Investigations into the stabilization of drugs by sugar glasses: III. The influence of various high-pH buffers

Egg microneedles for transdermal vaccination of inactivated influenza virus

The use of dissolving microneedles (DMNs) is a drug delivery technique in which drug dissolution occurs once it is administered into the skin. The skin is a remarkable site for vaccination due to its significant immunologic properties. Compared to the traditional hypodermic intramuscular (IM) injection, vaccination via DMN does not require cold chains and allows for minimal invasive drug delivery. On account of the significance of skin vaccination, preceding studies have been conducted to elucidate the importance of the DMN technology in vaccination. Most of these studies focused on formulations that maintain the activity of the vaccine, so formulations designed to be specific to the mechanical properties of the microneedle could not be used together independently. In this study, we have developed influenza vaccine loaded egg microneedles (EMN) and characterized the specificity of layer-specific functions of EMN by distinguishing between formulations that can maintain the activity of the vaccine and have the mechanical strength. By the use of in vitro tests such as ELISA and SRID assays, we quantitively evaluated the antigen activity of the formulation candidates to be 87% and 91%, respectively. In vivo tests were also conducted as mouse groups were inoculated with the formulation constructed into egg microneedles (FLU-EMN) to determine the protective efficacy against infection. The results demonstrated that FLU-EMN with functionalized formulations successfully enabled protective immune response even with a fractional dose compared to IM injection.

Making good's buffers good for freezing: The acidity changes and their elimination via mixing with sodium phosphate

Solutions of three Good's buffers (HEPES, MOPS, and MES), both pure and mixed with sodium phosphate buffers (Na-P), are investigated in terms of the freezing-induced acidity changes in their operational pH ranges. The Good's buffers have the tendency to basify upon freezing and, more intensively, at lower pHs. The acidity varies most prominently in MES, where the change may reach the value of two. Importantly, the Good's buffers are shown to mitigate the strong acidification in the Na-P buffer. Diverse concentrations of the Good's buffers are added to cancel out the strong, freezing-induced acidity drop in 50 mM Na-P that markedly contributes to the solution's acidity; the relevant values are 3 mM HEPES, 10 mM MOPS, and 80 mM MES. These buffer blends are therefore proposed to be applied in maintaining approximately the acidity of solutions even after the freezing process and, as such, should limit the stresses for frozen chemicals and biochemicals.

Inhomogeneous Distribution of Components in Solid Protein Pharmaceuticals: Origins, Consequences, Analysis, and Resolutions

Successful development of stable solid protein formulations usually requires the addition of one or several excipients to achieve optimal stability. In these products, there is a potential risk of an inhomogeneous distribution of the various ingredients, specifically the ratio of protein and stabilizer may vary. Such inhomogeneity can be detrimental for stability but is mostly neglected in literature. In the past, it was challenging to analyze inhomogeneous component distribution, but recent advances in analytical techniques have revealed new options to investigate this phenomenon. This paper aims to review fundamental aspects of the inhomogeneous distribution of components of freeze-dried and spray-dried protein formulations. Four key topics will be presented and discussed, including the sources of component inhomogeneity, its consequences on protein stability, the analytical methods to reveal component inhomogeneity, and possible solutions to prevent or mitigate inhomogeneity.

Role of Buffers in Protein Formulations

Buffers comprise an integral component of protein formulations. Not only do they function to regulate shifts in pH, they also can stabilize proteins by a variety of mechanisms. The ability of buffers to stabilize therapeutic proteins whether in liquid formulations, frozen solutions, or the solid state is highlighted in this review. Addition of buffers can result in increased conformational stability of proteins, whether by ligand binding or by an excluded solute mechanism. In addition, they can alter the colloidal stability of proteins and modulate interfacial damage. Buffers can also lead to destabilization of proteins, and the stability of buffers themselves is presented. Furthermore, the potential safety and toxicity issues of buffers are discussed, with a special emphasis on the influence of buffers on the perceived pain upon injection. Finally, the interaction of buffers with other excipients is examined.

Suppression of protein inactivation during freezing by minimizing pH changes using ionic cryoprotectants

Freezing and lyophilization are often used for stabilization of biomolecules; however, this sometimes results in partial degradation and loss of biological function in these molecules. In this study we examined the effect of freezing-induced acidity changes on denaturation of the model enzyme haloalkane dehalogenase under various experimental conditions. The effective local pH of frozen solutions is shown to be the key causal factor in protein stability. To preserve the activity of frozen-thawed enzymes, acidity changes were prevented by the addition of an ionic cryoprotectant, a compound which counteracts pH changes during freezing due to selective incorporation of its ions into the ice. This approach resulted in complete recovery of enzyme activity after multiple freeze-thaw cycles. We propose the utilization of ionic cryoprotectants as a new and effective cryopreservation method in research laboratories as well as in industrial processes.

Unraveling protein stabilization mechanisms: vitrification and water replacement in a glass transition temperature controlled system

The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of the two main mechanisms used to explain the stabilization of proteins by sugar glasses during drying and subsequent storage: the vitrification and the water replacement theory. Although in literature protein stability is often attributed to either vitrification or water replacement, both mechanisms could play a role and they should be considered simultaneously. A model protein, alkaline phosphatase, was incorporated in either inulin or trehalose by spray drying. To study the storage stability at different glass transition temperatures, a buffer which acts as a plasticizer, ammediol, was incorporated in the sugar glasses. At low glass transition temperatures (<50°C), the enzymatic activity of the protein strongly decreased during storage at 60°C. Protein stability increased when the glass transition temperature was raised considerably above the storage temperature. This increased stability could be attributed to vitrification. A further increase of the glass transition temperature did not further improve stability. In conclusion, vitrification plays a dominant role in stabilization at glass transition temperatures up to 10 to 20°C above storage temperature, depending on whether trehalose or inulin is used. On the other hand, the water replacement mechanism predominantly determines stability at higher glass transition temperatures.

Analysis of the hydrolysis of inulin using real time 1H NMR spectroscopy

The hydrolysis of various carbohydrates was investigated under acidic conditions in real time by (1)H NMR spectroscopy, with a focus on the polysaccharide inulin. Sucrose was used as a model compound to illustrate the applicability of this technique. The hydrolysis of sucrose was shown to follow pseudo first order kinetics and have an activation energy of 107.0 kJ mol(-1) (SD 1.7 kJ mol(-1)). Inulin, pullulan and glycogen also all followed pseudo first order kinetics, but had an initiation phase at least partially generated by the protonation of the glycosidic bonds. It was also demonstrated that polysaccharide chain length has an effect on the hydrolysis of inulin. For short chain inulin (DPn 18, SD 0.70) the activation energy calculated for the hydrolytic cleavage of glucose was similar to sucrose at 108.5 kJ mol(-1) (SD 0.60). For long chain inulin (DPn 30, SD 1.3) the activation energy for the hydrolytic cleavage of glucose was reduced to 80.5 kJ mol(-1) (SD 2.3 kJ mol(-1)). This anomaly has been attributed to varied conformations for the two different lengths of inulin chain in solution.

Investigation on formulation and preparation of adenovirus encoding human endostatin lyophilized powders

A recombinant adenovirus encoding human endostatin gene, E10A, has finished phase II trials for head and neck cancer. However, the rigid storage temperature (-80°C) and the toxicity of glycerol in the E10A liquid preparation limited its clinical application. In this study, lyophilization was applied to develop a stable E10A lyophilized powder without glycerol that is able to maintain biological activity at 4°C and suitable for intravenous administration. The E10A lyophilized formulations composed of nontoxic and already clinically used excipients were characterized in terms of the pH change during freezing, the eutectic melting temperature (T(eu)) and the collapse temperature (T(c)). Freeze thawing tests were carried out to examine the protective effect of various excipients during freezing. Mannitol and its combinations with sucrose or inulin showed effective protection of E10A. The E10A lyophilized powders were analyzed by particle size measurement, residual humidity quantification, infectivity assay and gene expression level. An optimized formulation (formulation I1) yielded a good recovery of 76% of the starting infectivity after lyophilization and 89% of the original infectivity after storage at 4°C for 180 days. Also the gene expression capability of E10A in formulation I1 was maintained after lyophilization. In addition, it was found that the matrix of amorphous excipients, mannitol combinations with sucrose or inulin, was indispensible in protecting E10A against the stress of freezing and dehydration. Hereby, the E10A lyophilized powder with eliminated glycerol toxicity and improved stability could enhance the applicability of E10A for cancer gene therapy through intravenous administration.

Forced degradation of therapeutic proteins

The scope of this paper is to review approaches used for forced degradation (synonym, stress testing) of therapeutic proteins. Forced degradation studies play a central role in the development of therapeutic proteins, for example, for candidate selection, molecule characterization, formulation development, assay development, and comparability studies. Typical stress methods are addressed within this review, such as exposure to elevated temperatures, freeze-thawing, mechanical stress, oxidation, light, as well as various materials and devices used in the clinics during final administration. Stability testing is briefly described as far as relevant to the discussion of forced degradation studies. Whereas stability-testing requirements are defined in regulatory guidelines, standard procedures for forced degradation of therapeutic proteins are largely unavailable, except for photostability. Possible selection criteria to identify appropriate stress conditions and recommendations for setting up forced degradation studies for the different phases of development of therapeutic proteins are presented.

Dry powder vaccines for mucosal administration: critical factors in manufacture and delivery

Dry powder vaccine formulations have proved effective for induction of systemic and mucosal immune responses. Here we review the use of dry vaccines for immunization in the respiratory tract. We discuss techniques for powder formulation, manufacture, characterization and delivery in addition to methods used for evaluation of stability and safety. We review the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of dry powder vaccines as compared to liquid vaccines delivered by mucosal or parenteral routes. Included is information on mucosal adjuvants and mucoadhesives that can be used to enhance nasal or pulmonary dry vaccines. Mucosal immunization with dry powder vaccines offers the potential to provide a needle-free and cold chain-independent vaccination strategy for the induction of protective immunity against either systemic or mucosal pathogens.

Extremolyte-like applicability of an archaeal exopolymer, poly-gamma-L-glutamate

An extremely halophilic archaeon Natrialba aegyptiaca produces extracellular poly-gamma-glutamate (PGA), in which only L-glutamate is polymerized via gamma-amide linkages. We examined the extremolyte-like applicability of archaeal PGA and found the ameliorating effects of L-PGA on the resistibility to freeze-thawing and proteolysis, thermostability, and alkalotolerance of a model enzyme, labile DNA ligase. For example, the coexistence of low (e.g. 0.01 mg mL(-1)) and high (e.g. 0.1 mg mL(-1)) concentrations of L-PGA with an average molecular mass of 1000 kDa increased the midpoint of thermal inactivation of DNA ligase by about 15 degrees C and 18 degrees C, respectively, and the model enzyme further remained active even under extremely alkaline conditions of pH 11.4 in the presence of the high concentration of L-PGA. This is the first characterization of the stereo-regular PGA molecules as atypical extremolytes. L-PGA from extremophiles has great potential as a bio-based protectant (or stabilizer) with industrial versatility.

Development of stable influenza vaccine powder formulations: challenges and possibilities

Influenza vaccination represents the cornerstone of influenza prevention. However, today all influenza vaccines are formulated as liquids that are unstable at ambient temperatures and have to be stored and distributed under refrigeration. In order to stabilize influenza vaccines, they can be brought into the dry state using suitable excipients, stabilizers and drying processes. The resulting stable influenza vaccine powder is independent of cold-chain facilities. This can be attractive for the integration of the vaccine logistics with general drug distribution in Western as well as developing countries. In addition, a stockpile of stable vaccine formulations of potential vaccines against pandemic viruses can provide an immediate availability and simple distribution of vaccine in a pandemic outbreak. Finally, in the development of new needle-free dosage forms, dry and stable influenza vaccine powder formulations can facilitate new or improved targeting strategies for the vaccine compound. This review represents the current status of dry stable inactivated influenza vaccine development. Attention is given to the different influenza vaccine types (i.e. whole inactivated virus, split, subunit or virosomal vaccine), the rationale and need for stabilized influenza vaccines, drying methods by which influenza vaccines can be stabilized (i.e. lyophilization, spray drying, spray-freeze drying, vacuum drying or supercritical fluid drying), the current status of dry influenza vaccine development and the challenges for ultimate market introduction of a stable and effective dry-powder influenza vaccine.

Protein stability during freezing: separation of stresses and mechanisms of protein stabilization

Although proteins are often frozen during processing or freeze-dried after formulation to improve their stability, they can undergo degradation leading to losses in biological activity during the process. During freezing, the physical environment of a protein changes dramatically leading to the development of stresses that impact protein stability. Low temperature, freeze-concentration, and ice formation are the three chief stresses resulting during cooling and freezing. Because of the increase in solute concentrations, freeze-concentration could also facilitate second order reactions, crystallization of buffer or non-buffer components, phase separation, and redistribution of solutes. An understanding of these stresses is critical to the determination of when during freezing a protein suffers degradation and therefore important in the design of stabilizer systems. With the exception of a few studies, the relative contribution of various stresses to the instability of frozen proteins has not been addressed in the freeze-drying literature. The purpose of this review is to describe the various stages of freezing and examine the consequences of the various stresses developing during freezing on protein stability and to assess their relative contribution to the destabilization process. The ongoing debate on thermodynamic versus kinetic mechanisms of stabilization in frozen environments and the current state of knowledge concerning those mechanisms are also reviewed in this publication. An understanding of the relative contributions of freezing stresses coupled with the knowledge of cryoprotection mechanisms is central to the development of more rational formulation and process design of stable lyophilized proteins.

Inulin sugar glasses preserve the structural integrity and biological activity of influenza virosomes during freeze-drying and storage

Influenza virosomes are reconstituted influenza virus envelopes that may be used as vaccines or as carrier systems for cellular delivery of therapeutic molecules. Here we present a procedure to generate influenza virosomes as a stable dry-powder formulation by freeze-drying (lyophilization) using an amorphous inulin matrix as a stabilizer. In the presence of inulin the structural integrity and fusogenic activity of virosomes were fully preserved during freeze-drying. For example, the immunological properties of the virosomes, i.e. the HA potency in vitro and the immunogenic potential in vivo, were maintained during lyophilization in the presence of inulin. In addition, compared to virosomes dispersed in buffer, inulin-formulated virosomes showed substantially prolonged preservation of the HA potency upon storage. Also the capacity of virosomes to mediate cellular delivery of macromolecules was maintained during lyophilization in the presence of inulin and upon subsequent storage. Specifically, when dispersed in buffer, virosomes with encapsulated plasmid DNA lost their transfection activity completely within 6 weeks, whereas their transfection activity was fully preserved for at least 12 weeks after incorporation in an inulin matrix. Thus, in the presence of inulin as a stabilizing agent, the shelf-life of influenza virosomes with and without encapsulated macromolecules was considerably prolonged. Formulation of influenza virosomes as a dry-powder is advantageous for storage and transport and offers the possibility to develop needle-free dosage forms, e.g. for oral, nasal, pulmonal, or dermal delivery.

Rational design of an influenza subunit vaccine powder with sugar glass technology: Preventing conformational changes of haemagglutinin during freezing and freeze-drying

The development of a stable influenza subunit vaccine in the dry state was investigated. The influence of various carbohydrates, buffer types and freezing rates on the integrity of haemagglutinin after freeze-thawing or freeze-drying was investigated with a range of analytical and immunological methods. The use of fast freezing, Hepes buffer and carbohydrates (trehalose, inulin or dextran) as cryo- and lyoprotectants resulted in a significant reduction or even absence of conformational changes of HA as revealed by the used methods. The subunit vaccine in the powder was shown to remain immunogenic in an in vivo study in mice, using reconstituted powder. Moreover, the HA potency of the influenza subunit vaccine powder was stable for at least 26 weeks at room temperature.

Inhibition of Mannitol Crystallization in Frozen Solutions by Sodium Phosphates and Citrates

Effects of co-solutes on the physical property of mannitol and sorbitol in frozen solutions and freeze-dried solids were studied as a model of controlling component crystallinity in pharmaceutical formulations. A frozen mannitol solution (500 mM) showed a eutectic crystallization exotherm at -22.8 degrees C, whereas sorbitol remained amorphous in the freeze-concentrated fraction in the thermal scan. Various inorganic salts reduced the eutectic mannitol crystallization peak. Trisodium and tripotassium phosphates or citrates prevented the mannitol crystallization at much lower concentrations than other salts. They also raised transition temperatures of the frozen mannitol and sorbitol solutions (T(g)': glass transition temperature of maximally freeze-concentrated amorphous phase). Crystallization of some salts (e.g., NaCl) induced crystallization of mannitol at above certain salt concentration ratios. Thermal and near-infrared analyses of cooled-melt amorphous sorbitol solids indicated increased intermolecular hydrogen-bonding in the presence of trisodium phosphate. The sodium phosphates and citrates should prevent crystallization of mannitol in frozen solutions and freeze-dried solids by the intense hydrogen-bonding and reduced molecular mobility in the amorphous phase.

Acidity of Frozen Electrolyte Solutions

Ice is selectively intolerant to impurities. A preponderance of implanted anions or cations generates electrical imbalances in ice grown from electrolyte solutions. Since the excess charges are ultimately neutralized via interfacial (H(+)/HO(-)) transport, the acidity of the unfrozen portion can change significantly and permanently. This insufficiently recognized phenomenon should critically affect rates and equilibria in frozen media. Here we report the effective (19)F NMR chemical shift of 3-fluorobenzoic acid as in situ probe of the acidity of extensively frozen electrolyte solutions. The sign and magnitude of the acidity changes associated with freezing are largely determined by specific ion combinations, but depend also on solute concentration and/or the extent of supercooling. NaCl solutions become more basic, those of (NH(4))(2)SO(4) or Na(2)SO(4) become more acidic, while solutions of the 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid zwitterion barely change their acidity upon freezing. We discuss how acidity scales based on solid-state NMR measurements could be used to assess the degree of ionization of weak acids and bases in frozen media.

Inulin is a promising cryo- and lyoprotectant for PEGylated lipoplexes

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the oligosaccharides dextran and inulin are able to prevent aggregation of lipoplexes based on 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane and dioleoylphosphatidyl-ethanolamine with and without distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine-polyethyleneglycol (PEGylated and nonPEGylated lipoplexes, respectively) during storage. The lipoplexes, dispersed in the oligosaccharide solution were frozen and subsequently stored at subzero temperature or freeze dried and subsequently stored at 37 degrees C. When lipoplexes in frozen dispersions were stored below the glass transition temperature of the maximally freeze concentrated fraction (Tg') of the oligosaccharide solutions severe aggregation of the nonPEGylated lipoplexes was prevented for 3 months by both inulin and dextran. However, while dextran failed to stabilize the frozen PEGylated lipoplexes (as in most cases full aggregation occurred in short time) inulin successfully protected them against aggregation. Compared to dextran, inulin was also a superior lyoprotectant of PEGylated lipoplexes: during freeze drying and subsequent storage at 37 degrees C of the dried powders for 3 months the PEGylated lipoplexes maintained their original size when dispersed in inulin matrices while in dextran matrices they fully aggregated in most cases. It is hypothesized that the aggregation of the PEGylated lipoplexes in dextran solutions is caused by the well known incompatibility between dextrans and PEG. This is further supported by the observation that inulins and PEG are compatible. It is concluded that oligosaccharides can prevent severe aggregation of nonPEGylated lipoplexes. The same holds for PEGylated lipoplexes provided that the oligosaccharide is compatible with PEG. Finally, this work also shows that the higher Tg' of oligosaccharides makes them more versatile cryoprotectants than disaccharides like sucrose or trehalose as the frozen dispersions can be stored at higher temperatures for prolonged periods of time. Furthermore, it is proposed that oligosaccharides are also more versatile lyoprotectants than the disaccharides because they can be exposed to higher relative humidities without passing the glass transition temperature.