Implementation of quality by design principles in the development of microsponges as drug delivery carriers: Identification and optimization of critical factors using multivariate statistical analyses and design of experiments studies

Facilitating the use of the target product profile in academic research: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

The Target Product Profile (TPP) is a tool used in industry to guide development strategies by addressing user needs and fostering effective communication among stakeholders. However, they are not frequently used in academic research, where they may be equally useful. This systematic review aims to extract the features of accessible TPPs, to identify commonalities and facilitate their integration in academic research methodology.

METHODS

We searched peer-reviewed papers published in English developing TPPs for different products and health conditions in four biomedical databases. Interrater agreement, computed on random abstract and paper sets (Cohen's Kappa; percentage agreement with zero tolerance) was > 0.91. We interviewed experts from industry contexts to gain insight on the process of TPP development, and extracted general and specific features on TPP use and structure.

RESULTS

138 papers were eligible for data extraction. Of them, 92% (n = 128) developed a new TPP, with 41.3% (n = 57) focusing on therapeutics. The addressed disease categories were diverse; the largest (47.1%, n = 65) was infectious diseases. Only one TPP was identified for several fields, including global priorities like dementia. Our analyses found that 56.5% of papers (n = 78) was authored by academics, and 57.8% of TPPs (n = 80) featured one threshold level of product performance. The number of TPP features varied widely across and within product types (n = 3-44). Common features included purpose/context of use, shelf life for drug stability and validation aspects. Most papers did not describe the methods used to develop the TPP. We identified aspects to be taken into account to build and report TPPs, as a starting point for more focused initiatives guiding use by academics.

DISCUSSION

TPPs are used in academic research mostly for infectious diseases and have heterogeneous features. Our extraction of key features and common structures helps to understand the tool and widen its use in academia. This is of particular relevance for areas of notable unmet needs, like dementia. Collaboration between stakeholders is key for innovation. Tools to streamline communication such as TPPs would support the development of products and services in academia as well as industry.

Question-based review for pharmaceutical development: An enhanced quality approach

Over the last years, the pharmaceutical industry has faced real challenges regarding quality assurance. In this context, the establishment of more holistic approaches to the pharmaceutical development has been encouraged. The emergence of the Quality by Design (QbD) paradigm as systematic, scientific and risk-based methodology introduced a new concept of pharmaceutical quality. In essence, QbD can be interpreted as a strategy to maximize time and cost savings. An in-depth understanding of the formulation and manufacturing process is demanded to optimize the safety, efficacy and quality of a drug product at all stages of development. This innovative approach streamlines the pharmaceutical Research and Development (R&D) process, provides greater manufacturing flexibility and reduces regulatory burden. To assist in QbD implementation, International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) organized and launched QbD principles in their guidance for industry, identifying key concepts and tools to design and develop a high-quality drug product. Despite the undeniable advantages of the QbD approach, and the widespread information on QbD regulatory expectations, its full implementation in the pharmaceutical field is still limited. The present review aims to establish a crosswise overview on the current application status of QbD within the framework of the ICH guidelines (ICH Q8(R2) - Q14 and ICH Q2(R2)). Moreover, it outlines the way information gathered from the QbD methodology is being harmonized in Marketing Authorization Applications (MAAs) for European market approval. This work also highlights the challenges that hinder the deployment of the QbD strategy as a standard practice.

Application of the Quality by Design Concept (QbD) in the Development of Hydrogel-Based Drug Delivery Systems

Hydrogel-based drug delivery systems are of interest to researchers for many reasons, such as biocompatibility, high diversity, and the possibility of administration from different routes. Despite these advantages, there are challenges, such as controlling the drug release rate and their mechanical properties during the manufacturing of these systems. For this reason, there is a need for the production and development of such drug delivery systems with a scientific strategy. For this reason, the quality by design (QbD) approach is used for the development of drug delivery systems. This approach, by identifying the most effective factors in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical products and controlling them, results in a product with the desired quality with the least number of errors. In this review article, an attempt is made to discuss the application and method of applying this approach in the development of hydrogel-based drug delivery systems. So that for the development and production of these systems, according to the type of drug delivery system, what target characteristics should be considered (QTPP) and what factors, such as material properties (CMA) or process parameters (CPP), should be taken into account to reach the critical quality attributes of the product (CQA).

Analyzing and understanding the robustness of bioprocesses

The robustness of bioprocesses is becoming increasingly important. The main driving forces of this development are, in particular, increasing demands on product purities as well as economic aspects. In general, bioprocesses exhibit extremely high complexity and variability. Biological systems often have a much higher intrinsic variability compared with chemical processes, which makes the development and characterization of robust processes tedious task. To predict and control robustness, a clear understanding of interactions between input and output variables is necessary. Robust bioprocesses can be realized, for example, by using advanced control strategies for the different unit operations. In this review, we discuss the different biological, technical, and mathematical tools for the analysis and control of bioprocess robustness.

Quality by Design: A Suitable Methodology in Industrial Pharmacy for Costa Rican Universities

This review aims to present the Quality by Design (QbD) model as a suitable methodology to perform research in the academic Costa Rican institutions that teach Pharmacy. Pubmed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases were screened for original research papers and review papers published not more than ten years ago. Institutional repositories from the different universities were reviewed as well. The QbD model stands out as a great methodology for carrying out research projects regarding Pharmaceutical Sciences, but especially for Industrial Pharmacy, where it has contributed in terms of formulation development, manufacturing, and quality control. Academic research based on this model enables the training and development of practical, scientific, and leadership skills in Industrial Pharmacy students. The generated knowledge can be shared in classrooms, which represents an ideal environment to communicate research results and to foster collaborative work between researchers, professors, and students. Moreover, research performed through a QbD approach increases the confidence shown by the industrial sector and health regulatory authorities in the quality of the research, products, and knowledge that are developed and created in an Academy. As a result, the implementation of the model has allowed the creation, transfer, and materialization of knowledge from the Costa Rican Academy to different local pharmaceutical industries.

A review on the modernization of pharmaceutical development and manufacturing - Trends, perspectives, and the role of mathematical modeling

Recently, the pharmaceutical industry has been facing several challenges associated to the use of outdated development and manufacturing technologies. The return on investment on research and development has been shrinking, and, at the same time, an alarming number of shortages and recalls for quality concerns has been registered. The pharmaceutical industry has been responding to these issues through a technological modernization of development and manufacturing, under the support of initiatives and activities such as quality-by-design (QbD), process analytical technology, and pharmaceutical emerging technology. In this review, we analyze this modernization trend, with emphasis on the role that mathematical modeling plays within it. We begin by outlining the main socio-economic trends of the pharmaceutical industry, and by highlighting the life-cycle stages of a pharmaceutical product in which technological modernization can help both achieve consistently high product quality and increase return on investment. Then, we review the historical evolution of the pharmaceutical regulatory framework, and we discuss the current state of implementation and future trends of QbD. The pharmaceutical emerging technology is reviewed afterwards, and a discussion on the evolution of QbD into the more effective quality-by-control (QbC) paradigm is presented. Further, we illustrate how mathematical modeling can support the implementation of QbD and QbC across all stages of the pharmaceutical life-cycle. In this respect, we review academic and industrial applications demonstrating the impact of mathematical modeling on three key activities within pharmaceutical development and manufacturing, namely design space description, process monitoring, and active process control. Finally, we discuss some future research opportunities on the use of mathematical modeling in industrial pharmaceutical environments.

Effect of surfactant on quality and performance attributes of topical semisolids

Surfactants are the most common inactive ingredients used in topical drug products. Surfactants in topical products play many functional roles such as emulsifiers, permeation enhancers, and solubilizers. This study was aimed to evaluate the influence of incremental change in the concentration of a surfactant (tween 80) on the quality attributes and performance of semisolid topical products. Four creams were prepared using metronidazole as a model drug using the same manufacturing protocol and similar composition except for the concentration of tween 80, which was increased by 5% w/w across SF1 to SF4. The quality attributes like globule size, pH, drying rate, and in-vitro permeation profile were characterized. The critical quality attributes did not differ significantly across the products. However, there was a significant difference in the permeation profile of the products. The permeation flux (J_max) varied from SF1 to SF4 (51.25 ± 35.29 to 307.98 ± 138.89 ng/cm²/h, respectively). The reason for the difference in the performance of products despite having consistent quality attributes was investigated. One of the major reasons was found to be the difference in the time course of degree of saturation of drug during the evaporative metamorphosis. This study confirms that the time course of degree of saturation is one of the important quality attributes of the topical product that could influence bioavailability and performance of topical products.

Risk assessment and QbD based optimization of an Eprosartan mesylate nanosuspension: In-vitro characterization, PAMPA and in-vivo assessment

Quality by design (QbD) principles were implemented to understand the product and process variables of sonoprecipitation technique, for preparation of eprosartan mesylate (EM) nanosuspension. Quality risk management approach was utilized to identify and assess high-risk attributes affecting critical quality attributes (CQA's), prioritizing the number of experiments. The effect of critical material attributes (CMA's) and critical process parameters (CPP's) (soluplus concentration, drug concentration ultrasonication amplitude) on z-average particle size and PDI were investigated using a central composite face-centered design (CCF). Further, design space with criteria set of CMA's and CPP's was established to offer assurance of quality. The optimal formulation, identified using numerical optimization method, was further lyophilized and evaluated for redispersibility, solubility saturation, dissolution kinetic and in-vitro dissolution behavior. The EM nanoparticles were in an amorphous state as confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. The stability study conducted for a span of 6 months attests physical and chemical stability of EM dry nanosuspension in an amorphous state when stored at 4 °C. The enhanced solubility and in-vitro dissolution of EM nanosuspension may be attributed to the reduced particle size and alteration of the physical state from a crystalline to an amorphous state. Further, the optimized formulation was subjected to in-vitro and ex-vivo transport study using parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA) and rat everted gut sac model respectively. The transport studies revealed successful permeation enhancement of EM nanoparticle when compared with EM API and physical mixture (PM). The absolute bioavailability of EM API was 7.1% and improved to 39.9% for EM nanosuspension, suggesting that nanoformulation had overcome solubility and permeability limited bioavailability which was observed with EM API.

In vitro and ex vivo studies on diltiazem hydrochloride-loaded microsponges in rectal gels for chronic anal fissures treatment

Diltiazem hydrochloride, topically applied at 2% concentration, is considered effective for the treatment of chronic anal fissures, although it involves several side effects among which anal pruritus and postural hypotension. To test the hypothesis that a sustained delivery system of diltiazem hydrochloride may be helpful for the treatment of chronic anal fissures, in the present study we evaluated the potential of gels containing diltiazem hydrochloride entrapped in microsponges. Such microsponges were based on Eudragit RS 100 and the effect of some formulation variables was assessed by a 2³ full factorial screening design. An optimized formulation of diltiazem hydrochloride microsponges was dispersed in Methylcellulose 2% or Poloxamer 407 20% and the resulting gels (micro-l-diltiazem hydrochloride 2%) were subjected to in vitro drug release, ex vivo permeability and drug deposition after application on porcine rectal mucosa. The results showed a prolonged release up to 24 h from micro-l-diltiazem hydrochloride at 2% in the gels. The permeation tests revealed up to 18% higher drug retention on the mucosal tissue after 24 h by the micro-l-diltiazem hydrochloride 2% gels compared to conventional diltiazem hydrochloride gels at 2%. These results suggest that diltiazem hydrochloride-loaded microsponges dispersed in rectal gels may be useful to overcome some limitations of conventional local chronic anal fissure therapy.

A Review About the Drug Delivery from Microsponges

Microparticulate drug delivery systems have shown a great interest in the pharmaceutical area. They allow the increase of drug therapeutic efficacy and the reduction of side effects. In this context, microsponges represent a new model of porous polymer microspheres, which allow the entrapment of a wide range of active agents. During the development, it is necessary the characterization of the system and among of the most important tests are the release and permeation profile analysis. They can demonstrate the behavior of drug in a specific site with a particular application condition and are related to therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, this review provides an overview of drug delivery profile from microsponges. Methods for determination of in vitro release and ex vivo permeation studies are detailed. Examples of drug delivery from microsponges administered in different sites are also discussed with aim to provide an understanding of the use of this strategy to modify the drug delivery.