Diastereoisomeric resolution of a pronucleotide using solid phase extraction and high performance liquid chromatography: Application to a stereoselective decomposition kinetic in cell extracts

A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the quantitative determination of diastereomers of a phosphoramidate nucleotide prodrug (PSI-7851) in human plasma

A rapid and stereospecific method using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) for the separation and determination of PSI-7851 diastereomers in human K₂EDTA plasma has been developed. The analytical method involves direct protein precipitation with acetonitrile, followed by separation of the diastereomers on a Luna C₁₈ column, positive mode electrospray ionization and selected reaction monitoring mode mass spectrometry detection. The mobile phase composition and pH were investigated for the resolution of the two diastereomers of PSI-7851. The optimized method showed good resolution (R(s)  = 4.8) within short analysis time (approximately 8 min). The assay range was 5-2500 ng/mL for both diastereomers using a 1/x² weighted linear regression analysis for standard curve fitting. Replicate sample analysis indicated that intra- and inter-day accuracy and precision were within ±15.0%. The recovery of diastereomers from human plasma was greater than 85% and no significant matrix effect was observed. The method was demonstrated to be sensitive, selective and robust, and was successfully used to support clinical studies.