Bioequivalence of Ondansetron Oral Soluble Film 8 mg (ZUPLENZ) and Ondansetron Orally Disintegrating Tablets 8 mg (ZOFRAN) in Healthy Adults

Oral formulations of ondansetron are used to prevent nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. An oral soluble film formulation of ondansetron (OND OSF) was developed using MonoSol Rx's proprietary PharmFilm technology and was formulated to dissolve rapidly on the tongue, without the need for water. This product provides an oral antiemetic treatment option for patients who experience difficulty swallowing. The purpose of this study was to compare the bioequivalence of OND OSF 8 mg (ZUPLENZ, Monosol Rx, Warren, NJ) with ondansetron orally disintegrating tablets (OND ODT) 8 mg (ZOFRAN, GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park). In 3 individual open-label, randomized studies, healthy adult subjects received a single dose of OND OSF 8 mg and a single dose of OND ODT 8 mg, under fasted conditions (study 1, n = 48), fed conditions (study 2, n = 48), and fasted with and without water (study 3, n = 18). Each dosing period was followed by a 3- or 7-day washout period. Ondansetron pharmacokinetics were assessed predose to 24 hours postdose for the single 8-mg doses of OND OSF and OND ODT. All analyses were conducted on natural log-transformed pharmacokinetic parameters for OND OSF and OND ODT. Under both fasted and fed conditions, the 90% confidence interval for the comparisons of OND OSF and OND ODT plasma ondansetron area under the curve from time 0 to the last measured concentration (AUC0-t), area under the concentration vs. time curve from time 0 to infinity (AUC0-∞), and maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) were within the 80%-125% range, indicating bioequivalence between the formulations. With features designed to make it portable and easy to take, OND OSF 8 mg provides an alternative treatment option, particularly for patients with dysphagia and others who find it difficult to take oral tablets.