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Nanocrystals have emerged as a potential formulation strategy to eliminate the bioavailability-related problems by enhancing the initial dissolution rate and moderately super-saturating the thermodynamic solubility. This review contains an in-depth knowledge of, the processing method for formulation, an accurate quantitative assessment of the solubility and dissolution rates and their correlation to observe pharmacokinetic data. Poor aqueous solubility is considered the major hurdle in the development of pharmaceutical compounds. Because of a lack of understanding with regard to the change in the thermodynamic and kinetic properties (i.e., solubility and dissolution rate) upon nanosizing, we critically reviewed the literatures for solubility determination to understand the significance and accuracy of the implemented analytical method. In the latter part, we reviewed reports that have quantitatively studied the effect of the particle size and the surface area change on the initial dissolution rate enhancement using alternative approaches besides the sink condition dissolution. The lack of an apparent relationship between the dissolution rate enhancement and the observed bioavailability are discussed by reviewing the reported in vivo data on animal models along with the particle size and food effect. The review will provide comprehensive information to the pharmaceutical scientist in the area of nanoparticulate drug delivery. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
Intratumoral delivery of chemotherapeutic agents may provide drug localization within the tumor and divert the drug from nontarget organs to improve toxicity and increase efficacy. Thermosensitive injectable hydrogel system may be suitable for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. A study was carried out to examine the efficacy and toxicity of paclitaxel (PTX) liposome gel as a local chemotherapy system against pancreatic cancer in tumor-bearing mice model. The thermosensitive hydrogel we prepared had an appropriate sol-to-gel transition temperature and particle size and morphology study showed this new dosage form possessed physical stability of drug without precipitation and particle size growth of liposome. PTX-lip-gel release in vitro showed a much more slowly release than PTX-lip. The PTX-lip-gel system was proven to have a good retention inside of tumor tissue by intratumoral retention experiments. The in vivo trials showed a better balance between antitumor efficacy and systemic safety in PTX-lip-gel group than in other groups at the equal drug dose. In conclusion, the PTX-lip-gel we prepared in this study provided a high local PTX concentration, sustained and stable drug release, extend drug retention inside of tumor, and low toxicity to normal tissues. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
In this study, curcumin and/or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were encapsulated in Thai silk fibroin/gelatin (SF/G) sponges, prepared at different blending ratios, aimed to be applied as a controlled release system for localized cancer therapy. The SF/G sponges were fabricated by freeze-drying and glutaraldehyde cross-linking techniques. Physicochemical properties of the SF/G sponges were characterized. Then, curcumin and/or DHA were loaded in the sponges by physical adsorption. The encapsulation efficiency and the in vitro release of curcumin and/or DHA from the sponges were evaluated. SF/G sponges could encapsulate curcumin and/or DHA at high encapsulation efficiency. The highly cross-linked and slowly degrading SF/G (50/50) sponge released curcumin and/or DHA at the slowest rate. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the sponges against noncancer cells (L929 mouse fibroblast) and anticancer of curcumin and/or DHA released from the sponges against cervical cancer cells (CaSki) were tested. All sponges were not toxic to L929 mouse fibroblast. The mixed curcumin–DHA at the ratio of 1:4 had the highest inhibiting effect on the growth of CaSki, comparing with the release of curcumin or DHA alone. SF/G sponges could be a potential carrier for dual release of curcumin and DHA for anticancer effect. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
Amylose complexes with nimesulide (NMS) and praziquantel (PZQ) were prepared by a simple and low cost method, so that high yield (>57%) and drug content (up to 68.16%) were achieved. The influence of drug:polymer ratio, temperature, and presence of palmitic acid on the complexes properties was evaluated. Differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and nuclear magnetic resonance data evidenced the drug–polymer interaction and the formation of inclusion complexes with semi-crystalline structures related to type II complexes. The drug release rates from complexes were lowered in acid media (pH 1.2) and phosphate buffer (pH 6.9). The presence of pancreatin promoted a significant acceleration of the release rates of both drugs, evidencing the enzymatic degradability of these complexes. The highest enzymatic resistance of PZQ1:30PA60°C complex makes the release time longer and the full release of PZQ in phosphate buffer with pancreatin occurred at 240 min, whereas the complexes with NMS and PZQ1:5PA90°C did it in 60 min. According to the Weibull model, the drug release process in media without enzyme occurred by complex mechanisms involving diffusion, swelling, and erosion. In media containing pancreatin, generally, the better correlation was with the first order, evidencing the acceleration of the release rates of drugs in the early stages of the test, due to enzymatic degradation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
A lack of reliable analytical methods has hindered the quantification of submicron protein aggregates and a detailed understanding of their formation kinetics. In this study, a simple asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) method with good size selectivity (>0.5) is used to investigate nanometer (<0.1 μm) and submicron (0.1–1 μm) aggregates of heat-stressed anti-streptavidin (anti-SA) IgG1. The Lumry–Eyring nucleated polymerization (LENP) model for non-native protein aggregation is fit to the AF4 data, and kinetic analysis shows that aggregates are formed via slow nucleation and aggregate condensation at long stress times. Comparison of centrifuged and uncentrifuged heat-stressed anti-SA IgG1 AF4 results show the removal of high molar mass submicron aggregates and large material (>20 μm) and suggests that centrifugation may influence the aggregation kinetics. Furthermore, qualitative LENP model analysis of centrifuged and uncentrifuged samples suggests that significant aggregate–aggregate condensation occurs even at early stress times and highlights the potential of AF4 to determine aggregation kinetics for species greater than 1 μm. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
This study explored the ability to conduct primary drying during lyophilization at product temperatures above the glass transition temperature of the maximally freeze-concentrated solution (Tg′) in amorphous formulations for four proteins from three different classes. Drying above Tg′ resulted in significant reductions in lyophilization cycle time. At higher protein concentrations, formulations freeze dried above Tg′ but below the collapse temperature yielded pharmaceutically acceptable cakes. However, using an immunoglobulin G type 4 monoclonal antibody as an example, we found that as protein concentration decreased, minor extents of collapse were observed in formulations dried at higher temperatures. No other impacts to product quality, physical stability, or chemical stability were observed in this study among the different drying conditions for the different proteins. Drying amorphous formulations above Tg′, particularly high protein concentration formulations, is a viable means to achieve significant time and cost savings in freeze-drying processes. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
Localized drug delivery strategies for cancer therapy have been introduced for decades as a means of increasing drug concentration at tumor target site and minimizing systemic toxicities. In this paper, a combination of microspheres (MSs) and sucrose acetate isobutyrate (SAIB) in situ-forming implants (ISFIs) was evaluated for improving antitumor efficacy via intratumoral injection. Monodispersed cucurbitacin (Cuc)-loaded Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) MSs with mean diameter of about 5 μm were fabricated by Shirasu porous Glass (SPG) membrane emulsification technique, and their properties were investigated. The in vitro drug release pattern, antimelanoma efficiency, and drug distribution in tumor of three different intratumoral injection systems, that is, MSs, SAIB ISFIs, and combination of MSs and SAIB ISFIs (SAIB-MSs), was investigated. The Cuc-loaded MSs prepared by PLGA (LA/GA = 50:50, inherent viscosity = 0.87 dL/g), has an appropriate release pattern with lower initial burst and delayed drug release. SAIB-MSs have a much slower drug release rate than that of MSs or SAIB ISFIs. SAIB-MSs showed the best antitumor efficacy in melanoma-bearing mice model, and the results of drug distribution in tumor revealed that the incorporation MSs in SAIB solution obviously extended the residence of drug in tumor. The low Cuc concentration in tumor periphery region after intratumoral administration of SAIB-MSs demonstrated poor drug penetration of this system. For further improving the antitumor efficacy of intratumoral chemotherapy, elegant designing to carriers with both extended residency and wide drug distribution in tumor is needed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
Chronic morphine regimen increases P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer-resistance protein (Bcrp) expressions at the rat blood–brain barrier (BBB) but what drives this effect is poorly understood. The objective of this study is to assess subchronic continuous morphine infusion and naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal effects on P-gp/Bcrp contents and activities at the rat BBB. Rats were treated either with (i) a continuous i.v. morphine for 120 h, (ii) escalating morphine dosing (10–40 mg/kg, i.p., 5 days), (iii) a chronic morphine regimen (10 mg/kg s.c., 5 days) followed by a withdrawal period (2 days) and treatment for 3 additional days. Animal behavior was assessed after naloxone-precipitated withdrawal (1 mg/kg, s.c.). P-gp/Bcrp expressions and activities were determined in brain microvessels by qRT-PCR, Western blot, UHPLC–MS/MS, and in situ brain perfusion of P-gp or Bcrp substrates. Results show continuous i.v. morphine did not change P-gp/Bcrp protein levels in rat brain microvessels, whereas naloxone-precipitated withdrawal after escalating or chronic morphine dose regimen increased Mdr1a and Bcrp mRNA levels by 1.4-fold and 2.4-fold, respectively. Conversely, P-gp/Bcrp protein expressions remained unchanged after naloxone administration, and brain uptake of [3H]-verapamil (P-gp) and [3H]-mitoxantrone (Bcrp) was not altered. The study concludes subchronic morphine infusion and naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal have poor effect on P-gp/Bcrp levels at the rat BBB. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
Brain microdialysis is a powerful tool to estimate brain-to-plasma unbound concentration ratio at the steady state (Kp,uu) of compounds by direct measurement of the unbound concentration in brain interstitial fluid. Here, we evaluated a method to estimate Kp,uu values of multiple organic–cationic drugs simultaneously, by means of brain microdialysis combined with cocktail dosing. Five cationic drugs (diphenhydramine, memantine, oxycodone, pyrilamine, and tramadol), substrates of the proton-coupled organic cation antiport system, were selected as model drugs, and compared under single-dosing and cocktail-dosing conditions. We selected doses of the drugs at which no significant drug–drug interaction occurs at the proton-coupled organic cation antiport system in the blood–brain barrier (BBB). This was confirmed by uptake studies in hCMEC/D3 cells, an in vitro BBB model. The Kp,uu values after cocktail administration were in the range of 1.8–5.2, and were in good agreement with those after single administration. These results suggest that the microdialysis method with cocktail dosing is suitable to estimate Kp,uu values of several cationic drugs simultaneously, if there is no drug–drug interaction during BBB transport. The method could be useful for evaluating drug candidates with high Kp,uu values at an early stage in the development of central nervous system-acting drugs. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
Small-interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated gene silencing with the aid of chitosan (CS)-based carriers has shown efficient and reliable outcome in vitro, but the gene silencing efficiency in vivo is still limited. It is of great importance to balance the protection and release of siRNA from nanoparticles (NPs) so as to achieve high efficiency. However, siRNA release profile from CS/siRNA NPs has been rarely concerned. Here, Förster resonance energy transfer technique was adopted for in vitro investigation of siRNA release from CS NPs in lysozyme-contained buffer. The results clearly showed that siRNA molecules experienced a fast and short release phase under lysozyme competition to both CS and siRNA, and then a slow and long release under lysozyme degradation on CS. Moreover, lysozyme competition played more important role than enzymolysis on trigging siRNA release. This preliminary study of siRNA release is the first step to get insight of in vivo siRNA release mechanism from CS/siRNA NPs, which will be helpful to adjust the design of CS/siRNA NPs for balancing the protection and release of siRNA molecules. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
We examined the extent of skin permeation enhancement of the hydrophilic drug caffeine and lipophilic drug naproxen applied in nanoemulsions incorporating skin penetration enhancers. Infinite doses of fully characterized oil-in-water nanoemulsions containing the skin penetration enhancers oleic acid or eucalyptol as oil phases and caffeine (3%) or naproxen (2%) were applied to human epidermal membranes in Franz diffusion cells, along with aqueous control solutions. Caffeine and naproxen fluxes were determined over 8 h. Solute solubility in the formulations and in the stratum corneum (SC), as well as the uptake of product components into the SC were measured. The nanoemulsions significantly enhanced the skin penetration of caffeine and naproxen, compared to aqueous control solutions. Caffeine maximum flux enhancement was associated with a synergistic increase in both caffeine SC solubility and skin diffusivity, whereas a formulation-increased solubility in the SC was the dominant determinant for increased naproxen fluxes. Enhancements in SC solubility were related to the uptake of the formulation excipients containing the active compounds into the SC. Enhanced skin penetration in these systems is largely driven by uptake of formulation excipients containing the active compounds into the SC with impacts on SC solubility and diffusivity. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
Degradation reactions on diclofenac-monoglycerides (3a,b), diclofenac-(p-hydroxybenzoate)-2-monoglyceride (3c), diclofenac (1), and diclofenac lactam (4) were performed at 37°C in isotonic buffer solutions (apparent pH range 1–8) containing varying concentrations of acetonitrile (ACN). The concentration remaining of each analyte was measured versus time. Diclofenac-monoglycerides and diclofenac-(p-hydroxybenzoate)-2-monoglyceride (3c) were both found to undergo facile and complete hydrolysis in pH 7.4 isotonic phosphate buffer/10% ACN. Under mildly acidic, neutral or alkaline conditions, diclofenac-(p-hydroxybenzoate)-2-monoglyceride (3c) had the fastest hydrolysis rate (t1/2 = 3.23 h at pH 7.4), with simultaneous formation of diclofenac lactam (4) and diclofenac (1). Diclofenac-monoglycerides (3a,b) hydrolyzed more slowly under the same conditions, to again yield both diclofenac (1) and diclofenac lactam (4). There was also transesterification of diclofenac-2-monoglyceride (3b) to its regioisomer, diclofenac-1-monoglyceride (3a) across the pH range. Diclofenac was shown to be stable in neutral or alkaline conditions but cyclized to form the lactam (4) in acidic conditions. Conversely, the lactam (4) was stable under acidic conditions but was converted to an unknown species under alkaline or neutral conditions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
The triglyceride (TG) mimetic prodrug (1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-mycophenoloyl glycerol, 2-MPA-TG) biochemically integrates into intestinal lipid transport and lipoprotein assembly pathways and thereby promotes the delivery of mycophenolic acid (MPA) into the lymphatic system. As lipoprotein (LP) formation occurs constitutively, even in the fasted state, the current study aimed to determine whether lymphatic transport of 2-MPA-TG was dependent on coadministered exogenous lipid. In vitro incubation of the prodrug with rat digestive fluid and in situ intestinal perfusion experiments revealed that hydrolysis and absorption of the prodrug were relatively unaffected by the quantity of lipid in formulations. In vivo studies in rats, however, showed that the lymphatic transport of TG and 2-MPA-TG was significantly higher following administration with higher quantities of lipid and that oleic acid (C18:1) was more effective in promoting prodrug transport than lipids with higher degrees of unsaturation. The recovery of 2-MPA-TG and TG in lymph correlated strongly (R2 = 0.99) and more than 97% of the prodrug was associated with chylomicrons. Inhibition of LP assembly by Pluronic L81 simultaneously inhibited the lymphatic transport of 2-MPA-TG and TG. In conclusion, although the TG mimetic prodrug effectively incorporates into TG resynthetic pathways, lipid coadministration is still required to support efficient lymphatic transport. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
Oral bioavailability studies during the development of new medical entities or generic drugs are typically performed in healthy volunteers. Approved drug products are, however, used by patients with diverse disease backgrounds, and by pediatric and elderly patients. To provide the knowledge base for assessing the potential effects of age or co-morbidity on the in vivo performance of an orally absorbed, systemically active drug product, the literature regarding the gastrointestinal (GI) physiological characteristics (pH, permeability, and transit time) in children, in the elderly, and in patients with GI diseases (irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease) is reviewed herein, with the knowledge gaps highlighted. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA J Pharm Sci]]>
In this study, a method proposed to predict drug–polymer miscibility from differential scanning calorimetry measurements was subjected to statistical analysis. The method is relatively fast and inexpensive and has gained popularity as a result of the increasing interest in the formulation of drugs as amorphous solid dispersions. However, it does not include a standard statistical assessment of the experimental uncertainty by means of a confidence interval. In addition, it applies a routine mathematical operation known as "transformation to linearity", which previously has been shown to be subject to a substantial bias. The statistical analysis performed in this present study revealed that the mathematical procedure associated with the method is not only biased, but also too uncertain to predict drug–polymer miscibility at room temperature. Consequently, the statistical inference based on the mathematical procedure is problematic and may foster uncritical and misguiding interpretations. From a statistical perspective, the drug–polymer miscibility prediction should instead be examined by deriving an objective function, which results in the unbiased, minimum variance properties of the least-square estimator as provided in this study. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
We aimed to develop lecithin-based nanoemulsions intended for effective aceclofenac (ACF) skin delivery utilizing sucrose esters [sucrose palmitate (SP) and sucrose stearate (SS)] as additional stabilizers and penetration enhancers. To find the suitable surfactant mixtures and levels of process variables (homogenization pressure and number of cycles—high pressure homogenization manufacturing method) that result in drug-loaded nanoemulsions with minimal droplet size and narrow size distribution, a combined mixture-process experimental design was employed. Based on optimization data, selected nanoemulsions were evaluated regarding morphology, surface charge, drug–excipient interactions, physical stability, and in vivo skin performances (skin penetration and irritation potential). The predicted physicochemical properties and storage stability were proved satisfying for ACF-loaded nanoemulsions containing 2% of SP in the blend with 0%–1% of SS and 1%–2% of egg lecithin (produced at 50°C/20 cycles/800 bar). Additionally, the in vivo tape stripping demonstrated superior ACF skin absorption from these nanoemulsions, particularly from those containing 2% of SP, 0.5% of SS, and 1.5% of egg lecithin, when comparing with the sample costabilized by conventional surfactant—polysorbate 80. In summary, the combined mixture-process experimental design was shown as a feasible tool for formulation development of multisurfactant-based nanosized delivery systems with potentially improved overall product performances. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
Mitochondria in human cancer cells have been implicated in cancer cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and even drug-resistance mechanisms, making them a potential target organelle for the treatment of human malignancies. Gentamicin (GM), an aminoglycoside drug (AG), is a small molecule that functions as an antibiotic and has ototoxic and nephrotoxic characteristics. Thus, the delivery of GM to mitochondria in cancer cells would be an innovative anticancer therapeutic strategy. In this study, we attempted mitochondrial delivery of GM in HeLa cells derived from a human cervical cancer. For the mitochondrial delivery, we used MITO-Porter, a liposomal nanocarrier for mitochondrial delivery via membrane fusion. We first encapsulated GM in the aqueous phase of the carrier to construct GM–MITO-Porter. Flow cytometry analysis and fluorescent microscopy observations permitted us to confirm that the GM–MITO-Porter was efficiently taken up by HeLa cells and accumulated in mitochondria, whereas naked GM was not taken up by the cells. Moreover, cell viability assays using HeLa cells showed that the GM–MITO-Porter induced strong cytotoxic effects related to mitochondrial disorder. This finding is the first report of the mitochondrial delivery of an AG to cancer cells for cancer therapeutic strategy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
Attachment of a chain of poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) to a therapeutic protein, a process widely known as PEGylation, can lead to several beneficial effects. It has the potential to significantly delay aggregation of the protein by steric shielding, a frequently encountered issue in the development of protein drugs. Moreover, it can modify the pharmacokinetic profile of the PEGylated protein by delaying renal excretion, leading to a longer half-life (t1/2) of the drug. By steric hindrance, it can also inhibit interactions between the protein drug and proteases as well as the host immune system, thereby inhibiting inactivation of the PEGylated protein and also attenuating its immunogenicity. Unfortunately, the effect of steric hindrance also applies to protein drug–target interaction, leading to a (partial) loss of efficacy. In order to avoid this undesirable effect, several efforts have been made to link PEG to a protein in a noncovalent way, providing the protein with several of the beneficial effects of PEGylation while also taking advantage of its native affinity to its target. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
To investigate the effect of calcium ions on the disintegration of enteric-coated dosage forms, disintegration testing was performed on enteric-coated aspirin tablets in the presence and absence of calcium in the test media. The results show that the presence of calcium ions retards the disintegration of enteric-coated dosage forms. This finding, which has not been reported in scientific literature, sheds light on the importance of conducting well-designed detailed investigations into the potential of calcium from dietary sources, calcium supplements, antacids, and/or phosphate binders affecting the absorption of drugs formulated into enteric-coated dosage forms. Moreover, it shows the necessity to investigate the potential of the occurrence of additional nutrient–excipient interactions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
The present study aimed to clarify the mechanism of photodegradation of famotidine with riboflavin (FMT/RF), and to develop a photochemically stabilized formulation of FMT/RF. Photochemical properties of RF were characterized by UV–VIS spectral analysis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay, and photostability testing. Pharmacokinetic study was conducted in rats after intravenous administration of FMT (1 mg/kg) formulation containing RF (0.01 mg/kg). The UV–VIS spectral pattern of RF partly overlapped with the sunlight spectrum, and ROS generation from photoirradiated RF was remarkable; thus, RF had high photoreactive potential. In the photostability testing, after irradiation (250 W/m2), degradation rate for FMT in FMT/RF was ca. 11-fold higher than that in FMT alone. The addition of radical scavengers to FMT/RF led to attenuated photodegradation of FMT/RF; in particular, the addition of l-ascorbic acid (vitamin C; VC) to FMT/RF showed ca. 86% inhibition of the photodegradation of FMT/RF. The pharmacokinetic study on FMT indicated that the addition of VC (1 mg/kg) to FMT/RF had no significant impact on the pharmacokinetic behavior of FMT. These findings suggest that ROS-mediated photochemical reaction would be involved in the photodegradation pathway of FMT/RF, and the complementary use of VC might be an attractive approach to improve the photostability of FMT/RF. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
The purpose of this study was to explore gastrointestinal dissolution, supersaturation and precipitation of the weakly basic drug posaconazole in humans, and to assess the impact of formulation pH and type on these processes. In a cross-over study, two posaconazole suspensions (40 mg dispersed in 240 mL water at pH 1.6 and pH 7.1, respectively) were intragastrically administered; subsequently, gastric and duodenal fluids were aspirated. In parallel, blood samples were collected. Additionally, posaconazole was intragastrically administered as a solution (20 mg in 240 mL water, pH 1.6). When posaconazole was administered as an acidified suspension, supersaturated duodenal concentrations of posaconazole were observed for approximately 45 min. However, extensive intestinal precipitation was observed. Administration of the neutral suspension resulted in subsaturated concentrations with a mean duodenal AUC0–120 min and Cmax being approximately twofold lower than for the acidified suspension. The mean plasma AUC0–8 h of posaconazole was also twofold higher following administration of the acidified suspension. Similar to the acidified suspension, significant intestinal precipitation (up to 92%) was observed following intragastric administration of the posaconazole solution. This study demonstrated for the first time the gastrointestinal behavior of a weakly basic drug administered in different conditions, and its impact on systemic exposure. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
The dosing of drugs as aqueous cyclodextrin formulation requires sufficient amount of cyclodextrins to fully solubilize the drug, as described by Stella's cyclodextrin utility number (UCD). However, this framework does not take biopharmaceutical elements into account, such as the displacement of drug from the cyclodextrin cavity by bile salts present in the small intestine. As bile salts in the intestine are present at concentrations above the critical micelle concentration, an understanding of the interaction between cyclodextrins and bile salts at such supramicellar concentrations (SMC) is required for a better biopharmaceutical understanding of the release mechanism from orally dosed cyclodextrin complexes. To address this, experiments were conducted by isothermal titration calorimetry to determine how various β-cyclodextrins and bile salt interacts at SMC. Combined analysis of the current results and earlier data demonstrated that direct interactions between bile salt micelles and cyclodextrin were negligible. From this knowledge, an extended form of the UCD was suggested to describe the concentration of cyclodextrins to achieve full drug solubilization in the intestine where bile salts are present. Dosing cyclodextrins above this limit will diminish the free drug concentration, potentially decreasing the amount of drug absorbed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
Oxidation of methionine residues is one of the well-known deteriorations in monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapeutics. Because methionine oxidation may affect their efficacy and pharmacokinetic profile, oxidation levels should be strictly controlled during their storage period. In this study, we revealed that when a therapeutic antibody was filled into a cyclo olefin polymer-based syringe and stored in a blister pack with an oxygen absorber, the methionine oxidation production under thermal or light stress was suppressed because of the reduction in the concentration of dissolved oxygen. Also unexpectedly, fewer amounts of the high-molecular-weight species and the acidic variants of the antibody were generated under thermal or light stress. Although the high-molecular-weight species contains methionine oxidants at similar levels to those in a monomer species, they were likely to be constituted from a higher amount of the oxidative species of internal disulfide linkage, tyrosine, or histidine. Because the dissolved oxygen could be readily removed from the mAb solution in the polymer-based syringe owing to its high gas permeability, this study shows the advantages of the polymer-based syringe with an oxygen absorber over glass syringes in terms of the suppression of the methionine oxidation and oxidative high molecular species. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
Given the complexity of controlled release (CR) formulations, selecting the right preclinical tools is important to enable decision making on the in vivo performance of these formulations during development. In recent years, with the advancements of absorption/physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling, such computational approaches play an increasing role in guiding formulation development. Development of PBPK models for CR formulations requires additional information compared with immediate release (IR) products. Perhaps the most important aspect is the need to simulate absorption in the lower intestine. Relatively few publications have investigated the use of PBPK models for compounds with region-dependent absorption. In this manuscript, we use gaboxadol as a model compound with region-dependent absorption. We first explored gaboxadol regional absorption in dogs to develop a PBPK model for absorption in the large intestine. Two matrix-based CR formulations were subsequently developed and tested in minipigs and demonstrated distinctly different pharmacokinetic profiles from the IR formulation. A minipig absorption PBPK model successfully predicted the observed plasma concentration data, with the predictions based on the in vitro dissolution being within the observed experimental variability. Finally, we demonstrate the development of an in vitro–in vivo correlation for the preclinical data using the same PBPK model. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
Nitric oxide (NO), an endogenous gas that plays a versatile role in the physiological system, has the ability to increase the intestinal absorption of water-soluble compounds through the paracellular route. However, it remains unclear whether NO can enhance the absorption of hydrophobic drugs through the transcellular route. In this study, we examined the absorption-enhancing effect of NO on intestinal permeability of hydrophobic drugs in rat intestine. The pretreatment of rat gastrointestinal sacs with NOC7, a NO-releasing reagent, significantly increased the permeation of griseofulvin from mucosa to serosa in the sacs prepared from the duodenum, but not in those prepared from the other regions such as jejunum, ileum, and colon. The absorption-enhancing effect of NOC7 on the duodenal permeation varied depending on the hydrophobicity of the drugs used. Furthermore, NOC7 treatment was found to be apparently ineffective on the griseofulvin permeation in the duodenum pretreated with dithiothreitol (DTT) that was used as a mucus remover, even though the permeation was increased by pretreatment with DTT alone. These results suggest that NO increases the absorption of hydrophobic drugs through the transcellular route in the duodenum by modulating the mucus layer function. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
The expression of carboxylesterase (CES) and the transdermal movement of an ester prodrug were studied in rat skin. Ethyl-fexofenadine (ethyl-FXD) was used as a model lipophilic prodrug that is slowly hydrolyzed to its parent drug, FXD (MW 502). Among the CES1 and CES2 isozymes, Hydrolase A is predominant in rat skin and this enzyme was involved in 65% of the cutaneous hydrolysis of ethyl-FXD. The similarity of the permeation behavior of ethyl-FXD in full thickness and stripped skin indicated that the stratum corneum was not a barrier to penetration. However, only FXD was observed in receptor fluid, not ethyl-FXD, presumably because of the high degree of binding of ethyl-FXD in viable skin. The rate of hydrolysis of ethyl-FXD was much faster than steady-state flux, such that the influx rate was the rate-limiting process for transdermal permeation. Although Hydrolase A levels gradually increased in skin taken from rats aged from 8 to 90 weeks, variations in the expression levels of the esterase hardly affected the conversion of prodrug. The present data suggest that the slow hydrolysis of the prodrug of an active ingredient in viable skin followed by slow diffusion of active drug may provide a useful approach to topical application. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
Understanding how transporters contribute to the distribution of inhaled drugs in the lung is important for the discovery and development of such drugs. Protein expression levels may be useful to predict and understand drug distribution. As previously reported, organic cation/carnitine transporter 1 (OCTN1) and multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1) have higher levels of protein expression among transporters in primary cultured human lung cells. Nevertheless, it is unclear to what extent transport activity correlates with transporter protein expression. The purpose is to evaluate whether differences in OCTN1 and MRP1 protein expression govern the respective transport activity in primary cultured human lung cells. The model substrates of 4-[4-(dimethylamino) styryl]-N-methylpyridinium iodide (ASP+) and carboxy-dichlorofluorescein (CDF) for OCTN1 and MRP1, respectively, were used in the lung cells from five donors. Significant correlation was found between the kinetic parameter Vmax for ASP+ and OCTN1 protein expression in plasma membrane of tracheal, bronchial, and alveolar cells (r2 = 0.965, 0.834, and 0.877, respectively), and between the efflux of CDF and MRP1 protein expression in plasma membrane of tracheal, bronchial, and alveolar cells (r2 = 0.800, 0.904, and 0.790, respectively). These findings suggest that OCTN1 and MRP1 protein concentrations are determinants for drug distribution in the lung. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
Chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) are widely used to treat malaria and inflammatory diseases, long-term usage of which often causes severe side effects, especially retinopathy. Solute carrier transporters (SLCs) are important proteins responsible for the cellular uptake of endogenous and exogenous substances. Inhibitors competing with transporter substrates for SLCs often results in unfavorable toxicities and unsatisfactory therapeutic outcomes. We investigated the inhibitory effect of CQ and HCQ on substrate uptake mediated through a range of important SLC transporters in overexpressing human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells. Our data revealed that both CQ and HCQ potently inhibit the uptake activity of organic anion transporting polypeptide 1A2 (OATP1A2). We recently reported OATP1A2 to be expressed in human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), where it mediates cellular uptake of all-trans-retinol (atROL), a key step in the classical visual cycle. In this study, we demonstrate that CQ and HCQ could markedly impair atROL uptake in OATP1A2-expressing HEK293 cells and more importantly, in primary human RPE cells. Our study shows that CQ and HCQ are novel inhibitors of OATP1A2 and significantly impair OATP1A2-mediated substrate uptake, particularly transport of atROL into the RPE. This effect may compromise the function of the classic visual cycle leading to vision impairment and contribute to the retinopathy observed clinically in patients using CQ or HCQ.]]>
The purpose of this work was to probe the rate and mechanism of rapid decarboxylation of pyruvic acid in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to acetic acid and carbon dioxide over the pH range 2–9 at 25°C, utilizing UV spectrophotometry, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (1H, 13C-NMR). Changes in UV absorbance at 220 nm were used to determine the kinetics as the reaction was too fast to follow by HPLC or NMR in much of the pH range. The rate constants for the reaction were determined in the presence of molar excess of H2O2 resulting in pseudo first-order kinetics. No buffer catalysis was observed. The calculated second-order rate constants for the reaction followed a sigmoidal shape with pH-independent regions below pH 3 and above pH 7 but increased between pH 4 and 6. Between pH 4 and 9, the results were in agreement with a change from rate-determining nucleophilic attack of the deprotonated peroxide species, HOO−, on the α-carbonyl group followed by rapid decarboxylation at pH values below 6 to rate-determining decarboxylation above pH 7. The addition of H2O2 to ethyl pyruvate was also characterized. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
In small amounts, the low molecular weight excipients—sorbitol and glycerol—have been shown to stabilize lyophilized sucrose-based protein formulations. The purpose of this study was to explore the use of amino acids as low molecular weight excipients to similarly enhance stability. Model proteins, recombinant human serum albumin and α-chymotrypsin, were formulated with sucrose in combination with one of 15 amino acid additives. Each formulation was lyophilized at 1:1:0.3 (w/w) protein–sucrose–amino acid. Percent total soluble aggregate was measured by size-exclusion chromatography before and after storage at 50°C for 2 months. Classical thought might suggest that the addition of the amino acids to the sucrose–protein formulations would be destabilizing because of a decrease in the system's glass transition temperature. However, significant improvement in storage stability was observed for almost all formulations at the ratio of amino acid used. Weak correlations were found between the extent of stabilization and both amino acid molar volume and side-chain charge. The addition of amino acids at a modest level generally improves storage stability, often by more than a 50% increase, for lyophilized sucrose-based protein formulations. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
This study aimed to investigate the gastrointestinal supersaturation and precipitation behavior of a weakly acidic Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) Class II drug in healthy volunteers. For this purpose, a tablet containing 50 mg diclofenac potassium (Cataflam®) was predissolved in 240 mL of water and this solution was subsequently orally administered to five healthy volunteers under fasted and fed state conditions with or without concomitant use of a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) (40 mg esomeprazole, Nexiam®). Subsequently, total diclofenac content and dissolved intraluminal drug concentrations as well as drug thermodynamic solubility were determined in gastrointestinal aspirates. In all volunteers, gastric supersaturation resulted in precipitation of diclofenac in the stomach. The extent of precipitation correlated well with gastric pH (r = − 0.78). pH dependency of precipitation was corroborated by the absence of precipitate in the stomach after coadministration of a meal and/or a PPI. Diclofenac was found to be fully dissolved in the duodenum in all test conditions. It can be concluded that substantial pH-dependent gastric precipitation of a weakly acidic BCS Class II drug administered as a solution occurs in humans. With regard to its implications for intestinal absorption, results suggest the instantaneous redissolution of gastric drug precipitate upon transfer to the duodenum. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
The objective was to assess the impact of larger than conventional amounts of 14 commonly used excipients on Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) class 3 drug absorption in humans. Cimetidine and acyclovir were used as model class 3 drugs across three separate four-way crossover bioequivalence (BE) studies (n = 24 each) in healthy human volunteers, denoted as study 1A, 1B, and 2. In study 1A and 1B, three capsule formulations of each drug were manufactured, collectively involving 14 common excipients. Capsule formulations that incorporated hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) or magnesium stearate exhibited lower absorption. The cimetidine commercial solution contained sorbitol and also resulted in lower absorption. Hence, in study 2, two capsule formulations with lower amounts of HPMC and magnesium stearate, the sorbitol-containing commercial solution, and a sorbitol-free solution were assessed for BE. Overall, 12 common excipients were found in large amounts to not impact BCS class 3 drug absorption in humans, such that these excipients need not be qualitatively the same nor quantitatively very similar to reference, but rather simply be not more than the quantities studied here. Meanwhile, for each HPMC and microcrystalline cellulose, BCS class 3 biowaivers require these two excipients to be qualitatively the same and quantitatively very similar to the reference. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
The experiments of carvedilol form II, form III and hydrate by 13C and 15N cross-polarization magic-angle spinning (CP MAS) are reported. The GIPAW (gauge-including projector-augmented wave) method from DFT (density functional theory) calculations was used to simulate 13C and 15N chemical shifts. A very good agreement was found for the comparison between the global results of experimental and calculated nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts for carvedilol polymorphs. This work aims a comprehensive understanding of carvedilol crystalline forms employing solution and solid-state NMR as well as DFT calculations. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
The purpose of the present study was to determine the absolute protein expression levels of various transporters in renal brush-border membrane (BBM) and basolateral membrane (BLM) fractions, in order to understand the quantitative differences in average transport activities among different transporters at each cellular membrane. BBM and BLM fractions of rat kidney were prepared and digested with trypsin, and simultaneous absolute quantification of 28 transporters and a BLM marker, Na+/K+-ATPase, was performed using our established quantitative-targeted absolute proteomics (QTAP) technique. In BBM fraction, the protein expression levels of bcrp, urat1, mate1, octl1, mrp4, mdr1a, and abca3 were 40.3, 22.2, 8.90, 4.85, 4.69, 3.22, and 0.976 fmol/μg protein, respectively. In BLM fraction, the protein expression levels of oat1, oat3, oct1, mrp6, and mrp1 were 10.6, 10.2, 4.59, 0.724, and 0.271 fmol/μg protein, respectively. The expression levels of abca2, abca4, abca5, abca12, abcb4, mrp5, abcc9, abcg1, abcg5, lat1, ntcp, pgt, oatp2b1, oatp1b2, oatp3a1, and oct3 were under the limit of quantification in both fractions. The quantitative transporter protein expression profiles at these membranes, as determined by QTAP analysis, should be helpful to understand the contributions of individual transporters to renal excretion of xenobiotics and endogenous compounds. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
In situ lipolysis and synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) were used to directly detect and elucidate the solid-state form of precipitated fenofibrate from the digestion of a model lipid-based formulation (LBF). This method was developed in light of recent findings that indicate variability in solid-state form upon the precipitation of some drugs during the digestion of LBFs, addressing the need to establish a real-time technique that enables solid-state analysis during in vitro digestion. In addition, an ex situ method was also used to analyse the pellet phase formed during an in vitro lipolysis experiment at various time points for the presence of crystalline drug. Fenofibrate was shown to precipitate in its thermodynamically stable crystalline form upon digestion of the medium-chain LBF, and an increase in scattering intensity over time corresponded well to an increase in concentration of precipitated fenofibrate quantified from the pellet phase using high-performance liquid chromatography. Crossed polarised light microscopy served as a secondary technique confirming the crystallinity of the precipitated fenofibrate. Future application of in situ lipolysis and SAXS may focus on drugs, and experimental conditions, which are anticipated to produce altered solid-state forms upon the precipitation of drug (i.e., polymorphs, amorphous forms, and salts). © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
The pentaethyl ester prodrug of the chelating agent diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) referred to as C2E5 is being developed as an orally bioavailable radionuclide decorporation agent. The predicted human efficacy obtained in these experimental animals is confounded by interspecies variations of metabolism. Therefore, in the present study, carboxylesterase-mediated metabolism of [14C]-C2E5 was compared in the S9 intestinal and hepatic fractions of human, dog, and rat and their respective plasma. Intestinal hydrolysis of C2E5, resulting in the formation of the tetraethyl ester of DTPA (C2E4), was only detected in human and rat. The primary metabolite in human and dog hepatic fractions was C2E4, whereas the predominant species identified in rat hepatic fractions was the triethyl ester (C2E3). Hepatic hydrolysis of C2E5 causes the formation of C2E4 in human, dog, and rat and C2E3 in rat only. Minimal C2E5 hydrolysis was observed in human and dog plasma, whereas in rat plasma C2E5 converted to C2E3 rapidly, followed by slower further metabolism. Both recombinant CES1 and CES2 play roles in C2E5 metabolism. Together, these data suggest that dogs may be the most appropriate species for predicting human C2E5 metabolism, whereas rats might be useful for clarifying the potential toxicity of C2E5 metabolites. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
Nicotine is absorbed from the lungs into the systemic circulation during cigarette smoking. However, there is little information concerning the transport mechanism of nicotine in alveolar epithelial cells. In this study, we characterized the uptake of nicotine in rat primary cultured type II (TII) and transdifferentiated type I-like (TIL) epithelial cells. In both TIL and TII cells, [3H]nicotine uptake was time- and temperature-dependent, and showed saturation kinetics. [3H]Nicotine uptake in these cells was not affected by Na+, but was sensitive to extracellular and intracellular pH, suggesting the involvement of a nicotine/proton antiport system. The uptake of [3H]nicotine in these cells was potently inhibited by organic cations such as clonidine, diphenhydramine, and pyrilamine, but was not affected by substrates and/or inhibitors of known organic cation transporters such as carnitine, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium, and tetraethylammonium. In addition, the uptake of [3H]nicotine in TIL cells was stimulated by preloading the cells with unlabeled nicotine, pyrilamine, and diphenhydramine, but not with tetraethylammonium. These results suggest that a novel proton-coupled antiporter is involved in the uptake of nicotine in alveolar epithelial cells and its absorption from the lungs into the systemic circulation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
This study utilizes a novel approach of small bowel video capsule endoscopy for investigating the influence of sex and age on small intestinal transit times (SITT) in humans. A total of 81 outpatients undergoing investigations with the small bowel video capsule endoscope (SB-VCE) and meeting inclusion criteria were included in this study. Following an overnight fast, patients swallowed the SB-VCE with a glass of water. SITT were calculated from the first duodenal image to the first cecal image. This study showed that the SB-VCE provides accurate and reliable measurements of SITT under real-life conditions. A large inter-individual variability in SITT was observed, with times ranging from 50 to 460 min. This variability can have implications on drug absorption and bioavailability. The median SITT were 219 min for females and 191 min for males. Although SITT were 28 min longer in females than males, this difference was not found to be statistically significant (p = 0.66). No correlation was found between age and SITT (Pearson's correlation coefficient 0.19). Therefore, any drug bioavailability differences of modified release dosage preparations that are observed between adult patient groups of different age or sex are unlikely to be attributable to SITT. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
Glyceollins are phytoalexins produced in soybeans under stressful growth conditions. On the basis of prior evaluations, they show potential to treat multiple diseases, including certain cancers, Type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions. The aim of the present study was to expand on recent studies designed to initially characterize the intestinal disposition of glyceollins. Specifically, studies were undertaken in Caco-2 cells to evaluate glyceollins' effects on apical efflux transporters, namely, MRP2 and BCRP, which are the locus of several intestinal drug–drug and drug–food interactions. 5- (And 6)-carboxy-2′,7′-dichloroflourescein (CDF) was used to provide a readout on MRP2 activity, whereas BODIPY-prazosin provided an indication of BCRP alteration. Glyceollins were shown to reverse MRP2-mediated CDF transport asymmetry in a concentration-dependent manner, with activity similar to the MRP2 inhibitor, MK-571. Likewise, they demonstrated concentration-dependent inhibition of BCRP-mediated efflux of BODIPY-prazosin with a potency similar to that of Ko143. Glyceollin did not appreciably alter MRP2 or BCRP expression following 24 h of continuous exposure. The possibility that glyceollin mediated inhibition of genistein metabolite efflux by either transporter was evaluated. However, results demonstrated an interaction at the level of glyceollin inhibition of genistein metabolism rather than inhibition of metabolite transport. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
This work provides an elaborate characterization of human intestinal fluids (HIF) collected in fasted- and fed-state conditions. HIF from 20 healthy volunteers (10 M/F) were aspirated by intubation near the ligament of Treitz in a time-dependent manner (10-min intervals) and characterized for pH, bile salts, phospholipids, cholesterol, triacylglycerides (TAG), diacylglycerides (DAG), monoacylglycerides (MAG), free fatty acids (FFA), pancreatic lipase, phospholipase A2, and nonspecific esterase activity. For almost all parameters, a food-induced effect was observed. Results were characterized by a high variability, as illustrated by the broad ranges observed for each parameter: pH (fasted: 3.4–8.3; fed: 4.7–7.1), bile salts (fasted: 0.03–36.18 mM; fed: 0.74–86.14 mM), phospholipids (fasted: 0.01–6.33 mM; fed: 0.16–14.39 mM), cholesterol (fasted: 0–0.48 mM; fed: 0–3.29 mM), TAG (fed: 0–6.76 mg/mL), DAG (fed: 0–3.64 mg/mL), MAG (fasted: 0–1.09 mg/mL; fed: 0–11.36 mg/mL), FFA (fasted: 0–3.86 mg/mL; fed: 0.53–15.0 mg/mL), pancreatic lipase (fasted: 26–86 μg/mL; fed: 146–415 μg/mL), phospholipase A2 (fasted: 3–6 ng/mL; fed: 4.3–27.7 ng/mL), and nonspecific esterase activity (fasted: 270–4900 U/mL; fed: 430–4655 U/mL). This comprehensive overview may serve as reference data for physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling and the optimization of biorelevant simulated intestinal fluids for the use in in vitro dissolution, solubility, and permeability profiling. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
The objective of this project is to develop an in vitro approach that can be used to determine the phosphate binding capacity of sevelamer hydrochloride and carbonate for both drug products and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). A simple and efficient inductively coupled plasma spectrometer method for analysis of phosphate at physiologically relevant pH conditions has been developed and validated. The method addresses each of the analytical validation characteristics such as linearity, accuracy, precision, stability, and selectivity, and meets the acceptance criteria defined in the United States Food and Drug Administration guidance (Food and Drug Administration, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. 2001. Guidance for industry—Bioanalytical method validation, May). The in vitro phosphate binding efficacies were systematically evaluated and compared for two drug products and two APIs. The phosphate binding profiles appeared similar between the drug products. Under all conditions, the sevelamer–phosphate binding reached equilibrium at 6 h. The 90% confidence interval for the k2 ratio (sevelamer carbonate vs. sevelamer hydrochloride) was well within 80%–125% under all pH conditions. However, the k1 ratio varied, indicating that there exists difference in the binding affinity. Our findings will be useful in assisting with "in vivo" biowaiver for the approval of generic sevelamer drug products. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
The aim of this work was to explore the contribution of the organic anion transporting polypeptide-1B (OATP1B) drug transporters in the hepatic clearance (Cl) of all marketed HIV protease inhibitors (PI) in humans. HIV PI uptake rates in OATP1B1/1B3-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells were converted to uptake Cl values in human hepatocytes via a relative activity factor, which was determined by comparing uptake of known substrates between OATP1B1/3-transfected cells and human hepatocytes. Metabolic Cl values were determined in human liver microsomes. In vivo hepatic Cl values were calculated either by combining drug uptake and metabolism or based on one of these individual Cl processes and compared with published in vivo hepatic Cl values. Excellent in vitro–in vivo correlation (R2 = 0.85) was observed when only uptake Cl values were used, but not when only metabolic Cl was used (R2 = 0.40). The correlation did not improve when both processes were taken into account (R2 = 0.85). PBPK models confirmed the remarkable sensitivity of predicted exposure to hepatic drug uptake, indicating a key role for OATP1B1/3 in hepatic disposition of several HIV PI in man. This may contribute to the interindividual variability in systemic and hepatic exposure to these drugs in the clinic. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
This study aimed to determine the rate-limiting step in the overall hepatic clearance of the marketed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitors (PI) in rats by predicting the experimentally determined hepatic in vivo clearance of these drugs based on in vitro clearance values for uptake and/or metabolism. In vitro uptake and metabolic clearance values were determined in suspended rat hepatocytes and rat liver microsomes, respectively. In vivo hepatic clearance was determined after intravenous bolus administration in rats. Excellent in vitro–in vivo correlation (IVIVC; R2 = 0.80) was observed when metabolic intrinsic Cl values were used, which were determined in vitro at a single concentration corresponding to the blood concentration observed in rats in vivo at the mean residence time. On the contrary, poor IVIVC was observed when in vitro metabolic Cl values based on full Michaelis–Menten profiles were used. In addition, the use of uptake Cl values or a combination of both uptake and metabolic clearance data led to poor predictions of in vivo clearance. Although our findings indicate a key role for metabolism in the hepatic clearance of several HIV PI in rats, subsequent simulations revealed that inhibition of hepatic uptake can lead to altered hepatic clearance for several of these drugs. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
The challenge of defining the concentration of unbound drug at the lung target site after inhalation limits the possibility to optimize target exposure by compound design. In this study, a novel rat lung slice methodology has been developed and applied to study drug uptake in lung tissue, and the mechanisms by which this occurs. Freshly prepared lung slices (500 μm) from drug-naive rats were incubated with drugs followed by determination of the unbound drug volume of distribution in lung (Vu,lung), as the total concentration of drug in slices divided by the buffer (unbound) concentration. Vu,lung determined for a set of inhaled drug compounds ranged from 2.21 mL/g for salbutamol to 2970 mL/g for dibasic compound A. Co-incubation with monensin, a modulator of lysosomal pH, resulted in inhibition of tissue uptake of basic propranolol to 13%, indicating extensive lysosomal trapping. Partitioning into cells was particularly high for the cation MPP+ and the dibasic compound A, likely because of the carrier-mediated transport and lysosomal trapping. The results show that different factors are important for tissue uptake and the presented method can be used for profiling of inhaled compounds, leading to a greater understanding of distribution and exposure of drug in the lung. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
In this study, a novel glycol chitosan (GCS)–bestatin conjugate was synthesized and evaluated to demonstrate its efficacy in protecting thymopoietin oligopeptides from aminopeptidase-mediated degradation. Moreover, the mechanism and relative susceptibility of three thymopoietin oligopeptides, thymocartin (TP4), thymopentin (TP5), and thymotrinan (TP3), to enzymatic degradation were investigated and compared at the molecular level. Initial investigations indicated that formation of the GCS–bestatin conjugate, with a substitution degree of 7.0% (moles of bestatin per mole of glycol glucosamine unit), could significantly protect all three peptides from aminopeptidase-mediated degradation in a concentration-dependent manner. The space hindrance and loss of one pair of hydrogen bonds, resulting from the covalent conjugation of chitosan with bestatin, did not affect the specific interaction between bestatin and aminopeptidase. Moreover, TP4 displayed a higher degradation clearance compared with those of TP5 and TP3 under the same experimental conditions. The varying levels of susceptibility of these three peptides to aminopeptidase (TP4 > TP5 > TP3) were closely related to differences in their binding energies to enzyme, which mainly involved Van der Waals forces and electrostatic interactions, as supported by the results of molecular dynamics simulations. These results suggest that GCS–bestatin conjugate might be useful in the delivery of thymopoietin oligopeptides by mucosal routes, and that TP3 and TP5 are better alternatives to TP4 for delivery because of their robust resistance against enzymatic degradation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
A critical component in the development of physiologically based pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic (PBPK/PD) models for estimating target organ dosimetry in pharmacology and toxicology studies is the understanding of the uptake kinetics and accumulation of drugs and chemicals at the cellular level. Therefore, predicting free drug concentrations in intracellular fluid will contribute to our understanding of concentrations at the site of action in cells in PBPK/PD research. Some investigators believe that uptake of drugs in cells is solely driven by the unbound fraction; conversely, others argue that the protein-bound fraction contributes a significant portion of the total amount delivered to cells. Accordingly, the current literature suggests the existence of a so-called albumin-mediated uptake mechanism(s) for the protein-bound fraction (i.e., extracellular protein-facilitated uptake mechanisms) at least in hepatocytes and cardiac myocytes; however, such mechanism(s) and cells from other organs deserve further exploration. Therefore, the main objective of this present study was to discuss further the implication of potential protein-facilitated uptake mechanism(s) on drug distribution in cells under in vivo conditions. The interplay between the protein-facilitated uptake mechanism(s) and the effects of a pH gradient, metabolism, transport, and permeation limitation potentially occurring in cells was also discussed, as this should violate the basic assumption on similar free drug concentration in cells and plasma. This was made because the published equations used to calculate drug concentrations in cells in a PBPK/PD model did not consider potential protein-facilitated uptake mechanism(s). Consequently, we corrected some published equations for calculating the free drug concentrations in cells compared with plasma in PBPK/PD modeling studies, and we proposed a refined strategy for potentially performing more accurate quantitative in vitro-to-in vivo extrapolations (IVIVEs) of toxicity (efficacy) at the cellular level from data generated in cell assays. Overall, this present study may help to optimize the human dose prediction in preclinical and clinical studies, while prescribing drugs with narrow therapeutic windows that are highly bound to extracellular proteins and/or highly ionized at the physiological pH. This may facilitate building a more accurate safety (efficacy) profile for such drugs. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
The determination of the acid–base dissociation constants, and thus the pKa values, of α-keto acids such as pyruvic acid is complex because of the existence of these acids in their hydrated and nonhydrated or oxo state. Equilibria involved in the hydration and dehydration of the α-keto group of pyruvic acid and three other α-keto acids, 3-methyl-2-oxobutanoic acid, 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoic acid, and 2-oxo-2-phenylacetic acid, were investigated by proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry, at constant ionic strength, 0.15, and 25°C. Dissociation constants for the oxo (pKaoxo) and hydrated (pKahyd) acids of each compound were estimated from the change in the degree of hydration with changes in pH and directly from the changes in chemical shifts of various hydrogen and carbons nuclei with pH. α-Keto acids showed greater hydration in their acidic forms than their carboxylate forms. The degree of hydration was sensitive to steric and electronic/resonance factors. As expected, the oxo forms of the acids were stronger acids compared with their hydrated analogs, and their dissociation constants were also sensitive to steric and electronic factors. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
In vitro drug release from well-defined particle-size fractions of the mesoporous magnesium carbonate material Upsalite® was investigated in detail using ibuprofen, a biopharmaceutics classification system class II drug, as the model compound. The weight of loaded drug corresponded to 30% of the weight of the carrier and the pores were filled to approximately 80%. The incorporated ibuprofen was found to be in an amorphous state and was physisorbed, rather than chemisorbed, to the surfaces of the pore walls. In contrast to ibuprofen in mesoporous silica, there was no detectable drug on the outer surface of the carrier particles. Two ibuprofen doses were loaded into Upsalite® particles with size fractions ranging from 25 μm to more than 200 μm. The initial release rate was controlled by the particle size; the dissolution rate of the loaded ibuprofen during this period was more than four times faster than that of the crystalline drug. An extended-release period of about 24 h followed the initial rapid-release period. The features of this extended-release period were dependent on the total drug concentration in the release medium. Detailed analysis of the diffusion of ibuprofen in Upsalite® provided the ibuprofen diffusion coefficient (9.8 × 10−8 cm2/s), the constrictivity of the diffusion process (0.47) and the tortuosity of the carrier (15). This relatively high tortuosity value indicates that Upsalite® can be used not only to enhance the dissolution rate of poorly soluble drugs but also as a carrier in sustained-release applications by using larger particle sizes or even pellets of the material. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci]]>
One major concern with biosimilars is that small differences compared with reference products might lead to unforeseen immunogenicity, thus affecting patient safety and drug efficacy. Differences could be due to either post-translational modifications of the therapeutic protein and/or to traces of impurities from the manufacturing process. The results presented in this communication illustrate the efforts to assess "biosimilarity" of a biosimilar candidate to a reference product for a specific group of process-related impurities, the host cell proteins (HCP). Extensive characterization of HCP in the drug substance of a biosimilar candidate revealed the identity of HCP copurifying with the protein of interest and guided process development to improve overall HCP clearance in the downstream process. The data presented illustrate the challenge of matching the reference product on either quantitative or qualitative aspects of HCP impurities. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:3991–3996, 2015]]>
Drugs possessing the ability to bind to melanin-rich tissue, such as the eye, are linked with higher ocular exposure, and therefore have the potential to affect the efficacy and safety profiles of therapeutics. A high-throughput melanin chromatographic affinity assay has been developed and validated, which has allowed the rapid melanin affinity assessment for a large number of compounds. Melanin affinity of compounds can be quickly assigned as low, medium, or high melanin binders. A high-throughput chromatographic method has been developed and fully validated to assess melanin affinity of pharmaceuticals and has been useful in predicting ocular tissue distribution in vivo studies. The high-throughput experimental approach has also allowed for a specific training set of 263 molecules for a quantitative structure–affinity relationships (QSAR) method to be developed, which has also been shown to be a predictor of ocular tissue exposure. Previous studies have reported the development of in silico QSAR models based on training sets of relatively small and mostly similar compounds; this model covers a broader range of melanin-binding affinities than what has been previously published and identified several physiochemical descriptors to be considered in the design of compounds where melanin-binding modulation is desired. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:3997–4001, 2015]]>
IgG4 antibodies are evolving as an important class of cancer immunotherapies. However, human IgG4 can undergo Fab arm (half molecule) exchange with other IgG4 molecules in vivo. The hinge modification by a point mutation (S228P) prevents half molecule exchange of IgG4. However, the experimental confirmation is still expected by regulatory agencies. Here, we report for the first time the extensive analysis of half molecule exchange for a hinge-modified therapeutic IgG4 molecule, pembrolizumab (Keytruda) targeting programmed death 1 (PD1) receptor that was approved for advanced melanoma. Studies were performed in buffer or human serum using multiple exchange partners including natalizumab (Tysabri) and human IgG4 pool. Formation of bispecific antibodies was monitored by fluorescence resonance energy transfer, exchange with Fc fragments, mixed mode chromatography, immunoassays, and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. The half molecule exchange was also examined in vivo in SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency) mice. Both in vitro and in vivo results indicate that the hinge modification in pembrolizumab prevented half molecule exchange, whereas the unmodified counterpart anti-PD1 wt showed active exchange activity with other IgG4 antibodies or self-exchange activity with its own molecules. Our work, as an example expected for meeting regulatory requirements, contributes to establish without ambiguity that hinge-modified IgG4 antibodies are suitable for biotherapeutic applications. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4002–4014, 2015]]>
Domain antibodies (dAbs) are single immunoglobulin domains that form the smallest functional unit of an antibody. This study investigates the behavior of these small proteins when covalently attached to the polyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety that is necessary for extending the half-life of a dAb. The effect of the 40 kDa PEG on hydrodynamic properties, particle behavior, and receptor binding of the dAb has been compared by both ensemble solution and surface methods [light scattering, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), surface Plasmon resonance (SPR)] and single-molecule atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods (topography, recognition imaging, and force microscopy). The large PEG dominates the properties of the dAb–PEG conjugate such as a hydrodynamic radius that corresponds to a globular protein over four times its size and a much reduced association rate. We have used AFM single-molecule studies to determine the mechanism of PEG-dependent reductions in the effectiveness of the dAb observed by SPR kinetic studies. Recognition imaging showed that all of the PEGylated dAb molecules are active, suggesting that some may transiently become inactive if PEG sterically blocks binding. This helps explain the disconnect between the SPR, determined kinetically, and the force microscopy and ITC results that demonstrated that PEG does not change the binding energy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4015–4024, 2015]]>
Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) has been shown to detect overlapping extended hydration layers around proteins. Here, we used THz-TDS to detect modulation of the extended hydration layer around monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) by the introduction of commonly used excipients. Proline and sucrose altered the hydration layer around a mAb (mAb1), which was observed as a negative shift in the plateau in absorbance above ∼100 mg/mL mAb1 (∼70,000 water molecules per mAb); arginine had no effect. At lower concentrations of ∼10 mg/mL mAb1 (∼700,000 water molecules per mAb) proline and arginine modulated the hydration layer, which was observed as a negative shift in the relative absorbance, whereas sucrose had no effect. The changes in the extended hydration layer were not translated to shifts in the thermal stability or protein:protein interaction parameter. The hydration layer of a second mAb (mAb2) was further shown to be modulated by more complex formulations composed of two or more excipients; although the differences in terahertz absorbance were not predictive of viscosity or long-term stability. THz-TDS promises to be a useful tool for understanding a protein's interaction with excipients in solution and the challenge will be to determine how to apply this knowledge to protein formulation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4025–4033, 2015]]>
One of the analytical tools for characterization of subvisible particles, which gained popularity over the last years because of its unique capabilities, is the resonance mass measurement technique. However, a challenge that this technique presents is the need to know the exact density of the measured particles in order to obtain accurate size calculations. The density of proteinaceous subvisible particles has not been measured experimentally yet and to date researchers have been using estimated density values. In this paper, we report for a first-time experimental measurements of the density of protein particles (0.2–5 μm in size) using particles created by stressing three different proteins using four different types of stress conditions. Interestingly, the particle density values that were measured varied between 1.28 and 1.33 g/cm3 and were lower than previous estimates. Furthermore, it was found that although the density of proteinaceous particles was affected to a very low degree by the stress conditions used to generate them, there is relatively larger difference between particles originating from different classes of proteins (e.g., monoclonal antibody vs. bovine serum albumin). © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4034–4040, 2015]]>
Human serum albumin (HSA) is an excipient present in formulations of several recombinant protein products that are approved for clinical use. We investigated the relative contributions of HSA and HSA particles to the generation of antibody responses against recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) and the excipient HSA itself. Protein samples were characterized before injection for quantities of monomeric proteins, soluble protein aggregates, and nano- and micron-sized particles. rhEPO, containing various concentrations of HSA particles, were injected three times a week for 8 weeks into mice. Hematocrits and the production of anti-rhEPO and anti-HSA antibodies were determined at various time points. Levels of antibodies against rhEPO in mice injected with HSA-containing rhEPO were higher than those in mice treated with HSA-free rhEPO. Mice injected with formulations that contained particles of HSA produced strong anti-HSA antibody responses; whereas these responses were greatly reduced when particle-free formulations were administered. In contrast, anti-rhEPO antibody responses were not affected by the presence of particles. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4041–4055, 2015]]>
Protein aggregation and particle formation have been observed when protein solutions contact hydrophobic interfaces, and it has been suggested that this undesirable phenomenon may be initiated by interfacial adsorption and subsequent gelation of the protein. The addition of surfactants, such as polysorbate 20, to protein formulations has been proposed as a way to reduce protein adsorption at silicone oil–water interfaces and mitigate the production of aggregates and particles. In an accelerated stability study, monoclonal antibody formulations containing varying concentrations of polysorbate 20 were incubated and agitated in pre-filled glass syringes (PFS), exposing the protein to silicone oil–water interfaces at the siliconized syringe walls, air–water interfaces, and agitation stress. Following agitation in siliconized syringes that contained an air bubble, lower particle concentrations were measured in the surfactant-containing antibody formulations than in surfactant-free formulations. Polysorbate 20 reduced particle formation when added at concentrations above or below the critical micelle concentration (CMC). The ability of polysorbate 20 to decrease particle generation in PFS corresponded with its ability to inhibit gelation of the adsorbed protein layer, which was assessed by measuring the interfacial diffusion of individual antibody molecules at the silicone oil–water interface using total internal reflectance fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy with single-molecule tracking. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4056–4064, 2015]]>
Diarrhea caused by Shigella, Salmonella, and Yersinia is an important public health problem, but development of safe and effective vaccines against such diseases is challenging. A new antigen delivery platform called bacterium-like particles (BLPs) was explored as a means for delivering protective antigens from the type III secretion systems (T3SS) of these pathogens. BLPs are peptidoglycan skeletons derived from Lactococcus lactis that are safe for newborns and can carry multiple antigens. Hydrophobic T3SS translocator proteins were fused to a peptidoglycan anchor (PA) for BLP attachment. The proteins and protein–BLP complexes associated with BLPs were characterized and the resulting data used to create three-index empirical phase diagrams (EPDs). On the basis of these EPDs, IpaB (Shigella) and SipB (Salmonella) behave distinctly from YopB (Yersinia) under different environmental stresses. Adding the PA domain appears to enhance the stability of both the PA and translocator proteins, which was confirmed using differential scanning calorimetry, and although the particles dominated the spectroscopic signals in the protein-loaded BLPs, structural changes in the proteins were still detected. The protein–BLPs were most stable near neutral pH, but these proteins' hydrophobicity made them sensitive to environmental stresses. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4065–4073, 2015]]>
Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has become a well-established tool for the characterization of solid oral dosage forms manufacturing processes and finished products. In this work, the utility of a traditional single-point NIR measurement was compared with that of a spatially resolved spectroscopic (SRS) measurement for the determination of tablet assay. Experimental designs were used to create samples that allowed for calibration models to be developed and tested on both instruments. Samples possessing a poor distribution of ingredients (highly heterogeneous) were prepared by under-blending constituents prior to compaction to compare the analytical capabilities of the two NIR methods. The results indicate that SRS can provide spatial information that is usually obtainable only through imaging experiments for the determination of local heterogeneity and detection of abnormal tablets that would not be detected with single-point spectroscopy, thus complementing traditional NIR measurement systems for in-line, and in real-time tablet analysis. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4074–4081, 2015]]>
Tablet coating is a common unit operation in the pharmaceutical industry, during which a coating layer is applied to tablet cores. The coating uniformity of tablets in a batch is especially critical for active coating, that is, coating that contains an active pharmaceutical ingredient. In recent years, discrete element method (DEM) simulations became increasingly common for investigating tablet coating. In this work, DEM was applied to model an active coating process as closely as possible, using measured model parameters and non-spherical particles. We studied how operational conditions (rotation speed, fill level, number of nozzles, and spray rate) influence the coating uniformity. To this end, simulation runs were planned and interpreted according to a statistical design of (simulation) experiments. Our general goal was to achieve a deeper understanding of the process in terms of residence times and dimensionless scaling laws. With that regard, the results were interpreted in light of analytical models. The results were presented at various detail levels, ranging from an overview of all variations to in-depth considerations. It was determined that the biggest uniformity improvement in a realistic setting was achieved by increasing the number of spray nozzles, followed by increasing the rotation speed and decreasing the fill level. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4082–4092, 2015]]>
Raman chemical imaging has become a powerful analytical tool to investigate the crystallographic characteristics of pharmaceutical ingredients in tablet. However, it is often difficult to discriminate some pharmaceutical excipients from each other by Raman spectrum because of broad and overlapping signals, limiting their detailed assessments. To overcome this difficulty, we developed a vapor phase coating method of excipients by an alkyne, which exhibits a distinctive Raman signal in the range of 2100–2300 cm−1. We found that the combination of two volatile reagents, propargyl bromide and triethylamine, formed a thin and nonvolatile coating on the excipient and observed the Raman signal of the alkyne at the surface. We prepared alkyne-coated cellulose by this method and formed a tablet. The Raman chemical imaging of the tablet cross-section using the alkyne peak area intensity of 2120 cm−1 as the index showed a much clearer particle image of cellulose than using the peak area intensity of 1370 cm−1, which originated from the cellulose itself. Our method provides an innovative technique to analyze the solid-state characteristics of pharmaceutical excipients in tablets. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4093–4098, 2015]]>
Cocrystals are defined as crystalline structures composed of two or more compounds that are solid at room temperature held together by noncovalent bonds. Their main advantages are the increase of solubility, bioavailability, permeability, stability, and at the same time retaining active pharmaceutical ingredient bioactivity. The cocrystallization between furosemide and nicotinamide by solvent evaporation was monitored on-line using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as a process analytical technology tool. The near-infrared spectra were analyzed using principal component analysis. Batch statistical process monitoring was used to create control charts to perceive the process trajectory and define control limits. Normal and non-normal operating condition batches were performed and monitored with NIRS. The use of NIRS associated with batch statistical process models allowed the detection of abnormal variations in critical process parameters, like the amount of solvent or amount of initial components present in the cocrystallization. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4099–4108, 2015]]>
The spreadability of a liquid drug formulation on skin is an indication of it either remaining stationary or distributing (spreading) as a droplet. Factors determining droplet spreadability of the formulation are spreading area, diameter of the droplet base, viscosity of the liquid, contact angle, volume of droplet on skin and any others. The creation of microcavities from the application of microneedle (MN) has the potential to control droplet spreading, and hence, target specific areas of skin for drug delivery. However, there is little work that demonstrates spreading of liquid drug formulation on MN-treated skin. Below, spreading of a lidocaine hydrogel formulation and lidocaine solution (reference liquid) on porcine skin is investigated over MN-treated skin. Controlled spreadability was achieved with the lidocaine hydrogel on MN-treated skin as compared with lidocaine solution. It was observed that the droplet spreading parameters such as spreading radius, droplet height and dynamic contact angle were slightly lower for the lidocaine hydrogel than the lidocaine solution on skin. Also, the lidocaine hydrogel on MN-treated skin resulted in slower dynamic reduction of droplet height, contact angle and reduced time taken in attaining static advancing droplets because of the MN microcavities. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4109–4116, 2015]]>
Crystallization of polymorphs still has a touch of art, as even prior observations of polymorphs do not guarantee their crystallization. However, once crystals of various polymorphs have been obtained, their relative stabilities can be established with a straightforward thermodynamic approach even if the conclusion will depend on the quality of the experimental data. Rotigotine is an active pharmaceutical ingredient, which has suffered the same setback as Ritonavir: a sudden appearance of a more stable crystalline polymorph than the one used for the formulation. Although the cause of the defect in the formulation was quickly established, the interpretation of the phase behavior of rotigotine has been lacking in clarity. In the present paper, data published in the patents resulting from the discovery of the new polymorph have been used to establish the pressure–temperature phase diagram of the two known solid forms of rotigotine. The analysis clearly demonstrates that form II is the stable solid phase and form I is metastable in the entire pressure–temperature domain: form I is overall monotropic in relation to form II. Thus, it was a sensible decision of European Medicines Agency to ask for a reformulation, as the first formulation was metastable even if crystallization appeared to be very slow. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4117–4122, 2015]]>
Levetiracetam (LEV) crystals were prepared using different solvents at different temperatures. The LEV crystals were systematically characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and morphological analysis. The results indicated that many kinds of crystal habits exist in a solid form of LEV. To investigate the effects of LEV concentration, crystallization temperature, and crystallization type on crystallization and solid phase transformation of LEV, multiple methods were performed for LEV aqueous solution to determine if a new solid form exists in solid-state LEV. However, XRPD data demonstrate that the LEV solid forms possess same spatial arrangements that are similar to the original solid form. This result indicates that the LEV concentration, crystallization temperature, and crystallization type in aqueous solution have no influence on the crystallization and solid phase transformation of LEV. Moreover, crystallization by sublimation, melt cooling, and quench cooling, as well as mechanical effect, did not result in the formation of new LEV solid state. During melt cooling, the transformation of solid form LEV is a direct process from melting amorphous phase to the original LEV crystal phase, and the conversion rate is very quick. In addition, stability investigation manifested that LEV solid state is very stable under various conditions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4123–4131, 2015]]>
The need for quality control during the manufacturing and distribution of biopharmaceuticals is becoming increasingly necessary. At present, detecting drug degradation through the monitoring of active factor aggregation is accomplished through "invasive" techniques, such as size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC), and so on. Unfortunately, these analytical methods require sampling the drug by opening the drug container that renders the remaining drug unusable regardless of the outcome of the test. Visual inspection, the current non-invasive quality control method is qualitative and can only detect visible particulates. Thus, it will miss sub-visible protein aggregates. In this paper, human insulin preparations were used to demonstrate that the transverse relaxation rate of water protons R2(1H2O) can serve as a sensitive and reliable indicator to detect and quantify both visible and sub-visible protein aggregates. R2(1H2O) is measured using a wide-bore low-field bench-top NMR instrument with permanent magnets. Such analysis could be carried out without opening the drug container, thus saving a drug for further use. The results suggest a novel, economical, non-destructive in situ analytical technique that allows for on-the-site quantification of protein aggregation in biopharmaceutical products. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4132–4141, 2015]]>
Emulsions are gaining increasing interest to be applied as drug delivery systems. The main goal of this work was the formulation of an oil/water nutraceutical emulsion (NE) for oral administration, enriched in omega 3 (ω3) and omega 6 (ω6), and able to encapsulate risperidone (RISP), an antipsychotic drug widely used in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). RISP has low solubility in aqueous medium and poor bioavailability because of its metabolism and high protein binding. Coadministration of ω3, ω3, and vitamin E complexed with RISP might increase its bioavailability and induce a synergistic effect on the treatment of ASD. Here, we developed an easy and quick method to obtain NEs and then optimized them. The best formulation was chosen after characterization by particle size, defects of the oil-in-water interface, zeta potential (ZP), and in vitro drug release. The formulation selected was stable over time, with a particle size of around 3 μm, a ZP lower than −20 mV and controlled drug release. To better understand the biochemical properties of the formulation obtained, we studied in vitro toxicity in the Caco-2 cell line. After 4 h of treatment, an increase in cellular metabolism was observed for all RISP concentrations, but emulsions did not change their metabolic rate, except at the highest concentration without drug (25 μg/mL), which showed a significant reduction in metabolism respect to the control. Additionally, locomotor activity and heart rate in zebrafish were measured as parameters of in vivo toxicity. Only the highest concentration (0.625 μg/mL) showed a cardiotoxic effect, which corresponds to the decrease in spontaneous movement observed previously. As all the materials contained in the formulations were US FDA approved, the NE selected would be good candidate for clinical trials. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4142–4152, 2015]]>
This work examines cocrystal solubility in biorelevant media (FeSSIF, fed-state simulated intestinal fluid), and develops a theoretical framework that allows for the simple and quantitative prediction of cocrystal solubilization from drug solubilization. The solubilities of four hydrophobic drugs and seven cocrystals containing these drugs were measured in FeSSIF and in acetate buffer at pH 5.00. In all cases, the cocrystal solubility (Scocrystal) was higher than the drug solubility (Sdrug) in both buffer and FeSSIF; however, the solubilization ratio of drug, SRdrug = (SFeSSIF/Sbuffer)drug, was not the same as the solubilization ratio of cocrystal, SRcocrystal = (SFeSSIF/Sbuffer)cocrystal, meaning drug and cocrystal were not solubilized to the same extent in FeSSIF. This highlights the potential risk of anticipating cocrystal behavior in biorelevant media based on solubility studies in water. Predictions of SRcocrystal from simple equations based only on SRdrug were in excellent agreement with measured values. For 1:1 cocrystals, the cocrystal solubilization ratio (SR) can be obtained from the square root of the drug SR. For 2:1 cocrystals, SRcocrystal is found from (SRdrug)2/3. The findings in FeSSIF can be generalized to describe cocrystal behavior in other systems involving preferential solubilization of a drug such as surfactants, lipids, and other drug solubilizing media. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4153–4163, 2015]]>
The structural properties and Raman spectra of fluconazole have been studied by means of X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy at pressures up to 2.5 and 5.5 GPa, respectively. At a pressure of 0.8 GPa, a polymorphic phase transition from the initial form I to a new triclinic form VIII has been observed. At higher pressure of P = 3.2 GPa, possible transformation into another new polymorphic form IX has been detected. The unit cell parameters and volumes, and vibration modes as functions of pressure have been obtained for the different forms of fluconazole. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4164–4169, 2015]]>
This study was designed to assess the effects of cooling rate, storage temperature, and formulation composition on trehalose phase distribution and protein stability in frozen solutions. The data demonstrate that faster cooling rates (>100°C/min) result in trehalose crystallization and protein aggregation as determined by Fourier Transform Near-Infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy and size-exclusion chromatography, respectively. Conversely, at slower cooling rates (≤1°C/min), trehalose remains predominantly amorphous and there is no effect on protein stability. Evaluation of storage temperatures demonstrates that aggregation increases more rapidly at −14°C compared with higher (−8°C) and lower (−20°C) storage temperatures; however, a relatively higher amount of cumulative aggregation was observed at lower (−20°C) temperature compared with higher storage temperatures (−14°C and −8°C). Further evaluation of the effects of formulation composition suggests that the phase distribution of amorphous and crystallized trehalose dihydrate in frozen solutions depends on the ratio of trehalose to mAb. The results identify an optimal range of trehalose–mAb (w/w) ratio, 0.2–2.4, capable of physically stabilizing mAb formulations during long-term frozen storage—even for fast cooled (>100°C/min) formulations. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4170–4184, 2015]]>
One major obstacle in the application of drug delivery systems for cancer chemotherapy is their poor penetration in tumor tissues. Conjugating active ligand moieties to the surface of nanoparticles may be a promising approach for enhancing the tumor accumulation and penetration of nanoparticles. Herein, the cell-penetrating peptide twin-arginine translocation (Tat)-conjugated epirubicin-loaded poly(lactic-glycolic acid) nanoparticles were prepared to achieve deep tumor penetration. The morphology and size of nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering, and the biological behaviors of nanoparticles were evaluated. It is demonstrated that Tat-conjugated nanoparticles have a significant improvement in antitumor activity and biodistribution compared with nonconjugated nanoparticles. Importantly, Tat conjugated on the surface of nanoparticles could facilitate the encapsulated drug penetration into deeper tumor tissue. Additionally, Tat-conjugated nanoparticles have good biocompatibility, as demonstrated by hemolytic tests, in vitro cytotoxicity, and histology study. These results suggested that the Tat-conjugated nanoparticles, as a powerful delivery system for chemotherapeutic drug, would have a promising application in human cancer therapy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4185–4196, 2015]]>
Control of elemental impurities in pharmaceutical materials is currently undergoing a transition from control based on concentrations in components of drug products to control based on permitted daily exposures in drug products. Within the pharmaceutical community, there is uncertainty regarding the impact of these changes on manufactures of drug products. This uncertainty is fueled in part by a lack of publically available information on elemental impurity levels in common pharmaceutical excipients. This paper summarizes a recent survey of elemental impurity levels in common pharmaceutical excipients as well as some drug substances. A widely applicable analytical procedure was developed and was shown to be suitable for analysis of elements that are subject to United States Pharmacopoeia Chapter <232> and International Conference on Harmonization's Q3D Guideline on Elemental Impurities. The procedure utilizes microwave-assisted digestion of pharmaceutical materials and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for quantitative analysis of these elements. The procedure was applied to 190 samples from 31 different excipients and 15 samples from eight drug substances provided through the International Pharmaceutical Excipient Council of the Americas. The results of the survey indicate that, for the materials included in the study, relatively low levels of elemental impurities are present. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4197–4206, 2015]]>
A 1:1 monohydrate salt containing gefitinib, an orally administrated chemotherapy treatment for lung and breast cancers and furosemide, a loop diuretic drug, commonly used in the treatment of hypertension and edema, has been prepared. The molecular salt crystallized in triclinic P-1 space group. The CO bond lengths (∼1.26 Å) in the COOH group show that proton transfer has occurred from furosemide to morpholine moiety of the gefitinib suggesting cocrystal to be ionic. The morpholine moiety of the gefitinib showed significant conformational change because of its involvement in conformation dictating the strong NH···O hydrogen bonding interaction. The strong hydrogen bonding interaction between gefitinib and furosemide places their benzene rings in stacking mode to facilitate the generation of π-stack dimers. The neighboring dimers are bridged to each other via water molecule through NH···O, CH···O, OH···N, and OH···O interactions. The remarkable stability of the salt hydrate could be attributed to the strong hydrogen bonding interactions in the crystal structure. Interestingly, release of water from the lattice at 140°C produced new anhydrous salt that has better solubility and dissolution rate than salt hydrate. The drug–drug molecular salt may have some bearing on the treatment of patient suffering from anticancer and hypertension. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4207–4216, 2015]]>
Polycaprolactone (PCL) matrices loaded with doxycycline were produced by rapidly cooling suspensions of the drug powder in PCL solution in acetone. Drug loadings of 5%, 10%, and 15% (w/w) of the PCL content were achieved. Exposure of doxycycline powder to matrix processing conditions in the absence of PCL revealed an endothermic peak at 65°C with the main peak at 167°C, suggesting solvatomorph formation. Rapid "burst release" of 24%–32% was measured within 24 h when matrices were immersed in simulated vaginal fluid (SVF) at 37°C, because of the presence of drug at or close to the matrix surface, which is further confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Gradual release of 66%–76% of the drug content occurred over the following 14 days. SVF containing doxycycline released from drug-loaded PCL matrices retained 81%–90% antimicrobial activity compared with the nonformulated drug. The concentrations of doxycycline predicted to be released into vaginal fluid from a PCL matrix in the form of an intravaginal ring would be sufficient to kill Neisseria gonorrhoea and many other pathogens. These results indicate that PCL may be a suitable polymer for controlled intravaginal delivery of doxycycline for the treatment of sexually transmitted infections. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4217–4222, 2015]]>
In vitro skin permeation studies have been commonly conducted to predict in vivo permeability for the development of transdermal therapeutic systems (TTSs). We clarified the impact of humidity on in vitro human skin permeation of two TTSs having different breathability and then elucidated the predictability of in vivo permeability based on in vitro experimental data. Nicotinell®TTS® 20 and Frandol®tape 40mg were used as model TTSs in this study. The in vitro human skin permeation experiments were conducted under humidity levels similar to those used in clinical trials (approximately 50%) as well as under higher humidity levels (approximately 95%). The skin permeability values of drugs at 95% humidity were higher than those at 50% humidity. The time profiles of the human plasma concentrations after TTS application fitted well with the clinical data when predicted based on the in vitro permeation parameters at 50% humidity. On the other hand, those profiles predicted based on the parameters at 95% humidity were overestimated. The impact of humidity was higher for the more breathable TTS; Frandol®tape 40mg. These results show that in vitro human skin permeation experiments should be investigated under realistic clinical humidity levels especially for breathable TTSs. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4223–4231, 2015]]>
The objective of the study was to evaluate the stability of warfarin products during use by patients or caregivers. For evaluation, three commercial products manufactured by different processes were selected and placed at 30°C/75%RH to simulate in use condition. Samples were withdrawn up to 12 weeks and analyzed for the physicochemical changes. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated increasing holes and craters in the tablets over the timeframe. Near-infrared chemical imaging and powder X-ray powder diffraction corroborated the change arising from conversion of crystalline to amorphous forms of the drug. Hardness and disintegration time of the tablets were found to increase progressively. With increasing time, moisture contents of the products were found to increase and consequent decrease in isopropyl alcohol content of the product. Dissolution of the tablets in media at pH 4.5 demonstrated discrimination between crystalline and amorphous drug products. Overall, percent drug dissolved in each product at 30 min was found to decrease with increasing exposure time. Dissolution of drug decreased from 54% to 38% and 82% to 54% for the two products while the third product maintained consistently high level of dissolution. These results suggest that the drug product quality attributes can change during use. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4232–4240, 2015]]>
We recently reported that the presence of chloride counter ions in freeze-dried l-arginine/sucrose formulations provided the greatest protein stability, but led to low collapse temperatures and glass transition temperatures of the freeze concentrates. The objectives of this study were to identify l-arginine chloride-based formulations and optimize freeze-drying process conditions to deliver a freeze-dried product with good physical quality attributes (including cake appearance, residual moisture, and reconstitution time). Additional properties were tested such as thermal properties, cake microstructure, and protein physical stability. Excipient concentrations were varied with and without a model protein (bovine serum albumin, BSA). Formulations were frozen with and without annealing or with and without controlled nucleation. Primary drying was conducted at high and low shelf temperature. Cakes with least defects and optimum physical attributes were achieved when protein to excipient ratios were high. Controlled nucleation led to elegant cakes for most systems at a low shelf temperature. Replacing BSA by a monoclonal antibody showed that protein (physical) stability was slightly improved under stress storage temperature (i.e., 40°C) in the presence of a low concentration of l-arginine in a sucrose-based formulation. At higher l-arginine concentrations, cake defects increased. Using optimized formulation design, addition of l-arginine chloride to a sucrose-based formulation provided elegant cakes and benefits for protein stability. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4241–4256, 2015]]>
Hot-melt coating is of growing interest, because it does not require solvents, resulting in reduced process times and costs. However, excipients for this technology are mainly triacylglycerides (TAGs) or their derivatives, which exhibit polymorphism, surface disruption, and complex crystallite networks, affecting the release profile of produced microcapsules. In this work, anhydrous citric acid crystals were coated with molten tristearin using conventional inlet air temperatures (microcapsules A) and temperatures above the melting point of α-form (microcapsules B). Additionally, microcapsules A were tempered to achieve polymorphic stability (microcapsules AB). The product yield and coating efficacy were above 90% and 97%, respectively, demonstrating the feasibility and efficacy of the process. Small angle X-ray scattering analysis confirmed that the tristearin shell of microcapsules B is in the β-form with a larger average crystallite size than microcapsules A and AB. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed a nonbloomed surface of microcapsules B. We showed that blooming does not play a critical role in the drug release, but the apparent diffusion coefficient of drug is dramatically reduced by increasing TAGs crystallite size and resulting tortuosity. This work brings new insights on the micrometric properties of solid lipid dosage forms, being an important step to prevent the overuse of excipients with unknown toxicity. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4257–4265, 2015]]>
For application of regenerated cellulose (RC) membranes in capsule dosage forms, the methods to modify drug release from these membranes are described. Membranes were fabricated by blending native and depolymerized celluloses dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide and paraformaldehyde solvent system, prior to casting on molds, precipitation in water, and thermal annealing. The effect of laminating layers of RC to fabricate membranes with increasing thickness was also investigated. Solute diffusion studies using ionic and hydrophobic solutes, as well as large protein molecules, were conducted in side-by-side diffusion cells. Microscopic as well as physiological evaluation of these membranes indicated that pore size, porosity, and water uptake decreased as the fraction of depolymerized cellulose increased in the membranes. Permeability analysis of small ionic and hydrophobic solutes indicated that the solute transport across the hydrated membrane occurs through diffusion in the water-filled pores that are formed in situ. The apparent path for solute diffusion increases as the fraction of depolymerized cellulose increases. Permeability analysis of large protein molecules indicated that the pore sizes and distribution in these membranes is heterogeneous. Increasing the membrane thickness by lamination of RC does not influence porosity but causes formation of dead-end pores because of blocking by subsequent laminate layers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4266–4275, 2015]]>
Hydrocortisone (HC) is a topical glucocorticoid for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD); the local as well as systemic side effects limit its use. Hydroxytyrosol (HT) is a polyphenol present in olive oil that has strong antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. HC–HT coloaded chitosan nanoparticles (HC–HT CSNPs) were therefore developed to improve the efficacy against AD. In this study, HC–HT CSNPs of 235 ± 9 nm in size and with zeta potential +39.2 ± 1.6 mV were incorporated into aqueous cream (vehicle) and investigated for acute dermal toxicity, dermal irritation, and repeated dose toxicity using albino Wistar rats. HC–HT CSNPs exhibited LD50 > 125 mg/body surface area of active, which is 100-fold higher than the normal human dose of HC. Compared with the commercial formulation, 0.5 g of HC–HT CSNPs did not cause skin irritation, as measured by Tewameter®, Mexameter®, and as observed visually. Moreover, no-observed-adverse-effect level was observed with respect to body weight, organ weight, feed consumption, blood hematological and biochemical, urinalysis, and histopathological parameters at a dose of 1000 mg/body surface area per day of HC–HT CSNPs for 28 days. This in vivo study demonstrated that nanoencapsulation significantly reduced the toxic effects of HC and this should allow further clinical investigations. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4276–4286, 2015]]>
We report artifactual degradation of pharmaceutical compounds containing primary and secondary amines during peroxy radical-mediated oxidative stress carried out using azoalkane initiators. Two degradation products were detected when model drug compounds dissolved in methanol/water were heated to 40°C with radical initiators such as 2,2′-azobis(2-methylpropionitrile) (AIBN). The primary artifact was identified as an α-aminonitrile generated from the reaction of the amine group of the model drug with formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide, generated as byproducts of the stress reaction. A minor artifact was generated from the reaction between the amine group and isocyanic acid, also a byproduct of the stress reaction. We report the effects of pH, initiator/drug molar ratio, and type of azoalkane initiator on the formation of these artifacts. Mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance were used for structure elucidation, whereas mechanistic studies, including stable isotope labeling experiments, cyanide analysis, and experiments exploring the effects of butylated hydroxyanisole addition, were employed to support the degradation pathways. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4287–4298, 2015]]>
Bimodal mesoporous silicas (BMMs) have been proved to be a good drug-loaded carrier. However, it did not provide stimuli sensitivity or controlled release performance yet. In the present work, a "smart" mesoporous silica-based pH-dependent [poly(methacrylic acid)]–silica hybrid nanoparticles (P/NN-BMMs) drug delivery system was developed and evaluated with ibuprofen (IBU) as a model drug. P/NN-BMMs were prepared by coating poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) onto amino-modified surface of BMMs via the "graft to" strategy. The structure and texture of resultant hybrid nanoparticles were determined with X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, thermogravimetric analysis, N2 sorption isotherms, and elemental analysis. The PMAA acts as a molecular switch to achieve controlled drug release and the amount of grafted-PMAA can remarkably affect its performance. The drug-loading rate is decreased markedly with the increasing of the amount of grafted-PMAA, meanwhile, the drug-loading kinetics on P/NN-BMMs fits Korsmeyer–Peppas model. In addition, the drug-release amount from drug-loaded P/NN-BMMs is pH dependent, showing an increasing tendency with the increase of pH value. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4299–4306, 2015]]>
Crystalline state of pharmaceutical materials is of great importance in preparation of pharmaceutics, because their physicochemical properties affect bioavailability, quality of products, therapeutic level and manufacturing process. In this study, we have estimated time-dependent changes of nifedipine in nifedipine–polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) solid dispersion by measuring terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) and by X-ray powder diffractometry (XRPD), and compared their correlativity. Crystallinity of nifedipine–PVP solid dispersion was changed by storing the amorphous sample at 25°C–75°C and relative humidity of over 80% for 0.25–24.00 h. To compare the results of two types of measurements, we have used a general method of linear regression analysis. Crystallinities estimated using THz-TDS were plotted on the x-axis and that of XRPD were on the y-axis. From the result of the calculation, the correlativity of them was confirmed. THz-TDS has the capability of becoming the replacement of XRPD. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4307–4313, 2015]]>
The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of compaction on the conformation of trypsin, its transition temperature (Tm) of unfolding, and its folding reversibility after thermal denaturation. Plain trypsin was compacted at 40–382 MPa. Pressure-induced changes in the trypsin conformation and the extent of their reversibility were determined using solid- and liquid-state IR spectroscopy together with principal component analysis and an area overlap approach. Trypsin enzymatic activity was determined by a photometric assay. Liquid-state differential scanning calorimetry was performed to determine the Tm as well as the folding reversibility after thermal denaturation of the reconstituted samples. It was found that compacted samples showed reduced activity accompanied by an altered secondary structure. Conformational changes that occur in the solid state were partially reversible upon tablet reconstitution. Aqueous-state IR spectroscopy combined with partial least squares was shown to be a powerful tool to follow irreversible structural changes and evaluate sample bioactivity. Besides its conformation, the thermal stability of trypsin was altered as a result of the applied compaction pressure, indicated by a reduced folding reversibility. In conclusion, this study reveals that tableting can have a negative impact on the biological quality of protein APIs. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4314–4321, 2015]]>
In situ-forming implants are a promising platform used for the release of therapeutic agents. Significant changes in behavior occur when the implants are used in vivo relative to implants formed in vitro. To understand how the injection site effects implant behavior, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) implants were examined after injection in the subcutaneous space of a Sprague–Dawley rat model to determine how the environment altered implant erosion, degradation, swelling, microstructure, and mock drug release. Changes in implant microstructure occurred over time for implants formed in vivo, where it was observed that the porosity was lost over the course of 5 days. Implants formed in vivo had a significantly greater burst release (p < 0.05) relative to implants formed in vitro. However, during the diffusion period of release, implants formed in vitro had a significantly higher daily release (2.1%/day, p < 0.05), which correlated to changes in implant microstructure. Additionally, implants formed in vitro had a two-fold increase in the first-order degradation kinetics relative to the implants formed in vivo. These findings suggest that the changes in implant behavior occur as a result of changes in the implant microstructure induced by the external environment. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4322–4328, 2015]]>
Polymer blends of poly(vinylalcohol, PVA) and poly(methylvinylether-co-maleic anhydride, PMVE/MA) were formulated and their viscoelastic and mucoadhesive properties characterised. The viscoelastic and mucoadhesive properties were dependent on polymer concentration, molecular weight of PVA and PVA:PMVE/MA ratio. Alteration of these properties allowed platforms to be designed to offer defined rheological and mucoadhesive properties, properties that could not be achieved using monopolymeric platforms. A strong correlation was noted between the modulus of the polymeric blends and mucoadhesion. After storage, the polymeric blends underwent rheological structuring (ageing) with an attendant enhancement of mucoadhesion. In certain blends containing the highest molecular weight of PVA (146–186 kDa), storage ultimately resulted in an increase and then a significant decrease in the rheological and mucoadhesive properties, the latter phenomenon being accredited to polymer recrystallisation. Ageing of the rheological and mucoadhesive properties was modelled using an exponential growth model, allowing predictions of the storage period associated with the maxima in viscoelastic and mucoadhesive properties. These observations highlight the possible implications whenever interactive polymeric blends are employed in drug delivery. Caution is therefore urged whenever a formulation strategy based on interactive polymer blends is employed to ensure that ageing is fully understood and mathematically characterised. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4329–4338, 2015]]>
Capping is a classical manufacturing problem for tablets, which is known to affect more biconvex tablets than flat-faced ones. One reason could be the development of a higher residual die-wall pressure during unloading. Unfortunately, contradictory results were published on the subject. In this work, the evolution of the die-wall pressure during the compaction of biconvex tablets was studied experimentally and using finite element method (FEM) modeling. It was compared with the case of flat-faced tablets. Experimental and numerical results showed that during the compression of biconvex tablet, a lower maximum die-wall pressure and a higher residual die-wall pressure were obtained compared with the case of flat-faced tablet. Moreover, both approaches showed, for biconvex tablets, a temporary increase of the die-wall pressure at the end of the unloading phase. FEM demonstrated that this phenomenon was due to a gradual loss of contact between the punch and the tablet from the side to the center. This complex unloading behavior causes the temporary increase of the die-wall pressure and the development of a shear stress between the convex part and the land of the tablet. This could explain the capping tendency of biconvex tablets. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4339–4344, 2015]]>
Electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/gelatin (GT) scaffolds were developed to provide controlled release of 7-ethyl-10-hydroxy camptothecin (SN-38). Acetic acid was introduced to improve the miscibility of PCL and GT to produce a homogeneous nanofiber membrane mixture. The effect of SN-38 content in binary mixtures on processability, fiber morphology, water sorption, swelling, and drug release was investigated. Electrospun PCL/GT blend nonwoven fibers showed fiber surface roughness, decreased PCL crystallinity, and increased swelling with increasing drug content of 1, 2, and 4 wt %. Additionally, increasing the SN-38 concentration reduced the degradation rate of the GT. Furthermore, we hypothesize the existence of a drug content saturation point in the monoaxial fiber to explain the different drug release patterns of PG2 compared with those of PG1 and PG4. The matrix also showed good biodegradation and anti-tumor function. Our results demonstrate that SN-38-loaded PCL/GT fibers can be obtained by electrospinning. The SN-38-loaded fibers merit further evaluation as a means to potentially prevent locoregional recurrence following surgical tumor resection. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4345–4354, 2015]]>
The oxidation reaction of pyridine by hydrogen peroxides in water media was investigated by combining quantum chemical calculations and laboratory experiments. Pyridine was selected as a model system for aromatic amines that frequently occurs in drug molecules. Several different reaction conditions, commonly used in stress testing of drug molecules during drug development, were investigated to increase mechanistic insight to this class of oxidation reactions. Of special interest is to note that small amounts of acetonitrile, a regularly used cosolvent to keep poorly soluble drug molecules in water solution, could catalyze the oxidation reaction in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Consequently, attention needs to be taken when comparing data from different stress test studies of amine oxidation by hydrogen peroxides at different pH, and with and without acetonitrile. In particular, they need to be controlled when identifying the proper intrinsic stability of the drug molecule. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4355–4364, 2015]]>
Propranolol administration through buccal route offers some distinct advantages thanks to the easy access to the oral mucosa, fast onset of action, and avoidance of hepatic and intestinal degradation mechanisms. To overcome the effective removal existing in the buccal cavity, mucoadhesive delivery systems are considered a promising approach as they facilitate a close contact with the buccal mucosa. The aim of this study was to prepare mucoadhesive tablets based on chitosan/gelatin microparticles for buccal delivery of propranolol hydrochloride. Spray-dried microparticles were prepared with different chitosan–gelatin weight ratios and characterized in terms of yield and morphology. Microparticles were subsequently compressed with the drug to obtain loaded buccal tablets. In vitro water uptake, mucoadhesion, release, and permeation tests were performed to investigate tablet ability to hydrate, to adhere to the mucosa, and to deliver drug through buccal mucosa. Microparticles showed a different morphology based on the different chitosan–gelatin weight ratios. Moreover, buccal tablets based on the prepared microparticles showed different technological and functional characteristics in virtue of their composition. In particular, tablets with an excess of chitosan showed the best mucoadhesive properties, allowed the permeation of the greatest drug amount among all formulations, and could be promising for buccal administration of propranolol hydrochloride. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4365–4372, 2015]]>
Chitosan and alginate nano-composite (NP) carriers intended for colonic delivery containing prednisolone and inulin were obtained by two processes. Spray freeze-drying using chitosan (SFDC) or alginate (SFDA) was proposed as an alternative to the traditional chitosan–tripolyphosphate platform (CTPP). NPs were fully characterised and assessed for their yield of particles; level of prednisolone and inulin release in phosphate and Krebs buffers; and sensitivity to degradation by lysozyme, bacteria and faecal slurry. NPs based on chitosan showed similar properties (size, structure, viscoelastic behaviour), but those based on SFDC showed a higher mean release of both active ingredients, with similar efficiency of encapsulation and loading capacity for prednisolone but lower for inulin. SFDC was less degraded in the presence of lysozyme and E. coli and was degraded by B. thetaiotaomicron but not by faecal slurry. The results obtained with SFDA were promising because this NP showed good encapsulation parameters for both active ingredients and biological degradability by E. coli and faecal slurry. However, it will be necessary to use alginate derivatives to reduce its solubility and improve its mechanical behaviour. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4373–4385, 2015]]>
In this study, Taguchi design was used to determine optimal parameters for the preparation of bovine serum albumin (BSA)-loaded nanoparticles (NPs) using a biodegradable polymer poly(glycerol adipate-co-ω-pentadecalactone) (PGA-co-PDL). NPs were prepared, using BSA as a model protein, by the double emulsion evaporation process followed by spray-drying from leucine to form nanocomposite microparticles (NCMPs). The effect of various parameters on NP size and BSA loading were investigated and dendritic cell (DC) uptake and toxicity. NCMPs were examined for their morphology, yield, aerosolisation, in vitro release behaviour and BSA structure. NP size was mainly affected by the polymer mass used and a small particle size ≤500 nm was achieved. High BSA (43.67 ± 2.3 μg/mg) loading was influenced by BSA concentration. The spray-drying process produced NCMPs (50% yield) with a porous corrugated surface, aerodynamic diameter 1.46 ± 141 μm, fine particle dose 45.0 ± 4.7 μg and fine particle fraction 78.57 ± 0.1%, and a cumulative BSA release of 38.77 ± 3.0% after 48 h. The primary and secondary structures were maintained as shown by sodium dodecyl sulphate poly (acrylamide) gel electrophoresis and circular dichroism. Effective uptake of NPs was seen in DCs with >85% cell viability at 5 mg/mL concentration after 4 h. These results indicate the optimal process parameters for the preparation of protein-loaded PGA-co-PDL NCMPs suitable for inhalation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4386–4398, 2015]]>
Our study aimed at the investigation of in vivo anticancer effect of the combination use of dexamethasone (DEX) and gemcitabine (GM) as well as the development of pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) models in MCF-7 xenograft model. Further, simulations were conducted to optimize doses and administration schedules. The inhibitory effect of different doses and administration schedules were investigated in MCF-7 xenograft model. Semi-mechanism-based PK/PD models were established based on the preclinical data to characterize the relationship between plasma concentration and the time course of the drug response quantitatively. The PK/PD models were further applied to predict and optimize doses and administration schedules, which would lead to tumor stasis by the end of the treatment. Synergistic effect was observed in the PD study in vivo and further confirmed by the estimated combination index ψ obtained from PK/PD models. The optimum dose regimen was selected as DEX 2 mg/kg, qd and GM 10 mg/kg, q2d based on the simulation results. In summary, the PD interaction between DEX and GM was demonstrated as synergism by both experimental results and modeling approach. Dosage regimens were optimized as predicted by modeling and simulations, which would provide reference for preclinical study and translational research as well. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4399–4408, 2015]]>
Standard cell proliferation assays use bulk media drug concentration to ascertain the potency of chemotherapeutic drugs; however, the relevant quantity is clearly the amount of drug actually taken up by the cell. To address this discrepancy, we have developed a flow cytometric clonogenic assay to correlate the amount of drug in a single cell with the cell's ability to proliferate using a cell tracing dye and doxorubicin, a naturally fluorescent chemotherapeutic drug. By varying doxorubicin concentration in the media, length of treatment time, and treatment with verapamil, an efflux pump inhibitor, we introduced 105–1010 doxorubicin molecules per cell; then used a dye-dilution assay to simultaneously assess the number of cell divisions. We find that a cell's ability to proliferate is a surprisingly conserved function of the number of intracellular doxorubicin molecules, resulting in single-cell IC50 values of 4–12 million intracellular doxorubicin molecules. The developed assay is a straightforward method for understanding a drug's single-cell potency and can be used for any fluorescent or fluorescently labeled drug, including nanoparticles or antibody–drug conjugates. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4409–4416, 2015]]>
Very low oral bioavailability due to extensive pre-systemic metabolism and P-gp efflux has constrained the oral metronomic chemotherapy of docetaxel (DTX). There is tremendous need of compounds facilitating oral delivery of DTX. The research was aimed to investigate the effect of piperlongumine (PPL) on human liver microsomal metabolism, Caco-2 permeability, and cytotoxicity of DTX in triple-negative breast cancer cell lines. Reduction in testosterone and DTX metabolism (twofold increase in half-life) by PPL was comparable to the standard CYP3A4 inhibitor, cyclosporine A. P-gp efflux ratio of DTX across caco-2 monolayer was reduced from 2.37 to 1.52 on co-incubation with PPL. The IC50 value of DTX was reduced three to five times and combination index values in all the cell lines were below 0.6. PPL at non-cytotoxic concentration showed significant enhancement of the antimigration effect of DTX. Expression of tumor markers such as survivin, bcl2, C-myc, and cyclin D1 were downregulated to a great extent with enhanced p53 expression when treated with combination instead of individual drug. Co-treatment with PPL led to 1.68-fold enhancement in DTX bioavailability in SD rats. PPL could be a potential candidate in overcoming the obstacles associated with oral DTX delivery with synergistic anticancer activity. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4417–4426, 2015]]>
Gemcitabine (2′,2′-difluoro-2′-deoxycytidine, dFdC) and metabolite (2′,2′-difluoro-2′-deoxyuridine, dFdU) quantification is warranted for individualized treatment strategies. Analyte stability is crucial for the validity of such quantification. We therefore studied the impact of the time interval from blood sampling to separation of plasma on gemcitabine stability. Blood from gemcitabine-treated patients was drawn into tetrahydrouridine (THU)-spiked heparin and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid tubes and kept on ice until separation. Plasma was separated sequentially up to 24 h after sampling and dFdC and dFdU were quantified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). The change in plasma concentrations over time was compared with the highest imprecision for concentrations above the lower limit of quantification of the LC–MS/MS method. Analyte concentrations decreased slightly over time, but for samples stored for 4 h on ice, the decline was smaller than the expected analytical imprecision. After 24 h, the maximum decline was 14.0%, which exceeded the expected analytical imprecision. dFdC and dFdU stabilities were acceptable for at least 4 h when THU-spiked whole blood samples were kept on ice. This is within the scope of routine sampling procedures. Further, variations in separation time intervals within this time frame are negligible when interpreting drug concentrations. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4427–4432, 2015]]>
Treosulfan (TREO), originally registered for treatment of ovarian cancer, is currently being investigated for conditioning prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. TREO is a prodrug, which undergoes a pH- and temperature-dependent two-step conversion to active monoepoxide [S,S-EBDM, (2S,3S)-1,2-epoxybutane-3,4-diol-4-methanesulfonate] and diepoxide [S,S-DEB, (2S,3S)-1,2:3,4-diepoxybutane]. In this paper, the kinetics of the nonenzymatic transformation of TREO at pH 7.4 and 37°C were studied for the first time including the effects of the TREO concentration, buffer concentration, ionic strength, and the presence of NaCl. Transformation of TREO was well described by a kinetic model, which included first-order reactions for TREO activation, that is, TREO S,S-EBDM S,S-DEB, and pseudo-first-order reactions for the hydrolytic decomposition of S,S-EBDM and S,S-DEB. In contrast to the two-step activation of TREO, the hydrolysis of epoxides was influenced by electrolytes. In phosphate-buffered saline, decomposition of S,S-EBDM and S,S-DEB (mean half-lives 25.7 and 15.4 h) proceeded much slower than their formation (mean half-lives 1.5 and 3.5 h). In conclusion, the kinetics of the nonenzymatic transformation of TREO in the presence of plasma electrolytes cannot contribute to the very low levels of S,S-EBDM and S,S-DEB observed in patient plasma. The results also indicate that elimination of TREO proceeds primarily via conversion to S,S-EBDM. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4433–4442, 2015]]>
One of the main functions of the skin is to reduce the amount of water evaporating from the surface of a human body with outermost layer of the epidermis, stratum corneum (SC), forming a barrier, which protects underlying tissue from dehydration. Empirical data obtained for water penetration in SC are normally analysed using mathematical models, among which the homogeneous membrane (HM) model is commonly employed to describe transport kinetics in SC. However, the HM model failed to fit simultaneously the experimental data for water permeation and desorption (Anissimov YG, Roberts MS. 2009. J Pharm Sci 98:772–781), as the model does not account for a complex structure of SC and irregular distribution of corneocytes. Our previous work (Anissimov YG, Roberts MS. 2009. J Pharm Sci 98:772–781) introduced a slow binding (SB) model that is more aligned with the true biological structure of SC. This report provides an alternative/additional model to both the HM and SB models and takes into account the distribution of effective pathways across SC for water transport. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4443–4447, 2015]]>
The impact of albumin concentration on the uptake of drugs in cells might involve mechanisms going beyond the free drug concentration hypothesis. Proceeding from the assumption that both the unbound and protein-bound drug fractions can be available for uptake, several authors have argued that the uptake of highly bound drugs in cells might be driven mainly by the albumin-facilitated uptake mechanism(s). Hence, a novel approach quantifying the additional contribution of the protein-bound drug complex and pH gradient effect in diverse in vitro-to-in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) procedures of drug uptake and clearance has been proposed and extensively validated by Poulin et al. (2015. J Pharm Sci. Epub ahead of print); this approach consisted of replacing the unbound fraction in plasma (fup) with an adjusted fup value (fup-adjusted). After a second review of literature, the objective of the present study was to perform further validation exercises of the concept of fup-adjusted by using additional case examples of IVIVEs that covered diverse drug properties and experimental settings with varied albumin concentrations (e.g., perfused liver, isolated and suspended hepatocytes, and cultured cells overexpressing transporters). Again, the novel IVIVE method based on fup-adjusted was the best-performing prediction method of the uptake rate (or clearance) as a function of protein binding compared with the conventional method based on the fup theory (absolute average fold error of 1.4 vs. 7.4). Therefore, the present study confirms the utility of fup-adjusted compared with fup in IVIVE procedures for drugs highly bound to albumin, and the improvement was observed particularly in the higher range of albumin concentrations. From these findings, we may conclude that uptake of these drugs in cells is primarily driven by the albumin-bound form. Consequently, it is suggested to estimate the uptake kinetic parameters with cell-based assays incubated in 100% human serum or to make a correction while the experimental data are generated either without albumin or with varied albumin concentrations, in order to predict more accurately the in vivo conditions in physiologically-based pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PBPK/PD) modeling research. Overall, the protein-facilitated uptake mechanism(s) could be another paradigm shift in addition to a previous paradigm related to the pH gradient effect. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4448–4458, 2015]]>
Protein characterization is a necessary activity during development, technical transfers, and licensure. One important aspect of protein characterization is higher order structure assessment, which can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Circular dichroism (CD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies provide global higher order structure and are routinely used to measure the overall structure for product characterization; however, their use as comparability tools is uncertain because of their insensitivity to local or small structure changes. We use a monoclonal antibody (mAb) to explore the usefulness of CD and FTIR compared with other indirect methods of structure characterization such as size-exclusion and ion-exchange chromatographies (SEC and IEC). A panel of degraded samples of a mAb was generated; their higher order structure evaluated using CD and FTIR and was found to be largely unchanged. However, the SEC and IEC chromatograms of certain degraded samples were found to have measurable changes. Based on these studies, we conclude that the application of CD and FTIR should be reserved for global higher order structure identification or product characterization only. The use of CD or FTIR comparability of mAbs should be carefully evaluated, as comparability can be sensitively determined using indirect methods based on chromatography. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 104:4459–4466, 2015]]>