Low free drug concentration prevents inhibition of F508del CFTR functional expression by the potentiator VX‐770 (ivacaftor)

Background and PurposeThe most common cystic fibrosis (CF) mutation F508del inhibits the gating and surface expression of CFTR, a plasma membrane anion channel. Optimal pharmacotherapies will probably require both a ‘potentiator’ to increase channel open probability and a ‘corrector’ that improves folding and trafficking of the mutant protein and its stability at the cell surface. Interaction between CF drugs has been reported but remains poorly understood.Experimental ApproachCF bronchial epithelial cells were exposed to the corrector VX‐809 (lumacaftor) and potentiator VX‐770 (ivacaftor) individually or in combination. Functional expression of CFTR was assayed as the forskolin‐stimulated short‐circuit current (Isc) across airway epithelial monolayers expressing F508del CFTR.Key ResultsThe potentiated Isc response during forskolin stimulation was increased sixfold after pretreatment with VX‐809 alone and reached ~11% that measured across non‐CF monolayers. VX‐770 (100 nM) and genistein (50 μM) caused similar levels of potentiation, which were not additive and were abolished by the CFTR inhibitor CFTRinh‐172. The unbound fraction of VX‐770 in plasma was 0.13 ± 0.04%, which together with previous measurements in patients given 250 mg p.o. twice daily, suggests a peak free plasma concentration of 1.5–8.5 nM. Chronic exposure to high VX‐770 concentrations (>1 μM) inhibited functional correction by VX‐809 but not in the presence of physiological protein levels (20–40 mg·mL−1). Chronic exposure to a low concentration of VX‐770 (100 nM) together with VX‐809 (1 μM) also did not reduce the forskolin‐stimulated Isc, relative to cells chronically exposed to VX‐809 alone, provided it was assayed acutely using the same, clinically relevant concentration of potentiator.Conclusions and ImplicationsChronic exposure to clinically relevant concentrations of VX‐770 did not reduce F508del CFTR function. Therapeutic benefit of VX‐770 + VX‐809 (Orkambi) is probably limited by the efficacy of VX‐809 rather than by inhibition by VX‐770.