Microdosed midazolam in a buccal film

Cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) isozymes metabolize about 50% of all marketed drugs. Their activity can be modulated up to 400-fold, which has great impact on individual dose requirements for CYP3A substrates. The activity of CYP3A can be monitored using the CYP3A substrate midazolam. To avoid pharmacological midazolam effects during phenotyping, a microdosing approach is preferred. However, the preparation of microdosed dosage forms remains a challenge. Fast dissolving buccal films are therefore proposed to facilitate this task.

It was the aim of the present study to clinically evaluate a novel buccal film containing microdoses of midazolam for assessment of CYP3A activity.

In a randomized, open-label crossover design, the pharmacokinetics of midazolam and its active hydroxy-metabolite, 1′‑OH‑midazolam, was assessed in 12 healthy volunteers after administration of single microdoses of midazolam (30 μg) as buccal film or buccal solution.

The buccal film did rapidly disintegrate, was well tolerated, and no adverse events occurred. The film and the solution showed very similar midazolam plasma concentration-time profiles but were not bioequivalent according to EMA and FDA guidelines. For C_max, AUC_0-12h, and AUC_0-∞ the geometric mean ratios of film to solution, with their 90% confidence intervals in parentheses, were 1.15 (1.00–1.32), 1.16 (1.04–1.28), and 1.19 (1.08–1.31), respectively. As a proxy for CYP3A activity, molar metabolic ratios of midazolam and 1′‑OH‑midazolam were analyzed over time, which revealed good correlations already 1 h or 2 h after application of the film or the solution, respectively. More on microdosed midazolam