Chemistry at the 2' position of constituent nucleotides controls degradation pathways of highly modified oligonucleotide molecules.

A forced degradation study of a proprietary short interfering RNA (siRNA) molecule most of whose constituent nucleotides have been modified at the 2' position was conducted to assess degradation pathways and stability liabilities. The siRNA was subjected to various conditions as a solid and in solution followed by analysis with reverse-phase ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Positional isomers of degradants gave rise to multiple chromatographic peaks with identical masses. In some instances, the exact location of a modification was elucidated, but in most cases although the identity of the nucleotide affected was proposed with a high degree of confidence, its position within the oligonucleotide sequence was not determined. Reaction mechanisms were proposed for all observed major degradants based on reverse-phase ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry data generated in this laboratory and a search of literature sources. This work demonstrates that the chemistry at the 2' position of constituent nucleotides controls degradation pathways of highly modified siRNA molecules under various conditions and that classes of degradants can be predicted with a fair amount of confidence. A table of mass differences is presented that can be used as an aid to making partial structural assignments in oligonucleotide molecules containing similarly modified nucleotides.

Early prediction of pharmaceutical oxidation pathways by computational chemistry and forced degradation.

PURPOSE: To show, using a model study, how electronic structure theory can be applied in combination with LC/UV/MS/MS for the prediction and identification of oxidative degradants. METHODS: The benzyloxazole 1, was used to represent an active pharmaceutical ingredient for oxidative forced degradation studies. Bond dissociation energies (BDEs) calculated at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d) level with isodesmic corrections were used to predict sites of autoxidation. In addition, frontier molecular orbital (FMO) theory at the Hartree-Fock level was used to predict sites of peroxide oxidation and electron transfer. Compound 1 was then subjected to autoxidation and H2O2 forced degradation as well as formal stability conditions. Samples were analyzed by LC/UV/MS/MS and degradation products proposed. RESULTS: The computational BDEs and FMO analysis of 1 was consistent with the LC/UV/MS/MS data and allowed for structural proposals, which were confirmed by LC/MS/NMR. The autoxidation conditions yielded a number of degradants not observed under peroxide degradation while formal stability conditions gave both peroxide and autoxidation degradants. CONCLUSIONS: Electronic structure methods were successfully applied in combination with LC/UV/MS/MS to predict degradation pathways and assist in spectral identification. The degradation and excipient stability studies highlight the importance of including both peroxide and autoxidation conditions in forced degradation studies.