Development, validation and application of a UPLC-MS/MS method for simultaneous quantification of OPC-61815 and its metabolites tolvaptan, DM-4103 and DM-4107 in human plasma.

OPC-61815 is an intravenous formulation vasopressin antagonist designed to treat heart failure patients, especially who have difficulty in oral intake. Tolvaptan together with DM-4103 and DM-4107 are considered as the major metabolites of OPC-61815 biotransformed in the liver via cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A. An efficient and robust ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for quantification of OPC-61815 and its three metabolites in human plasma was developed and fully validated. To our best knowledge, it was the first published method that simultaneously quantified all of these four analytes in only one run. Simple and rapid sample preparation procedure and very short UPLC-MS/MS run time (3.5 min) offered OPC-61815 and its metabolites relatively high throughput detection, which was greatly beneficial to further clinical bio-sample analysis. The method showed good linearity and sufficient sensitivity in the range of 2.00-1000 ng/mL with a low limit of quantitation (2.00 ng/mL) for each analyte. For samples with concentrations above 1000 ng/mL, 100-fold dilution with blank plasma before sample preparation was accepted. High precision and accuracy, high selectivity and satisfactory recovery of this method were demonstrated. For all of the four analytes, no significant matrix effect or carry-over was observed. The stability of analytes and internal standards under different conditions were evaluated to ensure they were stable during the whole period of storage, preparation and detection. Also, re-injection reproducibility was investigated. In addition, the conversion test showed that almost no OPC-61815 converted into DM-4103 and DM-4107 during sample processing, while attention should be paid to the concentration difference between OPC-61815 and tolvaptan in bioanalysis. The developed UPLC-MS/MS method was successfully applied to an open, single and multiple dose administration phase I trial for monitoring the pharmacokinetics of OPC-61815. This work provided a promising way for further pharmacokinetic study of OPC-61815.

Evaluation of a miniature mass spectrometer based point-of-care-test method for direct analysis of amlodipine and benazepril in whole blood.

A miniature mass spectrometer (mMS) based point-of-care testing (POCT) method was evaluated for on-site detecting the hypertension drugs, amlodipine and benazepril. The instrument parameters, including voltage, ISO1, ISO2, and CID, were optimized, under which the target compounds could be well detected in MS2. When these two drugs were injected simultaneously, the mutual ionization inhibition and mutual reduction between amlodipine and benazepril were evaluated. This phenomenon was severe on the precursor ions but had a small impact on the product ions, thus making this POCT method suitable for analysis using product ions. Finally, the method was validated and applied. The blood samples from patients were tested one hour after oral administration of the drugs (20 mg), and the benazepril was quantitatively analyzed using a standard curve, with detected concentrations ranging from 190.6 to 210 µg L-1 and a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 8.6 %. In summary, amlodipine has low sensitivity and can only be detected at higher concentrations, while benazepril has high sensitivity, good linearity, and even meets semi-quantitative requirements. The research results of this study are of great clinical significance for monitoring blood drug concentrations during hypertension medication, predicting drug efficacy, and customizing individualized medication plans.

A phase I study of an oral selective gamma secretase (GS) inhibitor RO4929097 in combination with neoadjuvant paclitaxel and carboplatin in triple negative breast cancer.

Upregulation of Notch pathway is associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer. We present the results of a phase I study of an oral selective gamma secretase (GS) inhibitor (critical to Notch signaling), RO4929097 in combination with neoadjuvant chemotherapy for operable triple negative breast cancer. The primary objective was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of RO4929097. Secondary objectives were to determine real-time pharmacokinetics of RO4929097 and paclitaxel, safety and pathologic (pCR) complete response to study treatment. Eligible patients, initiated carboplatin at AUC 6 administered intravenously (IV) on day 1, weekly paclitaxel at 80 mg/m2 IV and RO4929097 10 mg daily given orally (PO) on days 1-3, 8-10 and 15-17 for six 21-day cycles. RO4929097 was escalated in 10 mg increments using the 3 + 3 dose escalation design. Two DLTs were observed in 14 patients - Grade (G) 4 thrombocytopenia in dose level 1 (10 mg) and G3 hypertension in dose level 2 (20 mg). Protocol-defined MTD was not determined due to discontinuation of RO4929097 development. However, 4 of 5 patients enrolled to 20 mg dose of RO4929097 required dose reduction to 10 mg due to toxicities (including neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and hypertension) occurring during and beyond the DLT observation period. Thus, 10 mg would have been the likely dose level for further development. G3 or higher hematologic toxicities included neutropenia (N = 8, 57%) and thrombocytopenia (N = 5, 36%) patients. Six (43%) patients had G2-3 neuropathy requiring paclitaxel dose reduction. No signs of drug-drug interaction between paclitaxel and RO4929097 were evident. Five patients (36%) had pCR.

Determination of motolimod concentration in rat plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and its application in a pharmacokinetic study.

Motolimod (VTX-2337) is an agonist of toll-like receptor 8. In this study, a novel and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for quantifying motolimod in rat plasma and subsequently used in a pharmacokinetic study. Proteins were precipitated from plasma samples using acetonitrile prior to the analysis. GS-9620 was used as an internal standard. High-performance liquid chromatography was performed using a Spursil C18-EP column (3 µm, 50 × 2.1 mm). Aqueous ammonium formate and acetonitrile were used as the mobile phase. Motolimod was detected using an electrospray ionization interface under multiple reaction monitoring conditions in the positive ion mode. The developed method produced a linear correlation over a concentration range of 1-1000 ng/mL (r = 0.9944). Intra- and inter-day precision values ranged from 4.8%-10.7% (the lower limit of quantification precision value was 16.3 %), whereas intra- and inter-day accuracy values ranged from 0.3%-9.1 %. The mean recovery of motolimod from rat plasma was 109.4 %. Additionally, motolimod was found to be stable under various conditions (three freeze-thaw cycles, 6-h storage at room temperature, short- and long-term stability tests, and processing). The developed method was successfully used in a pharmacokinetic study in rats. Motolimod showed non-linear pharmacokinetics following its intravenous administration to rats at 0.6-6 mg/kg. Additionally, very low exposure (<1 %) was obtained following oral administration of the drug to rats. The results also showed that motolimod has a low metabolic stability in the liver microsomes and exhibits extensive binding to the plasma proteins.

Safety and clinical activity of the Notch inhibitor, crenigacestat (LY3039478), in an open-label phase I trial expansion cohort of advanced or metastatic adenoid cystic carcinoma.

Background Deregulated Notch signaling is implicated in multiple cancers. The phase I trial (I6F-MC-JJCA) investigated the safety and anti-tumor activity of crenigacestat (LY3039478), a selective oral Notch inhibitor, in an expansion cohort of patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) who received the dose-escalation-recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D), established previously (Massard C, et al., Annals Oncol 2018, 29:1911-17). Methods Patients with advanced or metastatic cancer, measurable disease, ECOG-PS ≤1, and baseline tumor tissue were enrolled. Primary objectives were to identify a safe RP2D, confirm this dose in expansion cohorts, and document anti-tumor activity. Secondary objectives included safety and progression-free survival (PFS). The ACC expansion cohort received the RP2D regimen of 50 mg crenigacestat thrice per week in a 28-day cycle until disease progression or other discontinuation criteria were met. Results Twenty-two patients with ACC were enrolled in the expansion cohort (median age of 60 years). Median treatment duration was 3 cycles with 6 patients remaining on treatment. There were no objective responses; 1 (5%) patient had an unconfirmed partial response. Disease control rate was 73% and 4 patients had stable disease ≥6 months. Median PFS was 5.3 months (95%CI: 2.4-NE)) for the 22 patients; and 7.7 months (95%CI: 4.0-NR) and 2.4 months (95%CI: 1.1-NE) in the subgroup of patients in second-line (n = 7) or ≥ third-line (n = 9), respectively. Frequent treatment-related-adverse events (all grades) included diarrhea, fatigue, vomiting, decreased appetite, dry mouth, and dry skin. There were no new safety signals. Conclusion The crenigacestat RP2D regimen induced manageable toxicity and limited clinical activity, without confirmed responses, in heavily pretreated patients with ACC.

Simultaneous Detection and Quantification of Three Novel Prescription Drugs of Abuse (Suvorexant, Lorcaserin and Brivaracetam) in Human Plasma by UPLC-MS-MS.

Suvorexant (SVR), lorcaserin (LCR) and brivaracetam (BVR) have been recently approved for the treatment of insomnia, obesity and epilepsy, respectively. Despite their clinical uses, these drugs have some abuse potential and have been enlisted under the schedule IV (SVR, LVR) and schedule V (BVR) categories of the Controlled Substances Act. A sensitive UPLC-MS-MS assay was developed for simultaneously determining SVR, LCR and BVR in human plasma. The liquid-liquid extraction method, using tert-butyl methyl ether as an extracting solvent, was used for sample preparation. Chromatographic separation was performed by using the Acquity BEH C18 column, using 10 mM ammonium acetate/acetonitrile/formic acid (15/85/0.1%; v/v/v) as the mobile phase. For sample ionization, electrospray ionization was used in the positive-ion mode. The multiple-reaction monitoring mode was used for detecting and quantifying analytes by using separate precursor-to-product ion transitions. The assay was validated following the SWGTOX guidelines, and all validation results were within the acceptable limits. The calibration curves of the analytes in the plasma were found to be linear, and the coefficient of determination (R2) was ≥ 0.992 for all the three analytes. The limit of detection values for SVR, LCR and BVR were 0.08, 0.11 and 0.26 ng/mL, respectively, whereas the limit of quantification values were 0.16, 0.27 and 0.65 ng/mL, respectively. The assay developed in this study is suitable for the identification and quantification of SVR, LCR and BVR in the forensic laboratory.

Simultaneous ultraperformance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry determination of four antihypertensive drugs in human plasma using hydrophilic-lipophilic balanced reversed-phase sorbents sample preparation protocol.

Therapeutic drug monitoring of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors has a great impact on blood pressure control in patients with heart failure and hepatic and renal impairment. To provide an efficient tool for drug assessment in plasma, a UPLC-MS/MS method was developed for simultaneous determination of benazepril hydrochloride, fosinopril sodium, captopril and hydrochlorothiazide in human plasma samples. Solid phase extraction was applied for sample preparation using OASIS® hydrophilic-lipophilic balanced reversed-phase sorbents cartridges. Chromatographic separation was performed using an Agilent SB-C18 column and methanol-0.1% formic acid in water (95:5, v/v) as mobile phase, at flow rate 0.3 mL/min. Detection was accomplished using a tandem mass spectrometer. The method was validated according to US Food and Drug Administration guidelines. It showed good linearity over concentration ranges 5-400 ng/mL for benazepril hydrochloride, fosinopril sodium and hydrochlorothiazide and 100-3500 ng/mL for captopril. CV% values were <13.92% whereas the mean accuracy ranged from 94.50 to 113.82% for quality control samples and their extraction recoveries ranged from 90.60 to 99.38%. In conclusion, the present study revealed method selectivity and sensitivity; it can be applied for estimation of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and hydrochlorothiazide in human plasma for dose adjustment and therapeutic drug monitoring.

UPLC/MS-MS assay development for estimation of mozavaptan in plasma and its pharmacokinetic study in rats.

AIM: Mozavaptan is a nonpeptide vasopressin receptor antagonist approved for the treatment of ectopic antidiuretic hormone secretion syndrome. METHODS & RESULTS: A simple, rapid and fully validated UPLC/MS-MS method was developed for the quantitation of mozavaptan in rat plasma. The chromatographic separation was conducted on an Acquity UPLC BEH™ C18 column with an optimum mobile phase of 10 mM ammonium acetate buffer and 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile (30:70 v/v) at a flow rate of 0.3 ml/min. The multiple reaction monitoring transitions were performed at m/z 428.16→119.03 for mozavaptan and m/z 237.06→179.10 for carbamazepine (internal standard). CONCLUSION: The method was effectively applied for the determination of mozavaptan pharmacokinetic parameters after the oral administration of 3 mg/kg mozavaptan in rats.

Effects of a Fixed-Dose Co-Formulation of Daclatasvir, Asunaprevir, and Beclabuvir on the Pharmacokinetics of a Cocktail of Cytochrome P450 and Drug Transporter Substrates in Healthy Subjects.

BACKGROUND: A fixed-dose combination of daclatasvir (DCV; hepatitis C virus NS5A inhibitor), asunaprevir (ASV; non-structural protein 3 inhibitor), and beclabuvir (BCV; non-structural protein 5B inhibitor) is approved in Japan for hepatitis C virus genotype 1. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the combination's drug-drug interaction potential in vivo using a validated cocktail of eight cytochrome P450 (CYP) and transporter probes. METHODS: We conducted an open-label single-sequence study in healthy adults (n = 20) given single-dose caffeine (CYP1A2 substrate), metoprolol (CYP2D6), flurbiprofen (CYP2C9), montelukast (CYP2C8), omeprazole (CYP2C19), midazolam (CYP3A4), digoxin (P-glycoprotein), and pravastatin (organic anion-transporting polypeptide), alone or with steady-state twice-daily DCV/ASV/BCV 30/200/75 mg (with or without additional BCV 75 mg to adjust for higher exposure in hepatitis C virus infection). RESULTS: Daclatasvir/asunaprevir/beclabuvir did not affect CYP1A2, CYP2C8, or CYP2C9; the probe maximum observed concentration and area under the concentration-time curve extrapolated to infinite time geometric mean ratios and 90% confidence intervals were all within the 0.8-1.25 bioequivalence range. Beclabuvir showed moderate dose-dependent CYP2C19 induction; omeprazole maximum observed concentration and area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to the last quantifiable concentration were lower with additional BCV [geometric mean ratio 0.36 (90% confidence interval 0.23-0.55) and 0.34 (0.25-0.46), respectively] than without [0.57 (0.42-0.78), 0.48 (0.39-0.59)]. Weak-to-moderate CYP3A4 induction was observed, plus weak CYP2D6, P-glycoprotein, and organic anion-transporting polypeptide inhibition [maximum observed concentration and area under the concentration-time curve extrapolated to infinite time without additional BCV: midazolam 0.57 (0.50-0.65), 0.53 (0.47-0.60); metoprolol 1.40 (1.20-1.64), 1.71 (1.49-1.97); digoxin 1.23 (1.12-1.35), 1.23 (1.17-1.29); pravastatin 2.01 (1.63-2.47), 1.68 (1.43-1.97)]. CONCLUSIONS: No dose adjustments with DCV/ASV/BCV are indicated for CYP1A2, CYP2C8, CYP2C9, or P-glycoprotein substrates. CYP3A4, CYP2D6, and OATP substrates should be co-administered with caution. Co-administration with agents solely metabolized by CYP2C19 is not recommended.

Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling of benazepril and benazeprilat after administration of intravenous and oral doses of benazepril in healthy horses.

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) properties of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) benazeprilat have not been evaluated in horses. This study was designed to establish PK profiles for benazepril and benazeprilat after intravenous (IV) and oral (PO) administration of benazepril using a PK/PD model. This study also aims to determine the effects of benazeprilat on serum angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), selecting the most appropriate dose that suppresses ACE activity. Six healthy horses in a crossover design received IV benazepril at 0.50mg/kg and PO at doses 0 (placebo), 0.25, 0.50 and 1.00mg/kg. Blood pressures (BP) were measured and blood samples were obtained at different times in order to measure serum drug concentrations and serum ACE activity, using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and spectrophotometry, respectively. Systemic bioavailability of benazeprilat after PO benazepril was 3-4%. Maximum ACE inhibitions from baseline were 99.63% (IV benazepril), 6.77% (placebo) and 78.91%, 85.74% and 89.51% (for the three PO benazepril doses). Significant differences in BP were not found. Although oral availability was low, benazeprilat 1.00mg/kg, reached sufficient serum concentrations to induce long lasting serum ACE inhibitions (between 88 and 50%) for the first 48h. Additional research on benazepril administration in equine patients is indicated.

Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Tolvaptan in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease: Phase 2 Trials for Dose Selection in the Pivotal Phase 3 Trial.

In the pivotal TEMPO 3:4 trial, the arginine vasopressin V2-receptor antagonist tolvaptan reduced the rate of kidney growth in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Tolvaptan was initiated as daily morning/afternoon doses of 45/15 mg, and uptitrated weekly to 60/30 mg and 90/30 mg according to patient-reported tolerability. The current report describes 3 phase 2 trials in adult autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease subjects that were the basis for the titrated split-dose regimen: a single ascending-dose trial (tolvaptan 15 to 120 mg; n = 11), a multiple split-dose trial (tolvaptan 15/15 mg, 30/0 mg, 30/15 mg, and 30/30 mg; n = 37), and an 8-week open-label safety and efficacy trial in 46 of the 48 subjects who participated in the prior 2 trials (tolvaptan 30/15 mg, 45/15 mg, 60/30 mg, and 90/30 mg). Urine osmolality (Uosm ) was chosen as the biomarker of V2 receptor inhibition. Two tolvaptan doses per day were necessary to suppress Uosm to <300 mOsm/kg for 24 hours. The 45/15-mg regimen was well tolerated and effective in suppressing Uosm in >50% of subjects. Therefore, this regimen was selected as the starting regimen for the TEMPO 3:4 trial. The 90/30-mg regimen suppressed Uosm in 85% of subjects tested; however, only 28/46 subjects agreed to uptitrate to 90/30 mg due to tolerability. Higher concentrations of tolvaptan were less well tolerated, resulting in adverse events of pollakiuria, thirst, polyuria, nocturia, and a higher number of times out of bed to urinate. Subjects who agreed to uptitrate to 90/30 mg had lower eGFR than those who did not uptitrate.

Editor's Highlight: Candidate Risk Factors and Mechanisms for Tolvaptan-Induced Liver Injury Are Identified Using a Collaborative Cross Approach.

Clinical trials of tolvaptan showed it to be a promising candidate for the treatment of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) but also revealed potential for idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in this patient population. To identify risk factors and mechanisms underlying tolvaptan DILI, 8 mice in each of 45 strains of the genetically diverse Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse population were treated with a single oral dose of either tolvaptan or vehicle. Significant elevations in plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were observed in tolvaptan-treated animals in 3 of the 45 strains. Genetic mapping coupled with transcriptomic analysis in the liver was used to identify several candidate susceptibility genes including epoxide hydrolase 2, interferon regulatory factor 3, and mitochondrial fission factor. Gene pathway analysis revealed that oxidative stress and immune response pathways were activated in response to tolvaptan treatment across all strains, but genes involved in regulation of bile acid homeostasis were most associated with tolvaptan-induced elevations in ALT. Secretory leukocyte peptidase inhibitor (Slpi) mRNA was also induced in the susceptible strains and was associated with increased plasma levels of Slpi protein, suggesting a potential serum marker for DILI susceptibility. In summary, tolvaptan induced signs of oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and innate immune response in all strains, but variation in bile acid homeostasis was most associated with susceptibility to the liver response. This CC study has indicated potential mechanisms underlying tolvaptan DILI and biomarkers of susceptibility that may be useful in managing the risk of DILI in ADPKD patients.

Determination of receptor occupancy in the presence of mass dose: [11C]GSK189254 PET imaging of histamine H3 receptor occupancy by PF-03654746.

Measurements of drug occupancies using positron emission tomography (PET) can be biased if the radioligand concentration exceeds "tracer" levels. Negative bias would also arise in successive PET scans if clearance of the radioligand is slow, resulting in a carryover effect. We developed a method to (1) estimate the in vivo dissociation constant Kd of a radioligand from PET studies displaying a non-tracer carryover (NTCO) effect and (2) correct the NTCO bias in occupancy studies taking into account the plasma concentration of the radioligand and its in vivo Kd. This method was applied in a study of healthy human subjects with the histamine H3 receptor radioligand [11C]GSK189254 to measure the PK-occupancy relationship of the H3 antagonist PF-03654746. From three test/retest studies, [11C]GSK189254 Kd was estimated to be 9.5 ± 5.9 pM. Oral administration of 0.1 to 4 mg of PF-03654746 resulted in occupancy estimates of 71%-97% and 30%-93% at 3 and 24 h post-drug, respectively. NTCO correction adjusted the occupancy estimates by 0%-15%. Analysis of the relationship between corrected occupancies and PF-03654746 plasma levels indicated that PF-03654746 can fully occupy H3 binding sites ( ROmax = 100%), and its IC50 was estimated to be 0.144 ± 0.010 ng/mL. The uncorrected IC50 was 26% higher.

A rapid and sensitive LC-MS/MS-ESI method for the determination of tolvaptan and its two main metabolites in human plasma.

A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method to quantify tolvaptan and its two main metabolites and applied to human study was first developed and validated as a measure of compliance in clinical research. Because of the structure similarity of tolvaptan and its multiple metabolites, the method was optimized to obtain a chromatographic and MS separation of the endogenous interference and isotope ions as well as high analysis throughput. Tolvaptan, its two main metabolites and the internal standard were extracted from human serum (0.1mL) using solid-phase extraction, separated on a Waters nova-pak C18 column (150×3.9mm, 5µm) using isocratic elution with a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile, water and formic acid (65:35:0.25, v/v/v). The total run-time was shortened to 3.5min. The mass transition ranges under positive electrospray ionisation that were monitored for quantitation included m/z 449-252 for tolvaptan, m/z 479-252 for metabolite DM-4103, m/z 481-252 for metabolite DM-4107 and m/z 463-266 for the internal standard (IS). The limit of quantification in plasma for all three analytes was 1ng/mL. The method was validated over a linear range from 1 to 500ng/mL for all three analytes with acceptable inter- and intra-assay precision and accuracy. The stability of the analytes was determined to be suitable for routine laboratory practices. The method was successfully applied to samples taken from research volunteers who ingested a 15mg tolvaptan tablet.

Acute on Chronic Ivabradine Overdose: a Case Report.

Ivabradine is a newly approved medication which reduces the heart rate by antagonizing the If channel. We report a case of intentional overdose on ivabradine. A 26-year-old female presented after taking 250 mg ivabradine. On arrival, her vital signs and neurologic exam were unremarkable. Within 30 min, her heart rate decreased to 31 bpm, but she remained normotensive with no change in mentation. Her bradycardia resolved after treatment with atropine. She experienced two further bradycardic episodes responsive to atropine; the second episode was associated with hypotension, responsive to a fluid bolus. For the remainder of her hospitalization, she remained hemodynamically stable without further interventions. She was dispositioned to the psychiatry service approximately 36 h post-ingestion with a heart rate of 67 bpm. Laboratory analysis confirmed a serum ivabradine concentration of 525 ng/mL, greater than 50 times the mean level in therapeutic trials. Proposed treatments for ivabradine include activated charcoal, atropine, isoproterenol, and intravenous pacing. Further study is needed to identify ideal treatment modalities.

Population plasma and urine pharmacokinetics of ivabradine and its active metabolite S18982 in healthy Korean volunteers.

Ivabradine, a selective inhibitor of the pacemaker current (If ), is used for heart failure and coronary heart disease and is mainly metabolized to S18982. The purpose of this study was to explore the pharmacokinetics (PK) of ivabradine and S18982 in healthy Korean volunteers. Subjects in a phase I study were randomized to receive 2.5, 5, or 10 mg of ivabradine administered every 12 hours for 4.5 days, and serial plasma and urine concentrations of ivabradine and S18982 were measured. The plasma PK of ivabradine was best described by a 2-compartment model with mixed 0- and first-order absorption, linked to a 2-compartment model for S18982. The introduction of interoccasional variabilities and period as covariate into absorption-related parameters improved the model fit. Urine data have been applied to estimate renal and nonrenal clearance, enabling a more detailed description of the elimination process. We developed a population PK model describing the plasma and urine PK of ivabradine and S18982 in healthy Korean adult males. This model might be useful for predicting the plasma and urine PK of ivabradine, potentially helping to identify the optimal dosing regimens in various clinical situations.

A Validated UPLC-MS-MS Assay for the Rapid Determination of Lorcaserin in Plasma and Brain Tissue Samples.

Lorcaserin is a novel, potent and highly efficacious 5-HT2C receptor agonist, recently approved by US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of obesity. It has some abuse potential also and is listed as a Schedule IV drug in the Controlled Substances Act. Herein, a sensitive, selective and reliable UPLC-MS-MS assay was developed and validated for the quantitative analysis of lorcaserin in rat plasma and brain tissue using carbamazepine as an internal standard (IS). After the extraction of samples by protein precipitation, both lorcaserin and IS were separated on an Acquity BEH™ C18 (50 × 2.1 mm, 1.7 µm) column using a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile-10 mM ammonium acetate-formic acid (85:15:0.1, v/v/v) at a flow rate of 0.25 mL/min. Detection and quantification were performed on a positive electrospray ionization interface in the multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The MS-MS ion transitions were monitored at m/z 195.99 > 143.91 for lorcaserin and m/z 237.00 > 178.97 for IS, respectively. The calibration curves were linear over a concentration range of 1.08-500 ng/mL in plasma and 3.07-500 ng/mL in brain tissue homogenates, respectively. All the validation parameters results were within the acceptable range described in guidelines for bioanalytical method validation. The assay was successfully applied in a pharmacokinetic study of lorcaserin after oral administration in rats.

[Effects of stable isotope labeled internal standard on determination of ivabradine and N-demethylivabradine in human plasma].

This study aims to develop a liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous determination of ivabradine and N-demethylivabradine in human plasma, and investigate effects of stable isotope labeled (SIL) internal standard (IS) on ivabradine. The analytes and IS were extracted from plasma by protein precipitation with acetonitrile, and chromatographied on a Capcell PAK C18 (100 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 µm) column using a mobile phase of methanol and 5 mmol x L(-1) ammonium acetate. Multiple reaction monitoring with electrospray ionization (ESI) was used in the positive mode for mass spectrometric detection. The effect of ivabradine isotope peak [M+H+3] + on IS and the effect of SIL IS purity on ivabradine were evaluated. An appropriate concentration of SIL IS was chosen to permit method selectivity and linearity of the assay over the required range. The standard curves were demonstrated to be linear in the range of 0.100 to 60.0 ng x mL(-1) for ivabradine, and 0.050 0 to 20.0 ng x mL(-1) for N-demethylivabradine. The intra and inter day precision and accuracy were within the acceptable limits for all concentrations. Besides, the interaction between IS and ivabradine did not impact the determination of analytes. This method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of hydrogen sulfate ivabradine sustained release tablets on Chinese healthy volunteers.

Multiplexed LC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous quantitation of three novel hepatitis C antivirals, daclatasvir, asunaprevir, and beclabuvir in human plasma.

Dual or triple combination regimens of novel hepatitis C direct-acting antivirals (DAA, daclatasvir, asunaprevir, or beclabuvir) provide high sustained virological response rates and reduced frequency of resistance compared to clinical monotherapy. To support pharmacokinetic (PK) assessments in clinical studies, a multiplexed liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous quantitation of daclatasvir, asunaprevir, beclabuvir (BMS-791325) and its active metabolite (BMS-794712) in human plasma was developed and validated. Human plasma samples were extracted with methyl-t-butyl ether followed by an LC-MS/MS analysis, which was conducted in a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The lower limits of quantitation (LLOQ) were 1 ng/mL for daclatasvir, asunaprevir, and BMS-794712, and 2 ng/mL for beclabuvir. Intra-run precision (≤4.5% CV), inter-run precision (≤2.9% CV), and accuracy (±5.3% deviation) based on different concentration levels (low, geometric mean, mid and high) of the quality control samples (QCs) provided evidence of the methods accuracy and precision. Selectivity and matrix effect on LC-MS/MS detection, stability in plasma, and potential interference of coadministered drugs (ribavirin and interferon) were all evaluated and the results were acceptable. Method reproducibility was demonstrated by the reanalysis of a portion of study samples. The cross-validation results for QCs demonstrated the equivalency between this method and two single-analyte methods which were previously validated for quantitation of daclatasvir in human plasma. This approach of using a multiplexed LC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous quantitation of three DAAs is time- and cost-effective, and can maintain good data quality in sample analysis.

Sensitive and accurate liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry methods for quantitative determination of a novel hepatitis C NS5B inhibitor BMS-791325 and its active metabolite in human plasma and urine.

BMS-791325 is a novel hepatitis C NS5B inhibitor which is currently in clinical development. To support pharmacokinetic (PK) assessments, sensitive, accurate, precise, and reproducible liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods have been developed and validated for the quantitation of BMS-791325 and its active N-demethyl metabolite (BMS-794712) in human plasma and urine. Plasma and urine samples were extracted with methyl-t-butyl ether followed by an LC-MS/MS analysis which was conducted in a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode for the simultaneous detection of the two analytes in human plasma (0.1-50 ng/mL) and in human urine (5-2500 ng/mL). Intra-run precision (3.0% R.S.D.), inter-run precision (5.3% R.S.D.), and accuracy (±4.7% deviation) from plasma and urine quality control samples provide evidence of the methods accuracy and precision. Selectivity, stability in matrices, extraction recovery, matrix effect on LC-MS detection, and interference of coadministered drugs (famotidine and ritonavir) were all acceptable. Reproducibility of the plasma method was demonstrated by reanalysis of a portion of study samples. The results of cross-validations demonstrated the equivalency of two methods validated in two labs. The plasma method was applied to the analysis of several thousand clinical study samples for PK evaluations of the drug in normal healthy subjects and in patients. The urine method was used in the first in human study to evaluate renal clearance and urinary recovery.