We performed a two-part study to evaluate the pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of oral apremilast, a phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor indicated for the treatment of psoriasis, in healthy Korean adult men. In part 1, there were 12 subjects who randomly received a single oral dose of apremilast at 20, 30, or 40 mg in each of 3 periods in a crossover fashion. In part 2, there were 16 subjects who randomly received 30 mg of apremilast or its matching placebo in a ratio of 3:1 twice daily for 14 days. Apremilast was rapidly absorbed (maximum concentration: ~2-3 h postdose), and eliminated according to a monoexponential pattern with a terminal-phase elimination half-life of 8-9 h. The exposure to apremilast increased in a dose-proportional manner and accumulation was 1.6-fold at steady-state. Apremilast was well-tolerated after a single oral administration and multiple oral administrations in Korean adult men; all of the treatment-emergent adverse events were mild and recovered without sequelae. In conclusion, apremilast was safe and well-tolerated in healthy Korean adult men when administered single oral doses of 20, 30, or 40 mg or when administered multiple oral doses of 30 mg b.i.d. for 14 days. Overall exposures increased in an approximate dose proportional manner in healthy Korean adult men.
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