Synthesis and Biopharmaceutical Studies of Ceftezole Pivaloyloxymethyl ester, a Novel Prodrug of Ceftezole

세프테졸 피발로일옥시메칠 에스텔의 합성 및 생물약제학적 연구

Ceftezole pivaloyloxymethyl ester(CFZ-PV) was synthesized to improve oral absorption and bioavailability of parent drug by esterification of ceftezole(CFZ) with chloromethyl pivalate. The successful synthesis of CFZ-PV was conformed by spectroscopic analysis. Partition coefficient studies showed that CFZ-PV is more lipophillic than CFZ. The pharmacokinetic characteristics of CFZ-PV and CFZ were compared following oral administrations of these compounds to rabbits. The amount of CFZ in plasma was determined with an HPLC method. The ester compound (prodrug) was not detected in plasma following oral administration of CFZ-PV, and although CFZ-PV had not microbiological activity in vitro, the plasma taken after oral administration of CFZ-PV had microbiological activity. From above observations, it was noted that CFZ-PV is rapidly hydrolyzed to CFZ in the body. And the oral absorption of CFZ-PV was increased by yielding 2-fold bioavailability rather than CFZ. Therefore, CFZ-PV could be a novel prodrug of CFZ which can improve the oral bioavailability of CFZ.