1.7-fold, respectively) in treatment B ( P < 0.05). Alcohol delayed the absorption and reduced the clearance of blonanserin, leading to a 1.8-fold increase in the time to reach C max ( T max ) and half life time ( t 1/2 ) ( P < 0.05). Implications/Conclusions Alcohol increased the bioavailability of blonanserin and N -deethyl blonanserin in healthy subjects and the marked effect of alcohol on blonanserin bioavailability should be taken into consideration in deciding dosing schedules in clinical therapy.