Purpose: P-glycoprotein (Pgp) is a transmembrane drug e ux pump that is expressed in multidrugresistant cancer cells and in a variety of normal tissues, including brain capillary endothelial cells which comprise the blood-brain barrier. We studied the e ects of the Pgp inhibitor, cyclosporin A (CsA), on the cerebrospinal¯uid (CSF) penetration of the Pgp substrate, doxorubicin, in non-human primates. Methods: The animals received doxorubicin alone (2.0 mg/kg i.v. over 60 min) or doxorubicin (1 mg/kg i.v. over 60 min) and CsA (loading dose 4.0 mg/kg i.v. over 2 h, followed by continuous infusion of 12 mg/kg per day over 48 h). Plasma and CSF were collected over 48 h and the doxorubicin concentration was measured by reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with uorescence detection (detection limit 5 nM). A twocompartment model was ®tted to the plasma concentration-time data. Results: Pgp was demonstrated to be present in the epithelium of the choroid plexus by immunohistochemical methods, indicating that CSF drug penetration could be used as a surrogate for bloodbrain barrier penetration. Steady state whole blood CsA concentrations, which were measured with a¯uores-cence-polarization immunoassay (TDX) that detects both CsA and its metabolites, ranged from 551±1315 lg/ l at 24 h. The clearance of doxorubicin in four animals was reduced by 34%, 38%, 45% and 49% when given with CsA.