Human mass balance, metabolite profile and identification of metabolic enzymes of [(14)C]ASP015K, a novel oral janus kinase inhibitor.

1. The human mass balance of C-14-labelled ASP015K ([C-14]ASP015K), an orally bioavailable Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, was characterized in six healthy male subjects after a single oral dose of [C-14]ASP015K (100 mg, 3.7 MBq) in solution. [C-14]ASP015K was rapidly absorbed with t(max) of 1.6 and 1.8 h for ASP015K and total radioactivity in plasma, respectively. Mean recovery in urine and feces amounted to 36.8% and 56.6% of the administered dose, respectively. The main components of radioactivity in plasma and urine were ASP015K and M2 (5'-O-sulfo ASP015K). In feces, ASP015K and M4 (7-N-methyl ASP015K) were the main components. 2. In vitro study of ASP015K metabolism showed that the major isozyme contributing to the formation of M2 was human sulfotransferase (SULT) 2A1 and of M4 was nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT). 3. The in vitro intrinsic clearance (CLint_in vitro) of M4 formation from ASP015K in human liver cytosol (HLC) was 11-fold higher than that of M2. The competitive inhibitory effect of nicotinamide on M4 formation in the human liver was considered the reason for high CLint_in vitro of M4 formation, while each metabolic pathway made a near equal contribution to the in vivo elimination of ASP015K. ASP015K was cleared by multiple mechanisms.