Patrick Koch

Determination of the enantiomers of albuterol in human and canine plasma by enantioselective high-performance liquid chromatography on a teicoplanin-based chiral stationary phase.

A sensitive enantioselective high-performance chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed validated to determine low levels of (-)-R and (+)-S-albuterol in plasma. Baseline resolution was achieved by using a teicoplanin-based chiral stationary phase with a polar organic mobile phase consisting of methanol/ acetonitrile/glacial acetic acid/diethylamine, 40:60:0.3:0.2, (v/v/v/v) and a flow-rate of 1.0 ml/min. Enantioselectivity (alpha) equaled 1.18 and resolution (RS) equaled 1.8. By using fluorescence detection maximized at 230 and 310 nm for excitation and emission, respectively, concentrations of each enantiomer could be measured down to 125 pg/ml from a 1-ml plasma sample. Initially, the method was applied to plasma samples from a small single-dose inhalation study of racemic albuterol in a human volunteer and, later, to in vivo samples from a canine inhalation study of the single enantiomer, (-)-R-albuterol. Results from the canine study showed that no chiral inversion of (-)-R-albuterol occurs in the dog.

Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Characteristics and Safety of Inhaled Albuterol Enantiomers in Healthy Volunteers

The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of inhaled albuterol given as single or multiple doses of racemate (RS‐) or single enantiomers (R‐, S‐) were determined. In an open‐label, three‐way crossover, parallel‐dose study, 1.25 and 5 mg of (R)‐ and (S)‐albuterol and 2.5 and 10 mg of (RS)‐albuterol were given via nebulization to 15 healthy volunteers. The pharmacokinetic parameters of each enantiomer were determined by noncompartmental and model‐fitting analyses. Both (R)‐ and (S)‐albuterol showed rapid absorption and biexponential decline, with half‐lives (t1/2) averaging 4 and 6 hours, respectively. There were no differences in pharmacokinetics of (R)‐albuterol when administered as (R)‐ or (RS)‐albuterol at the 5‐mg dose with equivalent relative bioavailability as seen from maximum concentration (Cmax) and area under the concentration‐time curve (AUC). The same was true for (S)‐albuterol at the 1.25‐mg and 5‐mg doses. The data from 5‐mg doses were considered to be more reliable due to assay sensitivity limitations, and indicated equivalent absorption and disposition of the individual enantiomers. There was no evidence of in vivo racemization, and (R)‐albuterol did not interconvert to (S)‐albuterol. Plasma potassium, plasma glucose, heart rate, and QTc interval were used in linear and Emax models to assess responses relating to (R)‐albuterol concentrations. The Emax for potassium change was 1.32 meq/L, with an EC50 of 0.59 and 0.94 ng/mL after administration of (R)‐ and (RS)‐albuterol, respectively. The slopes and intercepts for glucose and heart rate changes were similar after administration of (R)‐ and (RS)‐albuterol. No concentration‐effect relationships were evident for QTc interval or for (S)‐albuterol. The extrapulmonary responses of (R)‐albuterol and adverse effects were similar for single R‐enantiomer or the racemic mixture.

Synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of 4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-N-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalenyl amines as triple reuptake inhibitors.

The present work describes a series of novel chiral amines that potently inhibit the in vitro reuptake of serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine (triple reuptake inhibitors) and were active in vivo in a mouse model predictive of antidepressant like activity. The detailed synthesis and in vitro activity and ADME profile of compounds is described, which represent a previously undisclosed triple reuptake inhibitor chemotype.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of O-alkyl derivatives of tramadol.

Tramadol is a centrally acting opioid analgesic structurally related to codeine and morphine. O-Alkyl, N-desmethyl, and non-phenol containing derivatives of tramadol were synthesized to probe their effect on metabolic stability and both in vitro and in vivo potency.

A population analysis of nebulized (R)-albuterol in dogs using a novel mixed gut-lung absorption PK-PD model

AbstractPurpose. The objectives of this study were to 1) construct a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) model, and 2) determine the PKs and PDs of (R)-albuterol when given by nebulization to 8 dogs for 7 consecutive days. Methods. Four doses were evaluated (0.002, 0.02, 0.1, and 0.4 mg/kg/day). Blood samples were obtained after drug administration on days 1 and 7. Heart rates (HR) were obtained during treatment days 1, 4 and 7. All (R)-albuterol plasma concentrations were fitted using a mixed gut-lung absorption 2-compartment PK model. Day-1, 4, and 7 HR data were co-modeled using a direct response model with Hill-type equations, including a necessary tolerance phenomenon. The population PK-PD analysis was performed with an iterative 2-stage methodology (IT2S). Results. No chiral inversion was seen, and double absorption peaks on the plasma concentration versus time curves were observed in the majority of dogs. These were hypothesized to be the result of combined gut and lung absorption of (R)-Albuterol. Results indicated that 67% (range: 57-89%) of (R)-albuterol systemic exposure after nebulized administration is due to gut absorption. Mean population PK parameters were KaGI (10±5.7 h−1), KaLUNG (21±9.5 h−1), CLc/F (0.6±0.2 L/h/kg), CLd/F (1.4±0.5 L/h/kg), Vc/F (1.4±0.9 L/kg), and Vp/F (4.8±2.4 L/kg). (R)-albuterol administration was associated with an increase in the dogs heart rates. A tolerance effect related to the cumulative dose was observed and modeled. Conclusions. The presented PK-PD model appears to differentiate gut from lung absorption when (R)-albuterol is given by 15-minute nebulization to dogs. These results agree with the accepted hypothesis that most of the systemic exposure of (R)-albuterol after nebulized administration is due to gut absorption.

Evolution and synthesis of novel orally bioavailable inhibitors of PDE10A.

The design and synthesis of highly potent, selective orally bioavailable inhibitors of PDE10A is reported. Starting with an active compound of modest potency from a small focused screen, we were able to evolve this series to a lead molecule with high potency and selectivity versus other PDEs using structure-based design. A systematic refinement of ADME properties during lead optimization led to a lead compound with good half-life that was brain penetrant. Compound 39 was highly potent versus PDE10A (IC50=1.0 nM), demonstrated high selectivity (>1000-fold) against other PDEs and was efficacious when dosed orally in a rat model of psychosis, PCP-induced hyperlocomotion with an EC50 of 1 mg/kg.

In vivo saturation binding of GABA‐A receptor ligands to estimate receptor occupancy using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

Typically, the dose‐occupancy curves for GABA‐A receptor ligands are determined using in vivo binding of [3H]flumazenil. This study describes in vivo binding experiments without the use of tracer ligands. Bound and free fractions were measured directly using a highly sensitive LC/MS/MS detection method after in vivo administration of the GABA‐A ligands zolpidem, (RS)‐zopiclone, L‐838417 and flumazenil, to demonstrate affinity and saturation of the filter‐retained, membrane‐bound fraction. The in vivo binding of flumazenil and L‐838417 both saturated around 200 nm, at a similar level to the specific binding of (S)‐zopiclone after doses of the racemic zopiclone, using (R)‐zopiclone to estimate non‐specific binding. This saturable component represented an estimate of benzodiazepine binding sites available on GABA‐A receptors in vivo (200 nm). Dose‐occupancy curves were constructed to estimate the dose required to achieve 50% occupancy and matched estimates obtained with tracer methods. In contrast to tracer methods, this method is uniquely suitable to the demonstration of stereoselective binding of the (S)‐isomer in vivo after doses of racemic zopiclone. These results demonstrate that the LC/MS/MS measurements of total drug concentrations typically used in early drug development can be adapted to provide information about receptor occupancy in vivo. Copyright