Failure Mode Identification of Insulin Drug Products – Impact of Relevant Stress Conditions on the Quality of the Drug

Fast-acting insulin drug products (DPs) are carried and administered by diabetic patients to maintain their blood glucose level throughout the day, exposing the DPs to stress conditions. Apidra, Novolog, and Humalog insulin DPs were tested under various stress conditions. Dynamic light scattering (DLS), and size exclusion chromatography (SEC) were used to monitor the stability and aggregation. Thermal stress alone did not influence the stability. However, 24 hr exposure to vigorous mechanical stress shifted the DLS size peaks of Novolog and Humalog from 5 ± 1 nm to > 50.9 ± 25.6 nm, and the SEC native protein peak areas decreased 52% for Novolog and 18.4% for Humalog. Combined stress accelerated protein aggregation more drastically. Novolog and Humalog size shifted (>75 nm) after 3 hr and the peak area decreased > 97.9% after 6 hr exposure, indicating that high temperature accelerated the aggregation triggered by agitation. Soluble aggregates were captured by DLS early on compared to SEC. Apidra was comparably stable indicating DP formulation plays a critical role in stability. Our study provides a greater understanding of potential failure modes patients and care givers may encounter while handling insulin DPs.     

High-throughput assessment of thermal and colloidal stability parameters for monoclonal antibody formulations

Design of experiment and statistical analyses were applied to evaluate the effects of several formulation components on the thermal and colloidal stability for a series of monoclonal antibody (mAb) formulations. The high-throughput assessment of the protein stability was performed by measuring the temperature of hydrophobic exposure (T(h) , thermal stability) and the diffusion interaction parameter (k(D) , colloidal stability). To correlate the measured parameters with protein stability, the propensity to aggregate was tested by exposing the mAb samples to two types of stress: mechanical stress caused by shaking agitation and thermal stress. Mechanical stress led to increased formation of large particles, whereas temperature stress resulted in an increase in oligomers. The data obtained from the stress studies were used to determine the critical values for the stability parameters. The optimal formulation compositions were determined based on the statistical models and the predication tests. This approach of high-throughput thermal and colloidal stability screening can be applied to the characterization and prediction of protein formulation properties.     

TC-1静脉脂肪乳剂的制备

目的 研制和生产TC-1静脉脂肪乳剂,以期为临床提供解救高血压危象的新型药物制剂。方法 处方配比为TC-1 0.5 mg·mL-1、精制蛋黄卵磷脂1.2%、甘油2.2%。注射用大豆油20%;通过初乳制备、高压匀化、灌装封口、热压灭菌等工序制得TC-1静脉脂肪乳注射液,并在（5±2）℃条件下考察制剂6个月内的稳定性。结果 3批小批量试验的检验结果,用动态光散射法测定平均粒径〈0.3 μm、粒度分布均匀、无〉1 μm粒子,稳定性均符合中国药典2010年版及日本药局方的要求。结论 确定了超高压微射流均质机-MiniDeBEE制备含药静脉脂肪乳的关键设备条件、工艺参数,解决了工程配套问题,所取得的成果有利于脂肪乳剂的生产。TC-1静脉脂肪乳注射液的成功研制,为含药静脉脂肪乳的制备及稳定性研究提供了一套切实可行的方法。     

Formulation Development of Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies Using High-Throughput Fluorescence and Static Light Scattering Techniques: Role of Conformational and Colloidal Stability

In this work, we describe the application of two different high-throughput screening (HTS) techniques that can be used to determine protein stability during early formulation development. Differential scanning fluorescence (DSF) and differential static light scattering (DSLS) are used to determine the conformational and colloidal stability of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) during thermal denaturation in a high-throughput fashion. DSF utilizes SYPRO® Orange, a polarity-sensitive extrinsic fluorescent probe, to monitor protein unfolding. We found that melting temperatures determined by DSF have a linear correlation with melting temperatures of the first domain unfolding determined by differential scanning calorimetry, establishing DSF as a reliable method for measuring thermal stability. The DSLS method employs static light scattering to evaluate protein stability during thermal denaturation in a 384-well format. Overall comparison between mAb aggregation under typical accelerated stress conditions (40°C) and the thermal stability obtained by DSF and DSLS is also presented. Both of these HTS methods are cost effective with high-throughput capability and can be implemented in any laboratory. Combined with other emerging HTS techniques, DSF and DSLS could be powerful tools for mAb formulation optimization.     

Current Industry Best Practice on in-use Stability and Compatibility Studies for Biological Products

Evaluating the in-use stability of a biological product including its compatibility with administration components allows to define handling instructions and potential hold times that retain product quality during dose preparation and administration. The intended drug product usage may involve the dilution of drug formulation into admixtures for infusion and exposure to new interfaces of administration components like intravenous (iv) bags, syringes, and tubing. In-use studies assess the potential impact on product quality by simulating drug handling throughout the defined in-use period. Considering the wide range of in-use conditions and administration components available globally, only limited guidance is available from regulators on expected in-use stability data. A working group reviewed and consolidated industry approaches to assess physicochemical stability of traditional protein-based biological products during clinical development and for commercial use. The insights compiled in this review article can be leveraged across the industry and encompass topics such as representative drug product material and administration components, testing conditions, quality attributes evaluated and respective acceptance criteria, applied quality standards, and regulatory requirements. These practices may help companies in the study design, and they may inform discussions with global regulators.     

Evaluation of Hydrogen Exchange Mass Spectrometry as a Stability-Indicating Method for Formulation Excipient Screening for an IgG4 Monoclonal Antibody

Antibodies are molecules that exhibit diverse conformational changes on different timescales, and there is ongoing interest to better understand the relationship between antibody conformational dynamics and storage stability. Physical stability data for an IgG4 monoclonal antibody (mAb-D) were gathered through traditional forced degradation (temperature and stirring stresses) and accelerated stability studies, in the presence of different additives and solution conditions, as measured by differential scanning calorimetry, size exclusion chromatography, and microflow imaging. The results were correlated with hydrogen exchange mass spectrometry (HX-MS) data gathered for mAb-D in the same formulations. Certain parameters of the HX-MS data, including hydrogen exchange in specific peptide segments in the C_H2 domain, were found to correlate with stabilization and destabilization of additives on mAb-D during thermal stress. No such correlations between mAb physical stability and HX-MS readouts were observed under agitation stress. These results demonstrate that HX-MS can be set up as a streamlined methodology (using minimal material and focusing on key peptide segments at key time points) to screen excipients for their ability to physically stabilize mAbs. However, useful correlations between HX-MS and either accelerated or real-time stability studies will be dependent on a particular mAb's degradation pathway(s) and the type of stresses used.     

Colloidal stability of ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) particles with different coatings

Ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) particles are efficient contrast agents used in vivo to enhance relaxation differences between healthy and pathological tissues. Detailed understanding of their physicochemical properties in suspension is necessary to guarantee the quality and safety of biological USPIO particles application. The ferrofluids stability against aggregation and gravitational settling affects their biodistribution and consequently the resulting contrast. In this study, the stability of iron oxide particles was investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS) at different NaCl concentrations in order to monitor the evolution of the hydrodynamic radius of the particles with time. The results were interpreted using the classical DLVO theory of colloidal stability. The electrophoretic mobility and the models generally used to convert it to zeta potential were discussed and related to the stability results.     

A validated stability indicating LC method for oxcarbazepine

The present paper describes the development of a stability indicating reversed phase liquid chromatographic (RPLC) method for oxcarbazepine in the presence of its impurities and degradation products generated from forced decomposition studies. The drug substance was subjected to stress conditions of hydrolysis, oxidation, photolysis and thermal degradation. The degradation of oxcarbazepine was observed under base hydrolysis. The drug was found to be stable to other stress conditions attempted. Successful separation of the drug from the synthetic impurities and degradation product formed under stress conditions was achieved on a C18 column using mixture of aqueous 0.02 M potassium dihydrogen phosphate–acetonitrile–methanol (45:35:20, v/v/v) as mobile phase. The developed HPLC method was validated with respect to linearity, accuracy, precision, specificity and robustness. The developed HPLC method to determine the related substances and assay determination of oxcarbazepine can be used to evaluate the quality of regular production samples. It can be also used to test the stability samples of oxcarbazepine.     

药物使用期间稳定性试验的技术要求探讨

本文介绍了药物使用期间稳定性试验的概念,探讨了对临用前需要重新配制以及多剂量包装的药物制剂进行使用期间稳定性试验的重要意义。通过分析国外有关指导文件对使用期间稳定性的要求,对使用期间稳定性试验涉及的要素进行了系统分析,提出了相应的技术要求建议。通过3个实例,进一步阐述了使用期间稳定性试验中需要考虑的技术要点。     

Comparison of NMR and Dynamic Light Scattering for Measuring Diffusion Coefficients of Formulated Insulin: Implications for Particle Size Distribution Measurements in Drug Products

Particle size distribution, a measurable physicochemical quantity, is a critical quality attribute of drug products that needs to be controlled in drug manufacturing. The non-invasive methods of dynamic light scattering (DLS) and Diffusion Ordered SpectroscopY (DOSY) NMR can be used to measure diffusion coefficient and derive the corresponding hydrodynamic radius. However, little is known about their use and sensitivity as analytical tools for particle size measurement of formulated protein therapeutics. Here, DLS and DOSY-NMR methods are shown to be orthogonal and yield identical diffusion coefficient results for a homogenous monomeric protein standard, ribonuclease A. However, different diffusion coefficients were observed for five insulin drug products measured using the two methods. DOSY-NMR yielded an averaged diffusion coefficient among fast exchanging insulin oligomers, ranging between dimer and hexamer in size. By contrast, DLS showed several distinct species, including dimer, hexamer, dodecamer and other aggregates. The heterogeneity or polydisperse nature of insulin oligomers in formulation caused DOSY-NMR and DLS results to differ from each other. DLS measurements provided more quality attributes and higher sensitivity to larger aggregates than DOSY-NMR. Nevertheless, each method was sensitive to a different range of particle sizes and complemented each other. The application of both methods increases the assurance of complex drug quality in this similarity comparison.     

In-use stability modeling

Experimental design and modeling of in-use stability testing are presented in this paper. In-use open container degradation is considered in terms of time open container or/and the number of instances that the same container is used. Degradation is estimated based on two models, the fixed and the general model. The fixed model estimates in-use degradation for those fixed time points of closed container where the in-used experimental data is collected. The general model estimates in-use degradation for any time point of closed container using the estimated relationship between closed container time and the degradation rate of open container. Data for in-use open container stability does not have to be collected at a closed container time of interest to estimate in-use degradation at this time point as long as this point is within the range of the experiment. Stability of the product in terms of drift from the initial time to the time of interest is calculated as the sum of closed and in-use open containers drifts.     

乙酰谷酰胺氯化钠注射液的稳定性研究

目的研究乙酰谷酰胺氯化钠注射液的稳定性,为其生产、包装、贮藏、运输条件提供科学依据,并建立有效期。方法根据《中国药典》药物稳定性指导原则及乙酰谷酰胺氯化钠注射液的质量标准,对本品进行了影响因素试验、加速试验及长期试验。结果本品在高温(40℃、60℃)、低温(4℃)、光照(4500lx)条件下,10d的各项指标与0d相比无明显变化;在加速试验条件下,6个月的各项指标与0个月相比无明显变化;在长期试验条件下,6个月的各项指标与0月时比较,均无明显变化。结论乙酰谷酰胺氯化钠注射液的稳定性较好,有效期可暂定为两年。     

Preformulation studies of Clostridium difficile toxoids A and B

To enhance the physical stability of Clostridium difficile toxoids A and B, screening for stabilizing compounds was performed. The screening of 30 GRAS compounds at various concentrations and in several combinations was performed in two parts. First, a high-throughput aggregation assay was used to screen for compounds which delayed or prevented aggregation of toxoids under stress conditions (toxoids at pH 5-5.5 were incubated at 55 degrees C for 55 or 75 min). Compounds which stabilized both proteins were further studied for their ability to delay unfolding under conditions leading to a presumably native-like folded state (pH 6.5). The thermal stability of the toxoids on the surface of Alhydrogel was monitored with DSC and also showed significant improvement in the presence of certain excipients. This study has generated information concerning the free and adjuvant bound toxoids behavior under a range of conditions (temperature, solutes) that can be used to design pharmaceutical formulations of enhanced physical stability.     

Recent Advances in Biologic Therapeutic N-Glycan Preparation Techniques and Analytical Methods for Facilitating Biomanufacturing Automation

N-glycosylation is a post-translational modification that occurs during the production of monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapeutics. During production of mAb based therapeutics the use of various hosts and cell culture additives attribute to glycan heterogeneity. The safety and efficacy of monoclonal antibodies with mechanism of actions that utilize Fc effector functions can be negatively impacted by glycan heterogeneity and thus is often considered a critical quality attribute (CQA). In this mini review, we discuss recent advances in mAb sample preparation specifically focused on denaturation, enzymatic processing, and released glycans derivatization methods. Additionally, we review the recent advances in characterization of released and intact N-glycans using chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, and mass spectrometry techniques with a focus on rapid, automated approaches that support analysis of glycosylation profiles of biopharmaceuticals. We delve into advances within sample preparation techniques that allow for rapid and robust sample preparation as well as how these techniques are being used for innovative at-line high-throughput screening and process analytical technology (PAT). The future of biomanufacturing is focused on decreasing process costs while increasing process understanding and quality for novel biologic candidates and biosimilars. Therefore, advances in PAT for biotherapeutics will positively influence current manufacturing practices and enable further bioprocess automation.     

Protein Stability After Administration: A Physiologic Consideration

Regulatory authorities and the scientific community have identified the need to monitor the in vivo stability of therapeutic proteins (TPs). Due to the unique physiologic conditions in patients, the stability of TPs after administration can deviate largely from their stability under drug product (DP) conditions. TPs can degrade at substantial rates once immersed in the in vivo milieu. Changes in protein stability upon administration to patients are critical as they can have implications on patient safety and clinical effectiveness of DPs.Physiologic conditions are challenging to simulate and require dedicated in vitro models for specific routes of administration. Advancements of in vitro models enable to simulate the exposure to physiologic conditions prior to resource demanding pre-clinical and clinical studies. This enables to evaluate the in vivo stability and thus may allow to improve the safety/efficacy profile of DPs. While in vitro-in vivo correlations are challenging, benchmarking DP candidates enables to identify liabilities and optimize molecules. The in vivo stability should be an integral part of holistic stability assessments during early development. Such assessments can accelerate development timelines and lead to more stable DPs for patients.     

Aggregation and Chemical Modification of Monoclonal Antibodies under Upstream Processing Conditions

Purpose

To investigate antibody stability and formation of modified species under upstream processing conditions.

Methods

The stability of 11 purified monoclonal human IgG1 and IgG4 antibodies, including an IgG1-based bispecific CrossMab, was compared in downscale mixing stress models. One of these molecules was further evaluated in realistic bioreactor stress models and in cell culture fermentations. Analytical techniques include size exclusion chromatography (SEC), turbidity measurements, cation exchange chromatography (cIEX), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).

Results

Sensitivity in downscale stress models varies among antibodies and results in formation of high molecular weight (HMW) aggregates. Stability is increased in cell culture medium and in bioreactors. Media components stabilizing the proteins were identified. Extensive chemical modifications were detected both in stress models as well as during production of antibodies in cell culture fermentations.

Conclusions

Protective compounds must be present in chemically defined fermentation media in order to stabilize antibodies against the formation of HMW aggregates. An increase in chemical modifications is detectable in bioreactor stress models and over the course of cell culture fermentations; this increase is dependent on the expression rate, pH, temperature and fermentation time. Consequently, product heterogeneity increases during upstream processing, and this compromises the product quality.     

盐酸安妥沙星注射液的稳定性试验

目的考察盐酸安妥沙星注射液的稳定性,为其生产、包装、贮藏、运输条件以及制订有效期提供科学依据。方法根据《药物稳定性研究技术指导原则》和盐酸安妥沙星注射液的质量标准,对该品进行影响因素试验、加速试验和长期试验。结果在影响因素试验、加速试验和长期试验条件下,样品的各项指标均无明显变化。结论盐酸安妥沙星注射液的稳定性较好,有效期可暂定为两年。     

Forced Degradation Studies,Elucidation of Degradation Pathways and Degradation Kinetics of Xylopic Acid via LC and LC-MS/MS Analyses

Stability studies of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) remain an essential quality requirement of the pharmaceutical industry. Stability data of an API could guide in the choice of its processing technique, packaging method and storage conditions. Here, we sought to determine the stability or otherwise of xylopic acid (XA) under various stress conditions as stipulated by the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH). XA is a diterpene kaurene isolate of the African spice, Xylopia aethiopica (Annonaceae) that is credited with diverse biological activities. XA was subjected to various stress conditions (hydrolytic, oxidative, photolytic and thermal) and its degradation products characterized. Seven degradation products were identified and tentatively characterized by LC-MS/MS analysis. The probable degradation pathways for the seven degradation products were then predicted. Using a simple and validated UHPLC-DAD method, the degradation kinetics of XA under the different stress conditions were comprehensively assessed. The degradation of XA under all the stress conditions followed the first order reaction kinetics. XA was found to be less stable in strongly acidic or strongly basic solutions as well as in an oxidizing agent (hydrogen peroxide). The stability of XA was also found to be pH- and temperature-dependent. Its stability was however not affected by UV-light irradiation.     

长春西汀注射液含量测定及长期稳定性研究

目的建立长春西汀注射液的含量测定方法并考察其长期稳定性,确保临床用药安全有效。方法取长春西汀注射液市售包装3个批次,根据注册批准的贮存条件贮存,分别于生产后第0,3,6,9,12,18和24个月末取样,测定长春西汀及有关物质的含量,对长春西汀注射液的长期稳定性做出评价。结果长春西汀注射液在规定的贮存条件下存放24个月,其含量测定及有关物质检测符合质量标准。结论该方法可用于长春西汀注射液的含量测定,在规定贮存条件下长春西汀注射液长期稳定性良好。     

Physical stabilization of Norwalk virus-like particles

Virus-like particles (VLPs) used as vaccine antigens often elicit strong immune responses due to their intrinsic repetitive, high-density display of epitopes, and the fact that the mammalian immune system is highly attuned to recognizing particles in the size range of viruses (20-150 nm). To retain these immunogenic qualities, vaccines that utilize virus-like particle (VLP) antigens should be formulated to stabilize both native conformational epitopes and the overall particulate nature of the VLP. This work describes a systematic approach for identifying potential stabilizers for formulation of Norwalk VLPs (NV-VLPs) in aqueous suspension. A number of excipients were screened for their ability to inhibit aggregation of NV-VLPs under conditions known to induce aggregation. Those compounds shown to inhibit aggregation were further evaluated under conditions of thermal stress and the NV-VLP structure was monitored using biophysical techniques such as CD, ANS fluorescence, and DSC to provide insight into the mechanisms by which stability was conferred. Increased thermal stability in the presence of chitosan glutamate, sucrose, and trehalose was correlated with stabilization of secondary and tertiary structural elements of NV-VLPs. These excipients may be useful for formulation of a stable NV-VLP vaccine.