Detection, identification and quantification of a new de-fluorinated impurity in casopitant mesylate drug substance during late phase development: An analytical challenge involving a multidisciplinary approach

During late phase development of the selective NK1 receptor antagonist casopitant mesylate, a de-fluorinated impurity was discovered and quantified by an orthogonal analytical approach, using NMR and LC-MS. A dedicated 19F NMR method was initially developed for first line identification and semi-quantification of the impurity. Subsequently, a more accurate quantification was achieved by means of a selective normal-phase LC-MS method, which was fully validated. The results obtained on the development batches of the drug substance were used by the project team to set up a suitable control strategy and ultimately to ensure patient safety and the progression of the project.