Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for quantification of ertugliflozin in human plasma: Application to disposition kinetics

A high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method has been developed for the quantification of ertugliflozin in human plasma, employing ertugliflozin D5 as the internal standard. Methyl tertiary butyl ether-based liquid-liquid extraction technique was employed, followed by chromatographic separation on Kromasil-C 18 (100 × 4.6 mm, 5 µm) column using a mixture of methanol and 10 mM ammonium formate buffer (80:20, v/v) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. The mass transitions were observed from m / z 437.4 to 329.2 for ertugliflozin and from m / z 442.2 to 334.3 for ertugliflozin D5 by multiple reaction monitoring in a positive ion electro spray ionization source. The linearity was established in the concentration range of 1–500 ng/mL, with the correlation coefficient, r 2 > 0.99. Validation of the method was performed as per US FDA guidelines, and the results were found well within the acceptance limits. The method was applied successfully for the pharmacokinetic study of ertugliflozin 15 mg after a single oral dose under fasting conditions in healthy male volunteers. The C max and t max values obtained were 288.28 ng/mL and 1.32 h, respectively. Authentication of the results was further done by the incurred sample reanalysis.