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Introduction: A medicine’s acceptability is likely to have significant impact on pediatric adherence. The importance is underlined in EMA and FDA guidance on this topic where investigation of acceptability is stated as a regulatory expectation. Demonstrating acceptability can be challenging given there is no globally recognized definition and no standardized testing methodology or assessment criteria. Palatability and swallowability are generally recognized as important elements of acceptability, and this work proposes a definition of acceptability using these elements to give a composite endpoint for acceptability for pediatric subjects across all age ranges. Methods: This composite acceptability endpoint is based on validated assessment methods for swallowability and palatability in children of different age groups using different galenic placebo formulations, in line with criteria proposed by EMA for assessing acceptability in children from newborn to 18 years of age. Data from two studies investigating mini-tablets, oblong tablets, orodispersible films, and syrup were analyzed to establish the validity, expediency, and applicability of the suggested composite acceptability assessment tool. Results: The new composite endpoint is an efficient and suitable way to distinguish preferences of oral formulations: Mini-tablets and oblong tablets had significantly better acceptability than syrups and orodispersible films. Conclusion: Since the suggested acceptability criteria takes both swallowability and palatability into account as composite endpoint, it is highly sensitive to detect acceptability differences between oral formulations. It is a well-defined valid approach, which meets regulatory requirements in an appropriate and comprehensive manner and may in future serve as a pragmatic, standardized method to assess and compare acceptability of pediatric formulations with active substances.

Granisetron is a novel, highly specific 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor antagonist given prophylactically to patients undergoing chemotherapy. An open, randomized, crossover trial was performed with 37 patients (24 females and 13 males) undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy for malignant disease to compare an oral tablet (1-mg tablet given twice daily) with a clinical-trial capsule (1-mg capsule given twice daily). Complete pharmacokinetic data were determined for 24 patients (14 females and 10 males). The concentration of granisetron in plasma was measured by HPLC; the limit of quantitation was 0.2 ng/mL. The bioavailability evaluation was based mainly on the area under the curve (AUC) (mean values: 52.1ng • h/mL for the capsule and 54.2ng • h/mL for the tablet) and the maximum concentration (Cmax) (mean values: 7.42 ng/mL for the capsule and 8.18 ng/mL for the tablet) measured at the steady state after 7 days of continuous therapy. Wide interpatient variability in plasma granisetron levels after oral administration was observed. The 90% standard confidence interval for the geometric mean ratio overlapped the critical range, 0.8-1.25. Point estimates for AUC and Cmaxbased on two one-sided ttests and log-transformed data showed that the upper limit of the confidence interval was not within 20% of the mean for the capsule; the corresponding power analysis values for AUC and Cmaxwere 0.89 and 0.81, respectively. Despite bioequivalence not being proven, any differences that exist between the two formulations are likely to be small. There was no difference in efficacy or safety between the two formulations assessed.

The effect of food on the pharmacokinetics of the active metabolite of the new antiasthmatic drug repirinast was investigated in two different studies after oral administration of 300mg of repirinast. In each study, 12 healthy volunteers received the repirinast dose under fasting or fed conditions in a crossover manner. In one study, a high-fat meal (American breakfast) was used and in another study, a low-fat, high-carbohydrate meal (continental breakfast) was used. Concentrations of the active metabolite in plasma and urine were determined by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. After administration of repirinast with a low-fat and a high-fat meal, the relative bioavailability of the active metabolite increased by factors of 1.9 and 2.4, respectively, as expressed by area under the curve of concentration versus time from 0 to 12h. The amount excreted into urine doubled after drug administration with both types of food and accounted for ~8% of the dose under fasting conditions and ~16% of the dose under fed conditions. Maximum concentrations in plasma were different between the two studies: mean maximum concentrations in plasma increased by factors of 1.7 and 3.2 after administration of drug with a low-fat (drug intake immediately after breakfast) and a high-fat breakfast (drug intake just before breakfast), respectively, compared with fasting conditions.