Development of a molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor for the selective and sensitive detection of the anti-cancer drug ibrutinib

Ibrutinib (IBR) is a Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) inhibitor that is being used to treat refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). In this study, an electrochemical sensor was developed using a molecularly imprinted polymer on a glassy carbon electrode for the selective and sensitive detection of IBR. A polymeric film was obtained on the glassy carbon electrode surface by photopolymerization method using template molecule IBR, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) in the presence of functional monomers i.e., 4-aminobenzoic acid. The characterization of the sensor was investigated using scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The parameters i.e., Monomer-template ratio, removal time, removal solutions, and incubation time, affecting MIP were optimized. The non-imprinted polymer (NIP) was prepared to act as a control. The electrochemical behavior of the designed sensor was investigated using the voltametric technique. For the first time, a MIP-based electrochemical sensor was developed for the determination of IBR which proved to be highly selective and sensitive with an imprinting factor of 3.71 for IBR with such low LOD and LOQ values 6.13×10-14 and 2.04×10–13 M, respectively. Detection of IBR was investigated in serum sample and tablet form. The findings demonstrated that the molecular imprinting approach in IBR detection is a highly effective technique that maximizes the potential of the newly developed sensor.