Mullangi Ramesh

Irinotecan and its active metabolite, SN‐38: review of bioanalytical methods and recent update from clinical pharmacology perspectives

The introduction of irinotecan has revolutionized the applicability of camptothecins as predominant topoisomerase I inhibitor for anti-cancer therapy. The potent anti-tumor activity of irinotecan is due to rapid formation of an in vivo active metabolite, SN-38. Therefore, irinotecan is considered as a pro-drug to generate SN-38. Over the past decade, side-by-side with the clinical advancement of the use of irinotecan in the oncology field, a plethora of bioanalytical methods have been published to quantify irinotecan, SN-38 and other metabolites. Because of the availability of HPLC, LC-MS and LC-MS/MS methods, the pharmacokinetic profiling of irinotecan and its metabolites has been accomplished in multiple species, including cancer patients. The developed assays continue to find use in the optimization of newly designed delivery systems with regard to pharmacokinetics to promote safe and effective use of either irinotecan or SN-38. This review intends to: firstly, provide an exhaustive compilation of the published assays for irinotecan, SN-38 and other metabolite(s) of irinotecan, as applicable; secondly, to enumerate the validation parameters and applicable conclusions; and thirdly, provide some recent perspectives in the clinical pharmacology arena pertaining to efflux transporters, pediatric profiling, role of kidney function in defining toxicity, drug-drug interaction potential of irinotecan, etc.

Bioavailability Enhancement of Poorly Water Soluble and Weakly Acidic New Chemical Entity with 2-Hydroxy Propyl-β-Cyclodextrin: Selection of Meglumine, a Polyhydroxy Base, as a Novel Ternary Component

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of a polyhydroxy base, N-acetyl glucamine (also know as Meglumine), as a ternary component on the complexation of DRF-4367, a poorly water-soluble and weakly acidic anti-inflammatory molecule, with 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD). The molecular inclusion of DRF-4367 with HPβCD alone and in combination with ternary component was aimed at improvement in solubility and, subsequently, dissolution rate-limited oral bioavailability. The solid complexes of DRF-4367 and HPβCD with or without meglumine (binary and ternary systems, respectively) were prepared as coevaporated product in different stoichiometric ratios and compared against physical mixture. The formation of inclusion complexes was confirmed by using classical instrumental techniques. Phase solubility studies suggested that meglumine was responsible for solubility improvement via multiple factors rather than just providing a favorable pH. Mechanisms and factors governing solubility enhancement were investigated by using phase solubility and thermodynamic parameters. The complexation of DRF-4367 with HPβCD is thermodynamically favored because the Gibbs free energies of transfer of the drug to the cyclodextrin cavity are negative. The solubilization efficiency and stability were further improved while retaining the favorable Gibbs free energies of transfer with the addition of meglumine. Inclusion ternary complex of DRF-4367 with HPβCD and meglumine showed significant improvement in dissolution compared with uncomplexed drug and binary system. Moreover, the phenomena of reprecipitation observed with binary system during dissolution could be avoided with meglumine as an enabling ternary component. This improved physicochemical behavior of ternary complex with the novel inclusion of a polyhydroxy base translated into an enhanced oral bioavailability of DRF-4367 compared with either uncomplexed drug or nanosuspension.

Sensitive LC-MS/MS-ESI method for simultaneous determination of nifedipine and atenolol in human plasma and its application to a human pharmacokinetic study

A rapid, simple, sensitive and selective LC-MS/MS method has been developed and validated for quantification of nifedipine (NF) and atenolol (AT) in human plasma (250 μL). The analytical procedure involves a one-step liquid-liquid extraction method using carbamazepine as an internal standard (IS). The chromatographic resolution was achieved on a Hypurity Advance C(18) column using an isocratic mobile phase consisting of 5 mm ammonium acetate-acetonitrile (15:85, v/v) at flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The LC-MS/MS was operated under the multiple-reaction monitoring mode using electrospray ionization. The total run time of analysis was 2 min and elution of NF, AT and IS occurred at 0.79, 1.04 and 0.76 min, respectively. A detailed method validation was performed as per the FDA guidelines and the standard curves found to be linear in the range of 1.02-101 ng/mL for NF and 5.05-503 ng/mL for AT, with a coefficient of correlation of ≥ 0.99 for both the drugs. NF and AT were found to be stable in a battery of stability studies, viz. bench-top, auto-sampler and repeated freeze-thaw cycles. The validated assay method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study in humans.

Oral bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of DRF-4367, a new cox-2 inhibitor in rats

SummaryThe pharmacokinetic characterization of DRF-4367 (a new diaryl pyrazole derivative), a potent selective COX-2 inhibitor was performed in Wistar rats. In the first study, a single dose of 2, 5, 10, 30 or 100 mg/kg DRF-4367 was given orally to rats for investigating the dose proportionality and/or linearity in the pharmacokinetics. In the second study, a single intravenous bolus dose of DRF-4367 was given at a dose of 10 mg/kg to calculate the absolute oral bioavailability, clearance and volume of distribution parameters. Blood samples were drawn at predetermined intervals up to 24 h post-dose. The concentrations of DRF-4367 in various plasma samples were determined by a validated HPLC method. Plasma concentration versus time data was generated following oral and i.v dosing and subjected to a noncompartmental pharmacokinetic analysis. Following oral administration, maximum concentrations of DRF-4367 were achieved at about 3 h and were unchanged with incremental doses. Both Cmax and AUC0-∞ appeared to increases less than proportional to the administered oral doses. While the doses increased in the ratio of 1.0∶2.5∶5.0∶15.0∶50.0, the mean AUC0-∞ and Cmax increased in the ratios of 1.0∶2.8∶4.5∶8.6∶14.5 and 1∶2.4∶4.1∶6.2∶8.3, respectively. Following i.v. administration, the concentration of DRF-4367 declined in a monoexponential fashion with terminal elimination half-life of 5.7 h. The systemic clearance and volume of distribution of DRF-4367 in rats were 0.36 L/h/Kg and 2.2 L/Kg respectively after i.v administration. Elimination half-life was unchanged with route of administration and with increase in oral doses. Absolute oral bioavailability of DRF-4367 in the efficacy dose range was 70–80%.

A sensitive LC‐MS/MS method for the quantification of febuxostat in human plasma and its pharmacokinetic application

An improved, simple and highly sensitive LC-MS/MS method has been developed and validated for quantification of febuxostat with 100 μL human plasma using febuxostat-d7 as an internal standard (IS) according to regulatory guidelines. The analyte and IS were extracted from human plasma via liquid-liquid extraction using diethyl ether. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a Zorbax C18 column using a mixture of acetonitrile and 5 mm ammonium formate (60:40, v/v) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. The total run time was 5.0 min and the elution of febuxostat and IS occurred at 1.0 and 1.5 min, respectively. A linear response function was established for the range of concentrations 1-6000 ng/mL (r > 0.99). The precursor to product ion transitions monitored for febuxostat and IS were m/z 317.1 → 261.1 and 324.2 → 262.1, respectively. The intra- and inter-day precisions (%RSD) were within 1.29-9.19 and 2.85-7.69%, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to pharmacokinetic studies in humans.

Validated LC-ESI-MS/MS method for simultaneous quantitation of felodipine and metoprolol in rat plasma: application to a pharmacokinetic study in rats

A highly sensitive and specific LC-ESI-MS/MS method has been developed and validated for simultaneous quantification of felodipine (FDP) and metoprolol (MPL) in rat plasma (50 μL) using phenacetin as an internal standard (IS) as per the FDA guidelines. Liquid-liquid extraction method was used to extract the analytes and IS from rat plasma. The chromatographic resolution of FDP, MPL and IS was achieved with a mobile phase consisting of 0.2% formic acid in water-acetonitrile (25:75, v/v) with a time program flow gradient on a C18 column. The total chromatographic run time was 4.0 min and the elution of FDP, MPL and IS occurred at 1.05, 2.59 and 1.65 min, respectively. A linear response function was established for the range of concentrations 0.59-1148 and 0.53-991 ng/mL for FDP and MPL, respectively, in rat plasma. The intra- and inter-day accuracy and precision values for FDP and MPL met the acceptance as per FDA guidelines. FDP and MPL were stable in battery of stability studies viz., bench-top, auto-sampler and freeze-thaw cycles. The validated assay was applied to a pharmacokinetic study in rats.

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.

Simultaneous determination of carisoprodol and aspirin in human plasma using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry in polarity switch mode: application to a human pharmacokinetic study

A simple, sensitive and rapid LC-MS/MS-ESI method has been developed and validated for simultaneous quantification of the carisoprodol and aspirin in human plasma. Carisoprodol was detected in positive ion mode, whereas aspirin was detected in negative ion mode. Carbamazepine and furosemide were used as internal standards (IS) for quantification of carisoprodol and aspirin, respectively. The extraction procedure involves a liquid-liquid extraction method with ter-butyl methyl ether. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Zorbax XDB-Phenyl (4.6 × 75 mm, 3.5 µm) column using an isocratic mobile phase (5 mm ammonium acetate:methanol, 20:80, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min with a total run time of 2.2 min. A detailed method validation was performed as per the FDA guidelines. The standard curves found to be linear in the range of 25.5-4900 and 15.3-3000 ng/mL for carisoprodol and aspirin, respectively. The results met the acceptance criteria. Carisoprodol and aspirin were found to be stable in various stability studies. The validated method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study following co-administration of carisoprodol (250 mg) and aspirin (75 mg) tablets by oral route to human volunteers.

Torcetrapib for animal and human pharmacokinetic studies: applicability of chiral and achiral methodologies

The emergence of bioanalysis as a key tool in the drug-discovery and -development process has enabled the development of sensitive, precise and specific bioanalytical methods in recent years. These methods have enabled the progress of novel chemical entities through the life cycle of drug discovery and development. The focus of this review article is on a well-known cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitor known as torcetrapib. Although torcetrapib was withdrawn from clinical development, it is important to understand the various bioanalytical methodologies (chiral and achiral) that are readily available for the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic characterization of the drug. Additionally, these methodologies may be applicable to the bioanalysis of the next-generation CETP inhibitors. This review covers the development and validation of assay methods that were used to obtain preclinical and clinical pharmacokinetic parameters of torcetrapib. Accordingly, methods are available for the determination of torcetrapib in various species, namely dogs, hamsters, rats, mice, monkeys and humans. Since torcetrapib is a chiral compound, methods have been developed for stereoselective bioanalysis to evaluate in vivo chiral inversion phenomena. Interestingly, torcetrapib can be analyzed by various bioanalytical options (e.g., HPLC-UV, LC-MS, LC-MS/MS and GC-MS assays) depending on the type of species under consideration with the associated sensitivity requirements. This review covers all the available methodologies for torcetrapib, providing both assay-development and -optimization strategies. It also tabulates validation parameters and enumerates the difficulties, challenges and nuances of the various published assays for torcetrapib.

Highly sensitive LC–MS/MS-ESI method for determination of phenelzine in human plasma and its application to a human pharmacokinetic study

A selective, sensitive and rapid LC-MS/MS method has been developed and validated for quantification of the phenelzine (PZ) in 200μL of human plasma using hydroxyzine (HZ) as an internal standard (IS) as per regulatory guidelines. The sample preparation involved the derivatization of PZ using pentaflurobenzaldehyde followed by solid phase extraction process to extract PZ and HZ from human plasma. LC-MS/MS was operated under the multiple reaction-monitoring mode (MRM) using the electro spray ionization technique in positive ion mode and the transitions of m/z 305.1→105.1 and m/z 375.3→201.1 were used to measure the derivative of PZ and IS, respectively. The total run time was 3.5min and the elution of PZ and HZ occurred at 2.53, and 1.92min, respectively; this was achieved with a mobile phase consisting of 10mM ammonium acetate: acetonitrile (20:80, v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0mL/min on an Ace C18 column with a split ratio of 70:30. The developed method was validated in human plasma with a lower limit of quantitation 0.51ng/mL. A linear response function was established for the range of concentrations 0.51-25.2ng/mL (r>0.995) for PZ. The intra- and inter-day precision values met the acceptance criteria. PZ was stable in the battery of stability studies viz., stock solution, bench-top, auto-sampler, long-term and freeze/thaw cycles. The developed assay method was applied to an oral bioequivalence study in humans.