Identification, isolation and characterization of process related impurities in ezetimibe

Ezetimibe: A Review of Analytical Methods for the Drug Substance, Pharmaceutical Formulations and Biological Matrices

Ezetimibe (EZM) is a selective inhibitor of the sterol transporter Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 in the small intestine used as an adjunctive therapy to lower cholesterol levels in cases of hyperlipidemia. The goal of this work was to summarize the main physical-chemical, pharmacological and pharmacokinetic characteristics of EZM, as well as to describe the main analytical methodologies for the quantification of the drug. Methods described in the United States Pharmacopeia for EZM raw material and tablets were also presented. The drug has a large number of process-related impurities and degradation products and needs strict quality control of its impurities. Specific chiral methods for the evaluation of its chiral impurities are also a need for EZM. The main advantages and disadvantages of the compiled analytical methods were presented, as well as the limits of detection and quantitation. The fastest and most efficient methods were highlighted. Most methods for analyzing EZM used C₈ or C₁₈ stationary phases in gradient mode with binary mobile phases containing acetonitrile and an acidic buffer solution with ultraviolet detection. For analysis of EZM in biological matrices, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry is generally employed using electron spray ionization in negative ionization mode using multiple reaction monitoring. Different methods in the literature evaluate a large number of impurities for EZM, however new stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography methods for the drug are still needed.

Development of a Simple, Highly Selective RP-LC Method for the Quantification of Diastereomers and Other Related Substances of Ezetimibe Using Multivariate Analysis

A simple reverse phase method for the selective quantification of ezetimibe (EZM), its diastereomers and other related substances was developed. The method demonstrated an excellent separation between each of the 14 impurities (including diastereomers, specified impurities and degradation products) and EZM within a runtime of 45 min. The developed method was evaluated against the reported USP method, other literature methods found that none of them was able to separate/show the absence of all the diastereomers and degradation products. The critical method parameters were optimized using central composite design. Forced degradation studies proved the method to be highly specific and the structure of all the major degradation products were confirmed by LC-MS study. The results of validation proved the method to be precise (% RSD < 4), accurate (recoveries in range of 100 ± 6%), linear (R2 > 0.999) and sensitive (LOQ ≤ 0.04% and LOD ≤ 0.01%) for all the impurities and drug. The method is suitable for both drug substance and oral solid dosage form.

Development of an LC-MS Method for 4-Fluoroaniline Determination in Ezetimibe

A rapid and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method was developed and validated to determine 4-fluoroaniline concentration in ezetimibe. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Phenomenex Gemini-NX C18 column (150 × 4.6 mm, 3 μm) maintained at 30°C. The liquid chromatography system was operated in gradient mode with an injection volume of 20 μL at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. Mobile phase A was water and mobile phase B consisted of acetonitrile with 0.05% acetic acid. The detection was performed using a single quadrupole mass spectrometer in single ion monitoring mode by using positive ionization. An m/z value of 112 was selected for monitoring 4-fluoroaniline. The method showed good linearity over the concentration range of 0.94-30.26 ng/mL. The limit of quantification and limit of detection were 0.19 and 0.94 ng/mL, respectively. The precision relative standard deviations were less than 8.7% (n = 12), and the accuracy values were within 92-99%. A standard solution of 4-fluoroaniline was stable for at least 24 h at 25°C. Small changes in the organic phase acidity of the mobile phase, flow rate, column temperature, and the instrument parameters had no significant effect on the results for 4-fluoroaniline.

Improved Aqueous Solubility and Antihypercholesterolemic Activity of Ezetimibe on Formulating with Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin and Hydrophilic Auxiliary Substances

The purpose of this study was to improve the aqueous solubility, dissolution, and pharmacodynamic properties of a BCS class II drug, ezetimibe (Eze) by preparing ternary cyclodextrin complex systems. We investigated the potential synergistic effect of two novel hydrophilic auxiliary substances, D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) and L-ascorbic acid-2-glucoside (AA2G) on hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) solubilization of poorly water-soluble hypocholesterolemic drug, Eze. In solution state, the binary and ternary systems were analyzed by phase solubility studies and Job's plot. The solid complexes prepared by freeze-drying were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The log P values, aqueous solubility, dissolution, and antihypercholesterolemic activity of all systems were studied. The analytical techniques confirmed the formation of inclusion complexes in the binary and ternary systems. HPBCD complexation significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the log P and improved the solubility, dissolution, and hypocholesterolemic properties of Eze, and the addition of ternary component produced further significant improvement (p < 0.05) even compared to binary system. The remarkable reduction in log P and enhancement in solubility, dissolution, and antihypercholesterolemic activity due to the addition of TPGS or AA2G may be attributed to enhanced wetting, dispersibility, and complete amorphization. The use of TPGS or AA2G as ternary hydrophilic auxiliary substances improved the HPBCD solubilization and antihypercholesterolemic activity of Eze.

Determination and characterization of two degradant impurities in bendamustine hydrochloride drug product

Bendamustine hydrochloride is an alkylating antitumor agent with a good efficacy in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL). Under the stressed conditions, two degradant impurities in bendamustine hydrochloride drug product were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography. These two degradant impurities were isolated from preparative liquid chromatography, and were further characterized using Q-TOF/MS and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Based on the MS and NMR spectral data, they were characterized as 4-[5-(2-chloro-ethylamino)-1-methyl-1H-benzoimidazol-2-yl] butyric acid hydrochloride (impurity-A) and 4-{5-[[2-(4-{5-[bis-(2-chloroethyl) amino]-1-methyl-1H-benzoimidazol-2-yl}-butyryloxy)-ethyl]-(2-chloroethyl)amino]-1-methyl-3a, 7a-dihydro-1H-benzoimidazol-2-yl} butyric acid hydrochloride (impurity-B). Isolation, structural elucidation of these two impurities by spectral data (Q-TOF/MS, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, D2O exchange NMR and two-dimensional NMR) and the probable formation mechanism of the impurities were discussed.

Identification, synthesis and characterization of process related desfluoro impurity of ezetimibe and HPLC method validations

Ezetimibe, which selectively inhibits cholesterol absorption across the intestinal wall and is used as an antihyperlipidemic agent, is synthesized for commercial use as a drug substance in highly pure form. During the synthetic process development studies of ezetimibe, an impurity was detected in the final product at levels ranging from 0.05% to 0.15% in reverse phase gradient high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method and its molecular weight was determined by LC-MS analysis. The impurity was identified as (3R,4S)-3-((S)-3-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-hydroxypropyl)-4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-phenylazetidin-2-one which is called desfluoro ezetimibe (lactam-related) impurity, synthesized and characterized, the mechanism of its formation was discussed in detail. After all standardization procedures, it was used as a reference standard during validation of HPLC method and routine analyses. In addition, content of Eze-1 desfluoro impurity in Eze-1 intermediates was specified as 0.10% to keep the formation of desfluoro ezetimibe impurity under control and the related substances HPLC method was validated accordingly.

Identification, synthesis and characterization of process related impurities of benidipine hydrochloride, stress-testing/stability studies and HPLC/UPLC method validations

Benidipine hydrochloride, used as an antihypertensive agent and long-acting calcium antagonist, is synthesized for commercial use as a drug substance in highly pure form. During the synthetic process development studies of benidipine, process related impurities were detected. These impurities were identified, synthesized and characterized and mechanisms of their formation were discussed in detail. After all standardization procedures, they were used as reference standards for analytical studies. In addition, a separate HPLC method was developed and validated for detection of residual 1-benzylpiperidin-3-ol (Ben-2), which is used during benidipine synthesis and controlled as a potential process related impurity. As complementary of this work, stress-testing studies of benidipine were carried out under specified conditions and a stability-indicating UPLC assay method was developed, validated and used during stability studies of benidipine.

The essential roles of chemistry in high-throughput screening triage

It is increasingly clear that academic high-throughput screening (HTS) and virtual HTS triage suffers from a lack of scientists trained in the art and science of early drug discovery chemistry. Many recent publications report the discovery of compounds by screening that are most likely artifacts or promiscuous bioactive compounds, and these results are not placed into the context of previous studies. For HTS to be most successful, it is our contention that there must exist an early partnership between biologists and medicinal chemists. Their combined skill sets are necessary to design robust assays and efficient workflows that will weed out assay artifacts, false positives, promiscuous bioactive compounds and intractable screening hits, efforts that ultimately give projects a better chance at identifying truly useful chemical matter. Expertise in medicinal chemistry, cheminformatics and purification sciences (analytical chemistry) can enhance the post-HTS triage process by quickly removing these problematic chemotypes from consideration, while simultaneously prioritizing the more promising chemical matter for follow-up testing. It is only when biologists and chemists collaborate effectively that HTS can manifest its full promise.

Pharmaceutical impurities and degradation products: uses and applications of NMR techniques

Current standards and regulations demand the pharmaceutical industry not only to produce highly pure drug substances, but to achieve a thorough understanding of the impurities accompanying their manufactured drug substances and products. These challenges have become important goals of process chemistry and have steadily stimulated the search of impurities after accelerated or forced degradation procedures. As a result, impurity profiling is one of the most attractive, active and relevant fields of modern pharmaceutical analysis. This activity includes the identification, structural elucidation and quantitative determination of impurities and degradation products in bulk drugs and their pharmaceutical formulations. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has evolved into an irreplaceable approach for pharmaceutical quality assessment, currently playing a critical role in unequivocal structure identification as well as structural confirmation (qualitative detection), enabling the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the formation of process and/or degradation impurities. NMR is able to provide qualitative information without the need of standards of the unknown compounds and multiple components can be quantified in a complex sample without previous separation. When coupled to separative techniques, the resulting hyphenated methodologies enhance the analytical power of this spectroscopy to previously unknown levels. As a result, and by enabling the implementation of rational decisions regarding the identity and level of impurities, NMR contributes to the goal of making better and safer medicines. Herein are discussed the applications of NMR spectroscopy and its hyphenated derivate techniques to the study of a wide range pharmaceutical impurities. Details on the advantages and disadvantages of the methodology and well as specific challenges with regards to the different analytical problems are also presented.