Systematic development of an UPLC-MS/MS method for the determination of tricyclic antidepressants in human urine.

Tricyclic antidepressants have been prescribed for the treatment of depression and other disorders since their discovery in the 1950s but have been replaced in recent decades by newer drugs with more favorable side effect profiles. However, for some patients and conditions, tricyclic antidepressants remain the drug of choice. A fast, sensitive, and robust UPLC-MS/MS method for the monitoring of amitriptyline, nortriptyline, imipramine, doxepin, and desipramine in human urine has been developed using a pre-defined and systematic method development approach.

Elucidation of potential bortezomib response markers in mutliple myeloma patients.

Liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC/MS) was used to elucidate early biomarkers of bortezomib response in multiple myeloma patients. The change in serum myeloma M-protein level, maintained for a minimum of 6 weeks, is used as one of the main criteria to evaluate patient clinical response to therapy. The objective of this study was to identify biomarkers using LC/MS in order to predict patient response to bortezomib sooner and more accurately compared to serum M-protein levels.