Subacute and subchronic toxicology studies of CI-986, a novel anti-inflammatory compound.

CI-986 (5-[3,5-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-hydroxyphenyl]-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2(3H)- thione-2-hydroxy-N,N,N-trimethylethanaminium salt) is a novel anti-inflammatory compound classified as a dual inhibitor of cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase. Studies were undertaken to characterize the preclinical toxicology of the compound. CI-986 was administered to rats for 2 weeks (0, 50, 250, 750, and 1500 mg/kg) or 13 weeks (0, 20, 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg), dogs for 2 weeks (0, 50, 150, and 500 mg/kg) or 13 weeks (0, 20, 100, and 200 mg/kg), and to monkeys for 2 weeks (0, 50, 250, and 1000 mg/kg). No drug-related deaths resulted. Mild clinical signs of toxicity were noted in rats given doses of 250 mg/kg and above. Drug-related emesis and diarrhea were absent at the low dose in the dog and monkey but increased in incidence and severity at higher doses. Severe clinical signs in monkeys (emesis and diarrhea) necessitated the lowering of the top dose to 500 mg/kg/day (administered b.i.d.) during the second week of the monkey study. Slight decreases (< 23%) in serum protein and/or albumin were noted in all studies at the higher doses. A dose-related increase in alkaline phosphatase was noted in both dog studies, with no other drug-related effect on clinical pathology parameters. A gastric ulcer occurred in one rat administered 500 mg/kg CI-986 for 13 weeks. Gastrointestinal ulcers were not noted at any other dose in rats or at any dose in dogs or monkeys. A dose-related eosinophilia of glandular stomach submucosa was noted in rats after 2 and 13 weeks of drug administration but not in dogs or monkeys. In the 2-week rat study, mean combined sex plasma drug concentrations monitored 2 hr after dose on Day 14 were 0.59, 1.10, 2.64, and 3.43 micrograms/ml for the 50, 250, 750, and 1,500 mg/kg dose groups, respectively. In the 2-week dog studies, maximum plasma drug concentrations on Day 10 or Day 11 were achieved within 2 hr of dose with mean combined sex Cmax values of 0.73, 2.05, and 2.62 micrograms/ml for the 50, 250, and 750 mg/kg groups, respectively. Hepatic microsomal induction characterized by increased microsomal protein, increased microsomal cytochrome P450 content, and increased p-nitroanisole O-demethylation activity was noted in dogs and monkeys but not rats. CI-986 was well tolerated in rats and dogs at the doses employed and in monkeys at doses up to 500 mg/kg (b.i.d.).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)