Determination of unbound vismodegib (GDC-0449) concentration in human plasma using rapid equilibrium dialysis followed by solid phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry

A rapid equilibrium dialysis (RED) assay followed by a solid phase extraction (SPE) high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) assay for the quantitative determination of unbound vismodegib in human plasma was developed and validated. The equilibrium dialysis was carried out using 0.3 mL plasma samples in the single-use plate RED system at 37 °C for 6 h. The dialysis samples (0.1 mL) were extracted using a Strata-X-C 33u Polymeric Strong Cation SPE plate and the resulting extracts were analyzed using reverse-phase chromatography and positive electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry. The standard curve, which ranged from 0.100 to 100 ng/mL for vismodegib, was fitted to a 1/x2 weighted linear regression model. The lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ, 0.100 ng/mL) was sufficient to quantify unbound concentrations of vismodegib after dialysis. The intra-assay precision of the LC–MS/MS assay, based on the four analytical QC levels (LLOQ, low, medium and high), was within 7.7% CV and inter-assay precision was within 5.5% CV. The assay accuracy, expressed as %Bias, was within ±4.0% of the nominal concentration values. Extraction recovery of vismodegib was between 77.9 and 84.0%. The assay provides a means for accurate assessment of unbound vismodegib plasma concentrations in clinical studies.