Population pharmacokinetic model of rifampicin for personalized tuberculosis pharmacotherapy: Effects of SLCO1B1 polymorphisms on drug exposure

Background Rifampicin (RIF) exhibits high pharmacokinetic (PK) variability among individuals; a low plasma concentration might result in unfavorable treatment outcomes and drug resistance. This study evaluated the contributions of non- and genetic factors to the interindividual variability of RIF exposure, then suggested initial doses for patients with different weight bands. Methods This multicenter prospective cohort study in Korea analyzed demographic and clinical data, the solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 1B1 (SLCO1B1) genotypes, and RIF concentrations. Population PK modeling and simulations were conducted using nonlinear mixed-effect modeling. Results In total, 879 tuberculosis (TB) patients were divided into a training dataset (510 patients) and a test dataset (359 patients). A one-compartment model with allometric scaling for effect of body size best described the RIF PKs. The apparent clearance (CL/F) was 16.6% higher among patients in the SLCO1B1 rs4149056 wild-type group than among patients in variant group, significantly decreasing RIF exposure in the wild-type group. The developed model showed better predictive performance compared with previously reported models. We also suggested that patients with body weights of <40 kg, 40-55 kg, 55-70 kg, and >70 kg patients receive RIF doses of 450, 600, 750, and 1050 mg/day, respectively. Conclusions Total body weight and SLCO1B1 rs4149056 genotypes were the most significant covariates that affected RIF CL/F variability in Korean TB patients. We suggest initial doses of RIF based on World Health Organization weight-band classifications. The model may be implemented in treatment monitoring for TB patients.