Sofosbuvir 400 mg · Hard-gelatin capsules

Sofosbuvir is a direct-acting antiviral agent against the hepatitis C virus [see Microbiology (12.4)].

Absorption — The pharmacokinetic properties of sofosbuvir and the predominant circulating metabolite GS-331007 have been evaluated in healthy adult subjects and in subjects with chronic hepatitis C. Following oral administration of SOVALDI, sofosbuvir was absorbed with a peak plasma concentration observed at ~0.5–2 hour post-dose, regardless of dose level. Peak plasma concentration of GS-331007 was observed between 2 to 4 hours post-dose. Based on population pharmacokinetic analysis in subjects with genotype 1 to 6 HCV infection who were coadministered ribavirin (with or without pegylated interferon), geometric mean steady state AUC0–24 was 969 ng∙hr/mL for sofosbuvir (N=838), and 6790 ng∙hr/mL for GS-331007 (N=1695). Relative to healthy subjects administered sofosbuvir alone (N=272), the sofosbuvir AUC0–24 was 60% higher; and GS-331007 AUC0–24 was 39% lower, respectively, in HCV-infected subjects. Sofosbuvir and GS-331007 AUCs are near dose proportional over the dose range of 200 mg to 1200 mg.

Effect of Food — Relative to fasting conditions, the administration of a single dose of SOVALDI with a standardized high fat meal did not substantially affect the sofosbuvir Cmax or AUC0–inf. The exposure of GS-331007 was not altered in the presence of a high-fat meal. Therefore, SOVALDI can be administered without regard to food.

Distribution — Sofosbuvir is approximately 61–65% bound to human plasma proteins and the binding is independent of drug concentration over the range of 1 microgram/mL to 20 microgram/mL. Protein binding of GS-331007 was minimal in human plasma. After a single 400 mg dose of [14C]-sofosbuvir in healthy subjects, the blood to plasma ratio of 14C-radioactivity was approximately 0.7.

Metabolism — Sofosbuvir is extensively metabolized in the liver to form the pharmacologically active nucleoside analog triphosphate GS-461203. The metabolic activation pathway involves sequential hydrolysis of the carboxyl ester moiety catalyzed by human cathepsin A (CatA) or carboxylesterase 1 (CES1) and phosphoramidate cleavage by histidine triad nucleotide-binding protein 1 (HINT1) followed by phosphorylation by the pyrimidine nucleotide biosynthesis pathway. Dephosphorylation results in the formation of nucleoside metabolite GS-331007 that cannot be efficiently rephosphorylated and lacks anti-HCV activity in vitro.

After a single 400 mg oral dose of [14C]-sofosbuvir, sofosbuvir and GS-331007 accounted for approximately 4% and greater than 90% of drug related material (sum of molecular weight-adjusted AUC of sofosbuvir and its metabolites) systemic exposure, respectively.

Elimination — Following a single 400 mg oral dose of [14C]-sofosbuvir, mean total recovery of the dose was greater than 92%, consisting of approximately 80%, 14%, and 2.5% recovered in urine, feces, and expired air, respectively. The majority of the sofosbuvir dose recovered in urine was GS-331007 (78%) while 3.5% was recovered as sofosbuvir. These data indicate that renal clearance is the major elimination pathway for GS-331007. The median terminal half-lives of sofosbuvir and GS-331007 were 0.4 and 27 hours, respectively.