Optimization of the simultaneous determination of imatinib and its major metabolite, CGP74588, in human plasma by a rapid HPLC method using D-optimal experimental design

The optimum assay conditions were achieved with a Chromolith™ Performance RP-8e 100 mm × 4.6 mm column and a mixture of methanol/acetonitrile/triethylamine/diammonium hydrogen phosphate (pH 6.25, 0.048 mol L−1) (20:20:0.1:59.9, v/v/v/v) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 2 mL min−1 and detection wavelength of 261 nm. The run time was less than 5 min, which is much shorter than the previously optimized methods. The optimized method was validated according to FDA guidelines to confirm specificity, linearity, accuracy and precision.