Drug-Drug Interactions:
In vitro evidence showed that AROMASIN (exemestane) is metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 and aldoketoreductases, and does not inhibit any of the major CYP isoenzymes, including CYP 1A2, 2C9, 2D6, 2E1, and 3A. In a clinical pharmacokinetic study, the specific inhibition of CYP3A4 by ketoconazole administration showed no significant influence on the pharmacokinetics of exemestane. Although pharmacokinetic effects were observed in a pharmacokinetic interaction study with rifampin, a potent CYP3A4 inducer, the suppression of plasma estrogen concentrations (estrone sulfate) produced by exemestane was not affected and a dosage adjustment is not required.
In patients receiving tamoxifen and warfarin concurrently, re-titration of the warfarin dose may be required following the switch from tamoxifen to exemestane. Possible interaction between tamoxifen and warfarin that required dose adjustments have been described. As a result, patients on warfarin treatment were excluded from the IES trial because the risk of experiencing a coagulation problem in switching from previous tamoxifen to exemestane could not be excluded. Although a potential interaction between warfarin and exemestane has not been studied clinically, in vitro studies have demonstrated that exemestane does not inhibit the activity of CYP2C9 (enzyme responsible for the metabolism of s-warfarin) and exemestane is not anticipated to alter the pharmacokinetics of warfarin. Therefore, the dosage of warfarin should be controlled by periodic determinations of prothrombin times (PT) ratio/International Normalized Ratio (INR) or other suitable coagulation tests at the time of switch from tamoxifen to exemestane as per recommendations in the warfarin Product Monograph.
Drug-Laboratory Interactions:
No clinically relevant changes in the results of clinical laboratory tests have been observed.