In vitro enantioselective metabolism of TJ0711 hydrochloride by human liver microsomes using a novel chiral liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method

A novel liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method employing chiral analytical techniques was developed and validated for in vitro enantioselective metabolic stability study of racemic 1-[4-(2-methoxyethyl) phenoxy]-3-[[2-(2-methoxyphenoxy) ethyl]amino]-2-propanol hydrochloride (TJ0711 HCl), a newly developed vasodilatory β-blocker. Robust enantiomeric separations were achieved on a chiral SUMICHIRAL OA-2500 column using ethanol and hexane (40:60, v/v) as a mobile phase. Metabolic stability results demonstrated that both TJ0711 enantiomers underwent a rapid phase I metabolism, but preferential metabolism of R-TJ0711 was observed. Our previously reported ultra-performance liquid chromatography-multiple reaction monitoring-information dependent acquisition-enhanced product ion (UPLC-MRM-IDA-EPI) method was finally chosen for metabolite profiling study of TJ0711 enantiomers, because the newly developed HPLC-based method resulted in compromised chromatographic separation, particularly for TJ0711 metabolites. A number of metabolic products were detected and the structures of formed metabolites were predicted. Similar to racemic TJ0711 HCl, demethylation and hydroxylation were proposed to be the principle metabolism pathways during in vitro incubations of each enantiomer with human liver microsomes.

► A novel chiral LC–MS/MS method simultaneously quantifies R- and S-TJ0711.
► A UPLC-MRM-IDA-EPI method supports metabolite identification of TJ0711 enantiomers.
► Racemic TJ0711 HCl undergoes enantioselective metabolism in vitro.
► Demethylation and hydroxylation are the principle metabolism pathways for both enantiomers.