Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of Kukoamine B in Healthy Volunteers: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multiple-Dose Phase I Study

Introduction Kukoamine B (KB) is a novel sepsis therapeutic drug targeting lipopolysaccharide and CpG DNA. This study aims to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of multiple doses of KB in healthy volunteers. Methods Healthy volunteers were randomized at a 1:1:1:1 ratio to receive multiple intravenous infusion doses of KB 0.06 mg/kg, 0.12 mg/kg, 0.24 mg/kg or placebo (administered every 8 h per day) for 7 days and subsequently followed up for another 7 days at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Primary endpoints were adverse events (AEs), and the secondary endpoints were PK parameters of the first administration and the last administration. Results Data of the 18 health volunteers in KB groups and 6 in the placebo group were pooled and analyzed. AEs occurred in 12 (66.67%) volunteers in the KB groups and 4 (66.67%) volunteers in the placebo group. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 8 (44.44%) volunteers in the KB groups and 2 (33.33%) volunteers in the placebo group. Hypertriglyceridemia (4 [22.22%] vs. 2 [33.33%]) and sinus bradycardia (3 [16.67%] vs. 0) were the most common AEs. The mean elimination half-life, clearance, and distribution volume of KB were 3.40–4.88 h, 9.35–13.49 L/h, and 45.74–101.90 L, respectively. The average accumulation ratios of area under the plasma concentration–time curve and maximum plasma concentration were 1.06 and 1.02, respectively. Conclusion Single and multiple intravenous infusions of KB at a dose range of 0.06–0.24 mg/kg are safe and tolerable in healthy volunteers. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT02690961.