Applicability of bioanalysis of multiple analytes in drug discovery and development: review of select case studies including assay development considerations

Novel methodology to perform incurred sample reanalysis on dried blood spot cards: Experimental data using darolutamide and filgotinib

Different options on performing incurred sample reanalysis (ISR) on dried blood spot (DBS) cards were investigated using drugs belonging to various therapeutic areas: (a) darolutamide (to treat prostate cancer) and (b) filgotinib (to treat rheumatoid arthritis). The proposed novel methodology included the generation of half-DBS and quarter-DBS discs after initial blood collection using the full-DBS discs. Accordingly, blood collection via DBS was performed in male BALB/c mice following intravenous and oral dosing of darolutamide; in male Sprague Dawley rats following intravenous and oral dosing of filgotinib. The ISR data generated from the full-DBS disc, half-DBS disc and quarter-DBS disc were compared for the assessment of the proposed methodology. Quantification of darolutamide and filgotinib was accomplished using liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization/tandem mass spectrometry methods. Darolutamide and filgotinib ISR samples, which were collected and prepared using full-, half- and quarter-DBS discs, met the acceptance criteria for ISR analysis. In conclusion, this is the first report showing a viable tool for the performance of ISR on DBS cards. The use of quarter- or half-DBS discs would aid in not only ISR but also in long-term storage experiments of analytes because it would avoid the need for additional blood sampling in patients.

A concise review of bioanalytical methods of small molecule immuno-oncology drugs in cancer therapy

Immuno-oncology (IO) is an emerging option to treat cancer malignancies. In the last two years, IO has accounted for more than 90% of the new active drugs in various therapeutic indications of oncology drug development. Bioanalytical methods used for the quantitation of various IO small molecule drugs have been summarized in this review. The most commonly used are HPLC and LC-MS/MS methods. Determination of IO drugs from biological matrices involves drug extraction from the biological matrix, which is mostly achieved by simple protein precipitation, liquid-liquid extraction and solid-phase extraction. Subsequently, quantitation is usually achieved by LC-MS/MS, but HPLC-UV has also been employed. The bioanalytical methods reported for each drug are briefly discussed and tabulated for easy access. Our review indicates that LC-MS/MS is a versatile and reliable tool for the sensitive, rapid and robust quantitation of IO drugs.

A review of bioanalytical methods for chronic lymphocytic leukemia drugs and metabolites in biological matrices

Quantitation of drugs used for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in various biological matrices during both pre-clinical and clinical developments is very important, often in routine therapeutic drug monitoring. The first developed methods for quantitation were traditionally done on LC in combination with either UV or fluorescence detection. However, the emergence of LC with mass spectrometry in tandem in early 1990s has revolutionized the quantitation as it has provided better sensitivity and selectivity within a shorter run time; therefore it has become the choice of method for the analysis of various drugs. In this article, an overview of various bioanalytical methods (HPLC or LC-MS/MS) for the quantification of drugs for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, along with applicability of these methods, is given.

Bioanalysis in oncology drug discovery

Bioanalysis is an important aspect of drug discovery process regardless of the chosen therapeutic area. There is a general misconception that bioanalysis is seldom important during the drug discovery process because there is no scrutiny of the data from a regulatory perspective. However, bioanalytical data gathered during the discovery stage enable several key decision(s) inclusive of termination of the program and/or creating adequate differentiation from the lead competitive molecules. The review covers various stage gate screens and experimental designs where bioanalytical data are extensively used for making an informed decision during the process of drug discovery.

Determination of a novel phosphodiesterase4 inhibitor, 3-[1-(3cyclopropylmethoxy-4-difluoromethoxybenzyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl]-benzoic acid (PDE-423) in rat plasma using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A method for determining a novel phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor, 3-[1-(3cyclopropylmethoxy-4-difluoromethoxybenzyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl]-benzoic acid (PDE-423), in rat plasma was developed and validated using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for further pharmacokinetic study for development as a novel anti-asthmatic drug. PDE-423 in the concentration range of 0.02-10 µg/mL was linear with a correlation coefficient of >0.99, and the mean intra- and inter-assay precisions of the assay were 7.50 and 3.86%, respectively. The validated method was used successfully for a pharmacokinetic study of PDE-423 in rats.

Automated non-stepwise preparation of bioanalytical calibration standards and quality controls using an ultra-low volume digitizing liquid dispenser

RATIONALE

Stepwise preparation of calibration standards and quality controls (QCs) is one of the most routine and laborious steps in bioanalysis. An alternative non-contact dispenser using low picoliter digitized dispensing technology is evaluated for its application in non-stepwise preparation of calibration curve and QCs in bioanalysis.

METHODS

Fluorescein was initially used to assess the accuracy and precision of dispense volumes with fluorescent measurement. Various concentrations of MX-1, an in-house proprietary small molecule compound, in neat solution and in dog plasma were prepared manually with calibrated pipettors and digitally by the digital dispenser. The plasma samples were extracted by protein precipitation. The resultant extracted samples and neat solutions of MX-1 were analyzed by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) using an electrospray ionization (ESI) source in positive ion mode with selected reaction monitoring (SRM) of the mass transitions.

RESULTS

In the three-day precision and accuracy assessment of dispensing volumes between 13 pL to 411.2 nL, the intra-day precision and accuracy ranged from 1.4% to 10.3% and -12.7% to 12.8%, respectively. The inter-day precision and accuracy ranged from 3.5% to 7.8% and -6.6% to 10.4%, respectively. For real analysis of in vivo study samples, all 49 samples analyzed showed a less than 5% difference between calibrations with digital and manual curve preparations. The resultant pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters were physiologically comparable as well.

CONCLUSIONS

Using the digitized picoliter dispensing technology, high-speed automated precise and accurate dispense of a wide range of volumes can be achieved and tests for bioanalytical standards and QC preparations passed the stringent criteria set forth for regulated bioanalysis using LC/MS/MS-based technology. The digital dispenser has been found to be a useful tool in drug discovery for automatically preparing standards and QCs in seconds with low consumption of stock solutions and blank matrices.

Plasma metabolic profiling of normal and dysmenorrhea syndrome rats and the effects of Xiang-Fu-Si-Wu Decoction intervention

CONTEXT

Primary dysmenorrhea (PDM), a common, clinically heterogeneous endocrine disorder affecting young women, is associated with endocrinopathy and metabolic abnormalities. The Xiang-Fu-Si-Wu Decoction (XFSWD) is a traditional Chinese medicine preparation used to treat PDM.

OBJECTIVE

In the current study, a plasma metabonomics method based on the ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quantitative time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) system was employed to examine the mechanism of XFSWD action in PDM.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Estradiol benzoate (0.01 g/kg/d) and oxytocin (5 mL/kg) were used to create the dysmenorrhea rat model. Based on the chromatographic data of plasma samples at different time-points following oral administration of XFSWD mixed in water (37.8 g crude herbs/kg) on day 7, partial least square (PLS) and discriminate analysis (DA) were applied to visualize group differentiation and marker selection.

RESULTS

Systemic changes occurring in PDM reflect alterations in not only uterus function but also whole-body metabolism. The XFSWD was effective as a therapeutic agent for PDM by reflect metabolic pathway. Prostaglandins and lysophospholipids were identified as two marker types for oxytocin-induced dysmenorrhea syndrome, including LysoPC(18:4), LysoPE(22:2/0:0), LysoPC(17:0), PGJ₂, 11-deoxy-11-methylene-PGD₂, 15-deoxy-δ-12,14-PGJ₂, LysoPC(20:3), etc. Specifically, the concentrations of prostaglandins compounds (PGJ₂, 11-deoxy-11-methylene-PGD₂, 15-deoxy-δ-12,14-PGJ₂) were increased while those of lysophospholipid compounds [lysoPC(18:4), LysoPE(22:2/0:0), LysoPC(17:0)] were decreased to a significant extent (p < 0.05) in dysmenorrheal rats. Upon treatment with the XFSWD at 12 h, the concentrations of lysophospholipids showed no significant differences (P > 0.05) between the model and normal groups. The lysophospholipid levels were restored. Lysophospholipids were the key factors in phospholipid metabolism. Thus, disruption of phospholipids metabolism appears critical for the development of dysmenorrhea. The XFSWD exerted its effects by interfering with the sphingolipid metabolic pathway.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The metabonomics method presents a promising tool to treat PDM in animal models, and may be applicable for clinical treatment of the human disease in the future.

Determination of a novel diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 inhibitor, 2-[4-(4-{5-[2-phenyl-5-(trifluoromethyl) oxazole-4-carboxamido]-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl} phenyl) cyclohexyl] acetic acid (KR-69232) in rat plasma using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the quantification of KR-69232, a diacyltransferase 1 inhibitor, in rat plasma. KR-69232 in the concentration range of 0.004-4 µg/mL was linear. The intra-and inter-day precision and accuracy were acceptable (<20%). KR-69232 was stable under various storage and handling conditions. The method was applied successfully in a pharmacokinetic study of KR-69232 in rats.

Bioanalysis in drug discovery and development

Recent years have witnessed the introduction of several high-quality review articles into the literature covering various scientific and technical aspects of bioanalysis. Now it is widely accepted that bioanalysis is an integral part of the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic characterization of a novel chemical entity from the time of its discovery and during various stages of drug development, leading to its market authorization. In this compilation, the important bioanalytical parameters and its application to drug discovery and development approaches are discussed, which will help in the development of safe and more efficacious drugs with reduced development time and cost. It is intended to give some general thoughts in this area which will form basis of a general framework as to how one would approach bioanalysis from inception (i.e., discovery of a lead molecule) and progressing through various stages of drug development.

Bioanalytical aspects of clinical mass balance studies in oncology

Clinical mass balance studies aim to investigate the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) of a(n) (often radiolabeled) drug, following a single administration to humans. They are perfectly suited to determine the disposition and major metabolic pathways of a drug, the exposure to the parent drug and its metabolites, and the rate and route of elimination. A mass balance study, however, poses interesting challenges to the analysis of parent drug and metabolites in different biological matrices. Using recent clinical mass balance studies in oncology as an example, this review focuses on the aspects of mass balance studies, from bioanalytical assay development, analysis of clinical samples to reporting of study results. Along the way, it discusses bioanalytical problems and practical solutions.

Determination of a novel TAZ modulator, 2-butyl-5-methyl-6-(pyridine-3-yl)-3-[2'-(1H-tetrazole-5-yl)-biphenyl-4-ylmethyl]-3H imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine] (TM-25659) in rat plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

TM-25659 compound, a novel TAZ modulator, is developed for the control of bone loss and obesity. TAZ is known to bind to a variety of transcription factors to control cell differentiation and organ development. A selective and sensitive method was developed for the determination of TM-25659 concentrations in rat plasma. The drug was measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry after liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate. TM-25659 and the internal standard imipramine were separated on a Hypersil GOLD C18 column with a mixture of acetonitrile-ammonium formate (10 mM) (90:10, v/v) as the mobile phase. The ions m/z 501.2→207.2 for TM-25659 and m/z 281.0→86.0 for imipramine in multiple reaction monitoring mode were used for the quantitation. The calibration range was 0.1-100 μg/ml with a correlation coefficient greater than 0.99. The lower limit of quantitation of TM-25659 in rat plasma was 0.1 μg/ml. The percent recoveries of TM-25659 and imipramine were 98.6% and 95.7% from rat plasma, respectively. The intra- and inter-batch precisions were 3.17-15.95% and the relative error was 0.38-10.82%. The developed assay was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of TM-25659 administered intravenously (10 mg/kg) to rats.

Review of HPLC methods and HPLC methods with mass spectrometric detection for direct determination of aspirin with its metabolite(s) in various biological matrices

Aspirin, the most widely used drug in the world, has been known to mankind for over a century. It is not only the pharmacologically active entity, but is also biotransformed into a major metabolite, i.e. salicylic acid, which also exhibits similar pharmacologic/pharmacodynamic properties. Hence it is necessary to quantitate aspirin along with its metabolite(s) in various biological matrices accurately and precisely to correlate with pharmacological/pharmacodynamic activity. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of various bioanalytical methods (HPLC and LC-MS/MS) that have been reported for direct quantitation of aspirin along with its metabolite(s). The review also provides general information on sample collection, sample processing, internal standard selection, conditions for chromatographic separation, succinct validation data and applicable conclusions for reported assays in a structured manner.

Determination of a dipeptidyl peptidase IV agonist, β-aminoacyl containing thiazolidine derivatives (KR-66223) in rat plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A sensitive liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for a novel dipeptidyl peptidase IV agonist (DDP-IV) agonist, KR-66223, in rat plasma. It involves liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) followed by HPLC separation and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. KR-66223 and imipramine (IS) was separated on Gemini-NX C18 column with mixture of acetonitrile-ammonium formate (10mM) (90:10, v/v) as mobile phase. The ion transitions monitored were m/z 553.2→206.2 for KR-66223, m/z 281.3→86.1 for imipramine in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The linear ranges of the assay were 0.003-10μg/ml with a correlation coefficient (R(2)) greater than 0.99 and the lower limit of quantification was 3ng/ml. The average recovery was 78.9% and 87.1% from rat plasma for KR-66223 and imipramine, respectively. The coefficients of variation of intra- and inter-assay were 3.9-14.4% and the relative error was 0.8-11.5%. The method was validated and successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of KR-66223 in rat.

Niacin and its metabolites: role of LC-MS/MS bioanalytical methods and update on clinical pharmacology. An overview

Niacin (nicotinic acid), although an old drug, has seen a sudden surge in popularity for treatment of lipid disorders and other associated clinical conditions for the prevention of cardiovascular risk. Also, there has been considerable interest in clarifying the role of metabolic pathways of niacin in explaining the tolerability/adverse affect profile of the agent. Hence, it has become very important to quantify/monitor the levels of niacin and its metabolites in various clinical studies. This review describes the recent trends in the bioanalysis of niacin and its metabolites, where HPLC and LC-MS/MS assays have been successfully employed to measure the drug levels in various biological matrices arising from preclinical and clinical studies. In addition, this review encompass various considerations such as internal standard selection, extraction schemes, matrix effect, selectivity evaluation and optimization of mass spectral conditions to enable the development of sound bioanalytical methods for niacin alone or niacin along with its metabolites. Recent updates pertaining to the clinical pharmacology of niacin and ongoing debate for the clarification of adverse effects are also provided. Overall LC-MS/MS methods have proven to be choice of bioanalytical method for the quantification of niacin alone or with its metabolites in both preclinical and clinical studies.

Development and validation of an HPLC method for quantitation of BA-TPQ, a novel iminoquinone anticancer agent, and an initial pharmacokinetic study in mice

We herein describe the development and validation of an HPLC method for the quantitation of 7-(benzylamino)-1,3,4,8-tetrahydropyrrolo [4,3,2-de]quinolin-8(1H)-one (BA-TPQ), a newly synthesized iminoquinone anticancer agent. BA-TPQ was extracted from plasma and tissue samples by first precipitating proteins with acetonitrile followed by a liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate. Chromatographic separation was carried out using a gradient flow rate on a Zorbax SB C(18) column, and the effluent was monitored by UV detection at 346 nm. The method was found to be precise, accurate, and specific, with a linear range of 3.91-1955.0  ng/mL in plasma, 19.55-1955.0  ng/mL in spleen, brain, and liver homogenates and 19.55-3910.0  ng/mL in heart, lung and kidney homogenates. The method was stable under all relevant conditions. Using this method, we also carried out an initial study determining plasma pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of BA-TPQ in mice following intravenous administration. In summary, this simple and sensitive HPLC method can be used in future preclinical and clinical studies of BA-TPQ.

Critical topics in ensuring data quality in bioanalytical LC–MS method development

The use of LC–MS for bioanalysis of pharmaceuticals is entering its third decade and may be considered to be a mature technology. In many respects this is true, considering the advances made in such areas as instrument performance, electronics, software and automation of use. However, there remain instrumental and noninstrumental areas that require significant attention to ensure data quality. Increasing regulatory focus on analytical method performance and unaddressed method issues require the bioanalyst to understand those areas that most greatly impact data quality. This review will focus on instrumental and noninstrumental areas that can influence data quality, including reference standard and internal standard quality and physicochemical properties, matrix effects, stability in matrix, sample preparation, LC and MS.

Fast and sensitive liquid chromatography/electrospray mass spectrometry method to study ocular penetration of EDL-155, a novel antitumor agent for retinoblastoma in rats

Our group has used the tetrahydroisoquinoline derivative EDL-155 to treat glioblastoma in animal models and it is currently being evaluated in the treatment of ocular cancers. The purpose of this study was to develop a rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method to study the plasma and vitreous humor disposition of EDL-155 in rats. Animals received a single periocular injection of EDL-155 (20 mg/kg). Animals were sacrificed at specified times (5, 60, 120, 240 and 360 min) and plasma and vitreous humor samples were obtained. EDL-155 was isolated by protein precipitation and the extracts were analyzed by reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with MS/MS detection. A structurally similar analog was used as internal standard (IS). The chromatographic run time was 3.5 min per injection. The mass spectrometer was operated in positive-ion, multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The mass transitions monitored were m/z332.2 --> 167.2 (EDL-155) and m/z391.2 --> 200.2 (IS). The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 0.1 ng/ml in both vitreous humor and plasma. The method was validated for selectivity, linearity, accuracy and precision in rat vitreous humor and partially validated for accuracy and precision in rat plasma. The ion suppression, recovery and stability of the analyte in the biological matrix were also tested. The assay was rapid, sensitive and robust enough to support EDL-155 ocular penetration studies in a rodent model of intraocular cancer. Application of this method revealed that EDL-155 was rapidly passed into the vitreous humor following periocular administration. Further, vitreous humor exposure exceeded systemic exposure by approximately sevenfold. High local concentrations coupled with minimal systemic exposure supports further testing of EDL-155 as localized therapy for intraocular cancers.

Digoxin – a therapeutic agent and mechanistic probe: review of liquid chromatographic mass spectrometric methods and recent nuances in the clinical pharmacology attributes of digoxin

Digoxin is an important therapeutic agent for the treatment of congestive cardiac failure. In spite of its narrow therapeutic index, digoxin has been used extensively by the medical community and, lately, the use of digoxin as a mechanistic probe for p-glycoprotein transporter activity has increased. This review describes recent trends in the bioanalysis of digoxin, where scores of liquid chromatographic–mass spectrometric assays have been successfully employed to measure digoxin in preclinical, clinical and mechanistic studies. It provides various considerations such as internal standard selection, extraction schemes, matrix effect, selectivity evaluation and optimization of mass spectral conditions, for example, to enable the development of sound bioanalytical methods for digoxin. Some recent updates with regard to clinical pharmacology, absorption and disposition aspects of digoxin have been included. Overall, liquid chromatographic–mass spectrometric assays represent an important tool for many future preclinical, clinical and mechanistic probe studies that would probe digoxin with or without other coadministered substrates.

Determination of the lipophilic antipsychotic drug ziprasidone in rat plasma and brain tissue using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A simple, sensitive and robust liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LCESI-MS/MS) method with low matrix effects was developed and validated for the quantification of the lipophilic antipsychotic ziprasidone from rat plasma and brain tissue. Ziprasidone was extracted from rat plasma and brain homogenate using a single-step liquid-liquid extraction. Ziprasidone was separated on an Agilent Eclipse XDB C8 column (150 x 2.1 mm i.d., 5 microm) column using a mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.02% ammonia in water (pH 7.20 adjusted with formic acid) using gradient elution. Ziprasidone was detected in the positive ion mode using multiple reaction monitoring. The method was validated and the specificity, linearity, lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ), precision, accuracy, recovery, matrix effects and stability were determined. The LLOQ was 0.2 ng/mL for plasma and 0.833 ng/g for brain tissue. The method was linear over the concentration range from 0.2 to 200.0 ng/mL for plasma and 0.833-833.3 ng/g for brain tissue. The correlation coefficient (R2) values were more than 0.996 for both plasma and brain homogenate. The precision and accuracy intra-day and inter-day were better than 8.13%. The relative and absolute recovery was above 81.0% and matrix effects were lower than 5.2%. This validated method has been successfully used to quantify the rat plasma and brain tissue concentration of ziprasidone after chronic treatment.

Response normalized liquid chromatography nanospray ionization mass spectrometry

The widely different LC-MS response observed for many structurally different compounds limits the use of LC-MS in full scan detection mode for quantitative determination of drugs and metabolites without using reference standard. The recently introduced nanospray ionization (NSI) technique shows comparable MS response for some compounds under non-LC-MS conditions. However, in the presence of numerous endogenous compounds commonly associated with biological samples such as urine, plasma, and bile, LC-MS is required to separate, detect, identify, and measure individual analytes. An LC-NSI-MS system was devised and the MS response obtained in this system for a variety of pharmaceutical drugs and their metabolites. The set-up involves two high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) systems, a chip-based NSI source and a quadrupole-time-of-flight (Q-TOF) mass spectrometer. Herein this is referred to as the response normalized-liquid chromatography NSI-MS (RNLC-NSI-MS) system. One HPLC unit performs the analytical separation, while the other unit adds solvent post-column with an exact reverse of the mobile phase composition such that the final composition entering the NSI source is isocratic throughout the entire HPLC run. The data obtained from four different structural classes of compounds [vicriviroc (VCV), desloratadine (DL), tolbutamide, and cocaine] and their metabolites indicate that by maintaining the solvent composition unchanged across the HPLC run, the influence of the solvent environment on the ionization efficiency is minimized. In comparison to responses obtained from radiochromatograms, responses from conventional LC-ESI-MS overestimated the VCV and DL responses, respectively, by 6- and 20-fold. Although VCV and DL responses obtained using LC-NSI-MS are within 2- to 6-fold from the respective radiochromatographic responses, the response normalization modification results in nearly uniform LC-NSI-MS response for all compounds evaluated.

Sensitive liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of the lipophilic antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine in rat plasma and brain tissue

A simple, sensitive and robust liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for quantification of chlorpromazine in rat plasma and brain tissue. Chlorpromazine was extracted from rat plasma and brain homogenate using liquid-liquid extraction. The compounds were separated on a Waters Atlantis dC-18 (30 mm x 2.1 mm i.d., 3 microm) column using a mobile phase of acetonitrile/20 mM ammonium formate (pH 4.25 adjusted with formic acid) with gradient elution. Chlorpromazine was detected in positive ion mode using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). The method was validated and the specificity, linearity, lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ), precision, accuracy, recoveries and stability were determined. The LLOQ was 0.2 ng/ml for plasma and 0.833 ng/g for brain tissue. The method was linear over the concentration range from 0.2 to 200.0 ng/ml for plasma and from 0.833 to 833.3 ng/g for brain tissue. The correlation coefficient (R(2)) values were more than 0.998 for both plasma and brain homogenate. The precision and accuracy for intra-day and inter-day were better than 7.54%. The relative and absolute recovery was above 84.9% and matrix effects were lower than 5.6%. This validated method has been successfully used to quantify the rat plasma and brain tissue concentration of chlorpromazine after chronic treatment.

Concurrent determination of ezetimibe and its phase-I and II metabolites by HPLC with UV detection: Quantitative application to various in vitro metabolic stability studies and for qualitative estimation in bile

Simultaneous separation and quantification of ezetimibe (EZM) and its phase-I metabolite i.e., ezetimibe ketone (EZM-K) and phase-II metabolite i.e., ezetimibe glucuronide (EZM-G) in various matrices was accomplished by gradient HPLC with UV detection. The assay procedure involved deproteinization of 500 microL of either incubation or bile sample containing analytes and internal standard (IS, theophylline) with 75 microL acetonitrile containing 25% perchloric acid. An aliquot of 100 microL supernatant was injected onto a C18 column. The chromatographic separation was achieved by gradient elution consisting of 0.05 M formic acid:acetonitrile:methanol:water at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The detection of analyte peaks were achieved by monitoring the eluate using an UV detector set at 250 nm. Nominal retention times of IS, EZM-G, ezetimibe ketone glucuronide (EZM-KG), EZM and EZM-K were 9.39, 24.23, 27.82, 29.04 and 30.56 min, respectively. Average extraction efficiencies of EZM, EZM-G and IS was >75-80% and for EZM-K was >50% from all the matrices tested. Limit of quantitation (LOQ) for EZM, EZM-K and EZM-G was 0.02 microg/mL. Due to the lack of availability of reference standard of EZM-KG, the recovery and LOQ aspects for this metabolite were not assessed. Overall, the method is suitable for simultaneous measurement of EZM, and its phase-I and phase-II metabolite (EZM-G) in in vitro and in vivo studies.

Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous determination of olanzapine, risperidone, 9-hydroxyrisperidone, clozapine, haloperidol and ziprasidone in rat plasma

A simple, sensitive and rapid liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for simultaneous quantification of olanzapine, clozapine, ziprasidone, haloperidol, risperidone, and its active metabolite 9-hydroxyrisperidone, in rat plasma using midazolam as internal standard (IS). The analytes were extracted from rat plasma using a single step liquid-liquid extraction technique. The compounds were separated on a Waters Atlantis dC-18 (30 mm x 2.1 mm i.d., 3 microm) column using a mobile phase of acetonitrile/5 mM ammonium formate (pH 6.1 adjusted with formic acid) with gradient elution. All of the analytes were detected in positive ion mode using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). The method was validated and the specificity, linearity, lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ), precision, accuracy, recoveries and stability were determined. LLOQ was 0.1 ng/mL and correlation coefficient (R(2)) values for the linear range of 0.1-100 ng/mL were 0.997 or greater for all the analytes. The intra-day and inter-day precision and accuracy were better than 8.05%. The relative and absolute recovery was above 77% and matrix effects were low for all the analytes except for ziprasidone. This validated method has been successfully used to quantify the plasma concentration of the analytes after chronic treatment with antipsychotic drugs.