Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Ivacaftor, Lumacaftor, Tezacaftor, and Elexacaftor in Cystic Fibrosis: Where Are We Now?

Abstract

Drugs modulating the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein, namely ivacaftor, lumacaftor, tezacaftor, and elexacaftor, are currently revolutionizing the management of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), particularly those with at least one F508del variant (up to 85% of patients). These “caftor” drugs are mainly metabolized by cytochromes P450 3A, whose enzymatic activity is influenced by environmental factors, and are sensitive to inhibition and induction. Hence, CFTR modulators are characterized by an important interindividual pharmacokinetic variability and are also prone to drug–drug interactions. However, these CFTR modulators are given at standardized dosages, while they meet all criteria for a formal therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) program that should be considered in cases of clinical toxicity, less-than-expected clinical response, drug or food interactions, distinct patient subgroups (i.e., pediatrics), and for monitoring short-term adherence. While the information on CFTR drug exposure–clinical response relationships is still limited, we review the current evidence of the potential interest in the TDM of caftor drugs in real-life settings.