Direct Drug Analysis in Polymeric Implants Using Desorption Electrospray Ionization – Mass Spectrometry Imaging (DESI-MSI)

Purpose Desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging (DESI-MSI) coupled with gas-phase ion mobility spectrometry was used to characterize the drug distribution in polymeric implants before and after exposure to accelerated in vitro release (IVR) media. DESI-MSI provides definitive chemical identification and localization of formulation components, including 2D chemical mapping of individual components with essentially no sample preparation. Methods Polymeric implants containing 40% ( w / w ) entecavir and poly(D,L-lactide) (PLA) were prepared and then exposed to either acidified PBS (pH 2.5) or MeOH:H 2 O (50:50, v / v ) medias during a 7-day IVR test using continuous flow-through (CFT) cell dissolution. The amount of drug released from the polymer matrix during the 7-day IVR test was monitored by online-ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV) and HPLC-UV. After that period, intact implants and radial sections of implants were analyzed by DESI-MSI with ion mobility spectrometry. The active ingredient along with impurities and contaminants were used to generate chemical maps before and after exposure to the release medias. Results Bi-phasic release profiles were observed for implants during IVR release using both medias. During the second phase of release, implants exposed to PBS, pH 2.5, released the entecavir faster than the implants exposed to MeOH:H 2 O (50:50, v / v ). Radial images of the polymer interior show that entecavir is localized along the central core of the implant after exposure to MeOH:H 2 O (50:50, v / v ) and that the drug is more uniformly distributed throughout the implant after exposure to acidified PBS (pH 2.5). Conclusions DESI-MSI coupled with ion mobility analysis produced chemical images of the drug distribution on the exterior and interior of cylindrical polymeric implants before and after exposure to various release medias. These results demonstrated the utility of this technique for rapid characterization of drug and impurity/degradant distribution within polymeric implants with direct implications for formulation development as well as analytical method development activities for various solid parenteral and oral dosage forms. These results are especially meaningful since samples were analyzed with essentially no preparative procedures.