HPLC and LC/MS Analysis of Pharmaceutical Container Closure System Leachables and Extractables

A Novel Method for Monitoring N-Nitrosamines Impurities Using NH2-MIL-101(Fe) Mediated Dispersive Micro-Solid Phase Extraction Coupled with LC-MS/MS in Biopharmaceuticals

A highly efficient and convenient method for the simultaneous determination of 12 N-nitrosamines (NAs) has been developed using an amine-functionalized metal-organic framework (NH2-MIL-101(Fe)) as sorbent for dispersive micro-solid phase extraction (D-μSPE) coupled with LC-MS/MS in biopharmaceuticals. The experimental variables involved in the extraction process (i.e., amount of the sorbent, extraction time, desorption time, ionic strength, desorption solvent and volume) were optimized to achieve the best extraction efficiency of the target analytes. Under the optimum conditions, the method was successfully validated, showing good linearity in the range of 0.5-3.0 μg/L with determination coefficients (R2) higher than 0.990, repeatability (RSD ≤ 10.0%, spiked level at 2.0 μg/L) and precision (RSD ≤ 8.2%). The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ) were in the range of 0.005-0.025 μg/L and 0.010-0.250 μg/L, respectively. Satisfactory recoveries ranging from 82.4 to 116.8% were obtained by spiking standards at three different concentrations (0.5 μg/L, 2.0 μg/L and 3.0 μg/L). Other validation parameters, including specificity, stability, and robustness, met the validation criteria. More importantly, the plausible adsorption mechanism on NH2-MIL-101(Fe) was proposed by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra technique. Finally, this method was successfully applied to detect trace nitrosamines in biopharmaceuticals.

Surface-Induced Protein Aggregation and Particle Formation in Biologics: Current Understanding of Mechanisms, Detection and Mitigation Strategies

Protein stability against aggregation is a major quality concern for the production of safe and effective biopharmaceuticals. Amongst the different drivers of protein aggregation, increasing evidence indicates that interactions between proteins and interfaces represent a major risk factor for the formation of protein aggregates in aqueous solutions. Potentially harmful surfaces relevant to biologics manufacturing and storage include air-water and silicone oil-water interfaces as well as materials from different processing units, storage containers, and delivery devices. The impact of some of these surfaces, for instance originating from impurities, can be difficult to predict and control. Moreover, aggregate formation may additionally be complicated by the simultaneous presence of interfacial, hydrodynamic and mechanical stresses, whose contributions may be difficult to deconvolute. As a consequence, it remains difficult to identify the key chemical and physical determinants and define appropriate analytical methods to monitor and predict protein instability at these interfaces. In this review, we first discuss the main mechanisms of surface-induced protein aggregation. We then review the types of contact materials identified as potentially harmful or detected as potential triggers of proteinaceous particle formation in formulations and discuss proposed mitigation strategies. Finally, we present current methods to probe surface-induced instabilities, which represent a starting point towards assays that can be implemented in early-stage screening and formulation development of biologics.

Chemical Characterization and Non-targeted Analysis of Medical Device Extracts: A Review of Current Approaches, Gaps, and Emerging Practices

The developers of medical devices evaluate the biocompatibility of their device prior to FDA's review and subsequent introduction to the market. Chemical characterization, described in ISO 10993-18:2020, can generate information for toxicological risk assessment and is an alternative approach for addressing some biocompatibility end points (e.g., systemic toxicity, genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, reproductive/developmental toxicity) that can reduce the time and cost of testing and the need for animal testing. Additionally, chemical characterization can be used to determine whether modifications to the materials and manufacturing processes alter the chemistry of a patient-contacting device to an extent that could impact device safety. Extractables testing is one approach to chemical characterization that employs combinations of non-targeted analysis, non-targeted screening, and/or targeted analysis to establish the identities and quantities of the various chemical constituents that can be released from a device. Due to the difficulty in obtaining a priori information on all the constituents in finished devices, information generation strategies in the form of analytical chemistry testing are often used. Identified and quantified extractables are then assessed using toxicological risk assessment approaches to determine if reported quantities are sufficiently low to overcome the need for further chemical analysis, biological evaluation of select end points, or risk control. For extractables studies to be useful as a screening tool, comprehensive and reliable non-targeted methods are needed. Although non-targeted methods have been adopted by many laboratories, they are laboratory-specific and require expensive analytical instruments and advanced technical expertise to perform. In this Perspective, we describe the elements of extractables studies and provide an overview of the current practices, identified gaps, and emerging practices that may be adopted on a wider scale in the future. This Perspective is outlined according to the steps of an extractables study: information gathering, extraction, extract sample processing, system selection, qualification, quantification, and identification.

Leaching and extraction of additives from plastic pollution to inform environmental risk: A multidisciplinary review of analytical approaches

Plastic pollution is prevalent worldwide and has been highlighted as an issue of global concern due to its harmful impacts on wildlife. The extent and mechanism by which plastic pollution effects organisms is poorly understood, especially for microplastics. One proposed mechanism by which plastics may exert a harmful effect is through the leaching of additives. To determine the risk to wildlife, the chemical identity and exposure to additives must be established. However, there are few reports with disparate experimental approaches. In contrast, a breadth of knowledge on additive release from plastics is held within the food, pharmaceutical and medical, construction, and waste management industries. This includes standardised methods to perform migration, extraction, and leaching studies. This review provides an overview of the approaches and methods used to characterise additives and their leaching behaviour from plastic pollution. The limitations of these methods are highlighted and compared with industry standardised approaches. Furthermore, an overview of the analytical strategies for the identification and quantification of additives is presented. This work provides a basis for refining current leaching approaches and analytical methods with a view towards understanding the risk of plastic pollution.

Interactions of Perfluorohexyloctane With Polyethylene and Polypropylene Pharmaceutical Packaging Materials

Semifluorinated alkanes (SFAs) are aprotic solvents, which may be used as drug solvents for topical ocular applications, for instance, in dry eye syndrome. Their physical properties suggest that they might be prone to interaction with plastic materials, such as, polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), which are commonly used as packaging materials for pharmaceutical products. In this study, we investigate interactions of PE and PP with a liquid SFA perfluorohexyloctane (PFHO) using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and cross-polarized light microscopy. Binary phase diagrams of PFHO-PE and PFHO-PP systems demonstrating interactions of PFHO with the polymeric materials were constructed based on DSC data. According to this data, PFHO tends to lower the melting temperatures of PE and PP. The equilibrium values of solubilities of the polymers in PFHO and PFHO in the polymers were obtained by extrapolation of melting enthalpy data. Absorption of PFHO by PE and PP materials at ambient conditions after 4 weeks of equilibration was also studied by TGA. From the presented results, it may be concluded that thorough studies of interactions of PE or PP with SFAs are required when these materials are used as packaging components in SFA-based formulations.

The role of mass spectrometry and related techniques in the analysis of extractable and leachable chemicals

In addition to degradation products, impurities, and exogenous contaminants, industries such as pharmaceutical, food, and others must concern themselves with leachables. These chemicals can derive from containers and closures or migrate from labels or secondary containers and packaging to make their way into products. Identification and quantification of extractables (potential leachables) and leachables, typically trace level analytes, is a regulatory expectation intended to ensure consumer safety and product fidelity. Mass spectrometry and related techniques have played a significant role in the analysis of extractables and leachables (E&L). This review provides an overview of how mass spectrometry is used for E&L studies, primarily in the context of the pharmaceutical industry. This review includes work flows, examples of how identification and quantification is done, and the importance of orthogonal data from several different detectors. E&L analyses are driven by the need for consumer safety. These studies are expected to expand in existing areas (e.g., food, textiles, toys, etc.) and into new, currently unregulated product areas. Thus, this topic is of interest to audiences beyond just the pharmaceutical and health care industries. Finally, the potential of universal detector approaches used in other areas is suggested as an opportunity to drive E&L research progress in this arguably understudied, under-published realm.

Application of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on solidification of floating organic drop for the determination of extractables from pharmaceutical packaging materials

A new method was established for the determination of the extractables from pharmaceutical packaging materials using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on solidification of floating organic drop (DLLME-SFO) coupled with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF MS). Packaging samples were filled with three kinds of buffer solutions: acid buffer (pH = 3), alkaline buffer (pH = 9) and 0.9% NaCl solution to extract as many extractables as possible, and then the extractables in buffer solutions were enriched by DLLME-SFO technique. Parameters affecting the efficiency of the extraction procedure were evaluated and optimized, including the type and volume of dispersant, extractant volume, pH and vortex-mixing time. After optimization, the values obtained for limits of detection and quantification for three kinds of common antioxidants were 0.3 and 1.0 μg/L respectively, and good linearity (R² > 0.99) was observed in their respective concentration ranges. The recoveries ranged from 80.61% to 117.87% at three spiked levels with the relative standard deviations (RSDs) between 0.92% and 9.29% (n = 6) in all three buffer solutions. The developed method was successfully applied to the analysis of extractables from pharmaceutical packaging materials. The results indicated that the proposed procedure is a novel, sensitive, fast and repeatable method and has a great significance for evaluation of safety of pharmaceutical packaging materials.

Identifying extractable profiles from 3D printed medical devices

With the ability to create customizable products tailored to individual patients, the use of 3D printed medical devices has rapidly increased in recent years. Despite such interest in these materials, a risk assessment based on the material characterization of final device extracts—as per regulatory guidance—has not yet been completed, even though the printing process may potentially impact the leachability of polymer components. To further our understanding of the chemical impact of 3D printed medical devices, this study investigated the extractable profiles of four different materials, including a PLA polymer advertised as “FDA-approved”. The fusion deposition modeling (FDM) printing process created distinct chemical and physical signatures in the extracts of certain materials. The application of an annealing procedure to printed devices led to a substantial decrease in extractable components by as much as a factor of 50. In addition, the use of a brass printing nozzle led to an increase in the amount of Pb detected in 3D printed device extracts. The data generated provides valuable information that can be used to help assess extractable risks of 3D printed medical devices, assist with future 3D printing designs, and may provide insight for agencies tasked with governing 3D printed medical device regulations.

Investigation of Drug-Packaging Interactions with Mass Spectroscopy Detectors: A Meta-Synthesis of the Literature

Background

The production of hospital-compounded medicines with a longer shelf life raises questions about drug-packaging interactions, especially desorption events involving extractables and leachables (E/L). A meta-synthesis of the literature was performed to describe which mass spectrometer is suitable for identifying and quantifying E/L.

Methods

A meta-synthesis of studies focused on the identification or quantification of E/L published between January 1997 and December 2017 was performed. Inclusion criteria were E/L studies dealing with pharmaceutical products, in which mass spectrometry (MS) coupled to liquid chromatography (LC) or gas chromatography (GC) was used. The full-text articles had to be available and written in English. Articles about food packaging, environmental contamination, counterfeit compounds, pharmacokinetics, or process-related impurity studies were excluded. Two researchers independently assessed the papers according to a score based on a seven-item questionnaire.

Results

In total, 32 papers matched our criteria and were included in the meta-synthesis. For qualitative analysis with LC, quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF; n=4) and ion trap (n=4) mass detectors were used the most; and with GC, single quadrupole (n=8). For quantification studies with LC, QTOF (n=3) and triple quadrupole (n=2) were used the most; and with GC, single quadrupole (n=7).

Conclusions

For simultaneous qualitative and quantitative analysis of E/L with LC, QTOF or Orbitrap is a suitable detector. For quantitative analysis with LC only, triple quadrupole is suitable. For qualitative and quantitative analysis with GC, single quadrupole can be used.

Establishment of a reference standard database for use in the qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of pharmaceutical contact materials within an extractables survey by GC-MS

The analysis of reference standards may be performed to enhance the qualitative and quantitative data generated by non-specific screening methods utilized in extractables studies performed on pharmaceutical contact materials. However, the establishment of a database containing relative response factor and retention index values obtained from these standards has not been published. In this study, the establishment of such a database for GC-MS, a methodology commonly included in extractables studies, on an intra-lab basis was investigated. A set of 154 organic compounds representing a diverse range of chemical functionalities and properties was analyzed at eight time points on four GC-MS instruments that represent the diversity of age and model at our laboratory. The results of this study have shown that any variance in relative response factor between instruments was not significant from a practical perspective as supported by the coefficient of variation values (n = 32), which were ≤15% and ≤10% for 75% and 45% of the compounds tested, respectively. Furthermore, the retention index of the compounds, as expressed by retention time and relative retention time, did not have more than a 2% coefficient of variation between instruments or columns in most cases. It was concluded that a database of these values could be established for future use in extractables studies on an intra-laboratory basis.