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Validation and clinical application of a method to quantify efavirenz in cervicovaginal secretions from flocked swabs using LC-MS/MS
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  • Adeniyi Olagunju,
  • Jacinta Nwogu,
  • Oluwasegun Eniayewu,
  • Shakir Atoyebi,
  • Alieu Amara,
  • John Kpamor,
  • Oluseye Bolaji,
  • Ebunoluwa Adejuyigbe,
  • Andrew Owen,
  • Saye Khoo
Adeniyi Olagunju
University of Liverpool Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Jacinta Nwogu
University of Liverpool Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
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Oluwasegun Eniayewu
University of Ilorin Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science
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Shakir Atoyebi
University of Liverpool Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
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Alieu Amara
University of Liverpool Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
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John Kpamor
Federal Medical Centre
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Oluseye Bolaji
Obafemi Awolowo University
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Ebunoluwa Adejuyigbe
Obafemi Awolowo University
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Andrew Owen
University of Liverpool
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Saye Khoo
University of Liverpool
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Abstract

Abstract Aim: An LC-MS/MS method to quantify drug in dried cervicovaginal secretions from flocked swab was developed and validated using the antiretroviral efavirenz as example. Methods: Cervicovaginal swabs (CVS) were prepared by submerging flocked swabs in efavirenz-spiked matrix. Time to full saturation, weight uniformity, recovery and room temperature stability were evaluated. Chromatographic separation was on a reverse-phase C18 column by gradient elution using 1mM ammonium acetate in water/acetonitrile at 400 µL/min. Detection and quantification were on a TSQ Quantum Access triple quadrupole mass spectrometer operated in negative ionisation mode. The method was used to quantify efavirenz in CVS samples from HIV-positive women in the VADICT study (NCT03284645). Results: Swabs were fully saturated within 15 seconds, absorbing 128 µL of matrix with coefficient of variation (%CV) below 1.3%. The method was linear with a weighting factor (1/X) in the range of 25-10000 ng/mL with inter- and intra-day precision (% CV) of 7.69-14.9%, and accuracy (% bias) of 99.1-105.3%. Mean recovery of efavirenz from CVS was 83.8% (%CV, 11.2) with no significant matrix effect. Efavirenz remained stable in swabs for at least 35 days after drying and storage at room temperature. Median (range) CVS efavirenz AUC0-24h was 16370 ng*h/mL (5803-22088), Cmax was 1618 ng/mL (610-2438) at a Tmax of 8.0 h (8.0-12), and Cmin was 399 ng/mL (110-981). Efavirenz CVS:plasma AUC0-24 ratio was 0.41 (0.20-0.59). Conclusion: Further application of this method will improve our understanding of the pharmacology of other therapeutics in the female genital tract, including in low- and middle-income countries.