Deutetrabenazine response

Deutetrabenazine (brand name Austedo) is used to treat chorea associated with Huntington disease (HD) and tardive dyskinesia (TD). Both HD and TD are types of involuntary movement disorders. The recommended starting dose is 6 mg once daily for individuals with HD and 12 mg per day (6 mg twice daily) for individuals with TD. The maximum recommended daily dosage for both conditions is 48 mg (24 mg, twice daily). The active metabolites of deutetrabenazine are reversible inhibitors of vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2). The VMAT2 protein transports the uptake of monoamines, such as dopamine, into the nerve terminal. The inhibition of VMAT2 leads to a depletion of pre-synaptic dopamine and reduces the amount of dopamine realized when that neuron fires. This is thought to lead to fewer abnormal, involuntary movements. The CYP2D6 enzyme converts the active metabolites of deutetrabenazine to minor, reduced activity metabolites. Individuals who have no CYP2D6 activity (“CYP2D6 poor metabolizers”) are likely to have a 3- to 4-fold increased exposure to active metabolites, compared with normal metabolizers, following the recommended standard doses of deutetrabenazine. The 2018 FDA-approved drug label for deutetrabenazine states that the daily dose of deutetrabenazine should not exceed 36 mg (maximum single dose of 18 mg) for individuals who are CYP2D6 poor metabolizers or concurrently taking a strong CYP2D6 inhibitor (e.g., quinidine, antidepressants such as paroxetine, fluoxetine, and bupropion). In addition, the drug label cautions that tetrabenazine, a closely related VMAT2 inhibitor, causes QT prolongation. Therefore, a clinically relevant QT prolongation may occur in some individuals treated with deutetrabenazine who are CYP2D6 poor metabolizers or are co-administered a strong CYP2D6 inhibitor. [from Medical Genetics Summaries]