Pharmacokinetics of penciclovir in healthy cats following oral administration of famciclovir or intravenous infusion of penciclovir.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the pharmacokinetics of penciclovir in healthy cats following oral administration of famciclovir or IV infusion of penciclovir.

ANIMALS

6 cats.

PROCEDURES

Cats received famciclovir (40 [n = 3] or 90 [3] mg/kg, PO, once) in a balanced crossover-design study; the alternate dose was administered after a ≥ 2-week washout period. After another washout period (≥ 4 weeks), cats received an IV infusion of penciclovir (10 mg/kg delivered over 1 hour). Plasma penciclovir concentrations were analyzed via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry at fixed time points after drug administration.

RESULTS

Mean ± SD maximum plasma concentration (C(max)) of penciclovir following oral administration of 40 and 90 mg of famciclovir/kg was 1.34 ± 0.33 μg/mL and 1.28 ± 0.42 μg/mL and occurred at 2.8 ± 1.8 hours and 3.0 ± 1.1 hours, respectively; penciclovir elimination half-life was 4.2 ± 0.6 hours and 4.8 ± 1.4 hours, respectively; and penciclovir bioavailability was 12.5 ± 3.0% and 7.0 ± 1.8%, respectively. Following IV infusion of penciclovir (10 mg/kg), mean ± SD penciclovir clearance, volume of distribution, and elimination half-life were 4.3 ± 0.8 mL/min/kg, 0.6 ± 0.1 L/kg, and 1.9 ± 0.4 hours, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Penciclovir pharmacokinetics following oral administration of famciclovir were nonlinear within the dosage range studied, likely because of saturation of famciclovir metabolism. Oral administration of famciclovir at 40 or 90 mg/kg produced similar C(max) and time to C(max) values. Therefore, the lower dose may have similar antiviral efficacy to that proven for the higher dose.