Portable capillary electrophoresis coupled with swab-based extraction device for cleaning validation in pharmaceutical facilities

All pharmaceutical manufacturers are required to verify that their production equipment is free from contaminants. Here, we report the capability of a fully automated portable capillary electrophoresis instrument with an integrated sample swab extraction - the Grey Scan ETD-100 - for the detection of pharmaceutical residues on surfaces of manufacturing equipment. Lidocaine was used as a model compound and could be recovered from a surface by swabbing, extracted from the swab, and analysed within 1 min. The recovery of lidocaine from a stainless-steel coupon was 81.3 %, with a LOD of 0.13 µg/swab. This fast, sensitive, and simple method implemented on a user-friendly portable CE instrument without the need for manual sample pre-treatment provides the possibility for on-site rapid determination of equipment cleanliness in the pharmaceutical industry.

Functionalized SnO2 nanoparticles with gallic acid via green chemical approach for enhanced photocatalytic degradation of citalopram: synthesis, characterization and application to pharmaceutical wastewater treatment

Eco-friendly stannic oxide nanoparticles functionalized with gallic acid (SnO2/GA NP) were synthesized and employed as a novel photocatalyst for the degradation of citalopram, a commonly prescribed antidepressant drug. SnO2/GA NP were characterized using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurements and X-ray diffraction. A validated RP-HPLC assay was developed to monitor citalopram concentration in the presence of its degradation products. Full factorial design (24) was conducted to investigate the effect of irradiation time, pH, SnO2/GA NP loading and initial citalopram concentration on the efficiency of the photodegradation process. Citalopram initial concentration was found to be the most significant parameter followed by irradiation time and pH, respectively. At optimum conditions, 88.43 ± 0.7% degradation of citalopram (25.00 µg/mL) was obtained in 1 h using UV light (1.01 mW/cm2). Citalopram kinetics of degradation followed pseudo-first order rate with Kobs and t0.5 of - 0.037 min-1 and 18.73 min, respectively. The optimized protocol was successfully applied for treatment of water samples collected during different cleaning validation cycles of citalopram production lines. The reusability of SnO2/GA NP was studied for 3 cycles without significant loss in activity. This approach would provide a green and economic alternative for pharmaceutical wastewater treatment of organic pollutants.

Evaluation of hydrogen peroxide virucidal efficacy against yellow fever virus 17DD vaccine strain for application in a vaccine manufacturing industry

The aim of this study was to evaluate the inactivation performance of hydrogen peroxide to the yellow fever virus 17DD vaccine strain, used for the production of attenuated yellow fever vaccine, in two matrixes: formulated yellow fever vaccine (FYV) and yellow fever viral suspension - active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). The samples were dried on stainless steel and exposed to hydrogen peroxide liquid (HPL) at concentrations of 30, 10, 3 and 1% for 20 and 60 min; and to hydrogen peroxide vapour (HPV) in an isolator. The exposure to HPL 30 and 10 %, within 20 min, reduced the virus titre at least 3.85 log₁₀ PFU/mL (74.8 %). During 60 min of exposure, the HPL 30, 10 and 3% reduced the virus titre by at least 3.18 log₁₀ PFU/mL (62.6 %). HPV exposure resulted in complete virus inactivation in FYV (≥ 4.42 log₁₀ PFU/mL reduction) and for API samples 3.17 log₁₀ PFU/mL (64.3 %) reduction. Hydrogen peroxide showed to be a promising disinfectant for elimination of yellow fever virus. However, the optimum concentration and contact time will vary depending on the type of application, and as such may complement individual risk assessments of biological production processes.

Determination of Cleaning Limits Considering Toxicological Risk Evaluation to Minimize the Risk of Cross Contamination

The historical approaches that have been used to establish cleaning validation acceptance limits should be updated to recent approaches to prevent cross contamination. In the present investigation, a cleaning method was validated using high performance liquid chromatography. Method modification critical parameters including spiking, swab sampling from PVC, Stainless Steel, and Polyethylene, extraction technique from swab, solubility, potency, toxicity (LD50), and improvement of limit of detection (LOD) of the method through analytical method validation were studied. In addition, roughness, mechanical and electro-polishing, consideration of dosage form as a quantitative factor, acceptable daily exposure (ADE), and permitted daily exposure (PDE) in the worst-case determination were considered in the study. The method was validated based on USP and ICH guidelines for specificity, limit of detection, limit of quantitation, precision, accuracy, linearity, and range. Linear regression analysis of data for the calibration plot in the range of 7.43, 10.89, 21.78, 43.56, 87.12 µg/mL, and relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) found to be 0.5, 0.4, 0.2, and 0.2, respectively with correlation coefficient of R² = 0.999997. The LOD and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) were 2.23 and 7.43 µg/mL, respectively. Good recoveries in the range of 73.65-81.20%, and precision with relative standard deviation values lower than 15% have been obtained. The proposed method developed for cleaning validation is specific, precise, and useful for determination of cleaning acceptance limits using health-based limit and Quality Risk Management to develop an appropriate cleaning program for engineering design, safety of patients, and worker protection.

Evaluation of Swab and Rinse Sampling Procedures and Recovery Rate Determination in Cleaning Validation Considering Various Surfaces, Amount and Nature of the Residues and Contaminants

A cleaning validation for a family of compounds utilizing swab sampling and rinse solution procedures, and high performance liquid chromatography for separation and detection of the analytes was performed.Effective parameters on recovery including sampling method, swab characteristics, solvent, swabbing technique, and material substance of product contact surfaces within the manufacturing equipment for swab and rinse sampling method, quantitative cleaning verification method, and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) level and nature have been studied.The limit of detection and the limit of quantitation for the HPLC method were determined to be 0.0198 µg/mL, and 0.0495 µg/mL of the analyte, respectively. The linearity on replicate injections of the standard prepared in the range of 0.78, 1.55, 3.1, and 6.2 µg/mL, and relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) found to be 1.2, 1.0, 0.9, and 0.6, respectively with correlation coefficient of R² = 0.9999. Recovery coverage for each type of surface was acceptable, ranging from 63.88% for swab sampling of stainless steel to 97.85% for rinse sampling of PVC. The acceptance criteria for precision on replicate injections of the analyte prepared in three concentration levels covering the specified range of 50, 100, and 200% was successfully accomplished R.S.D. lower than 15% for recovery results.Thus, choosing the appropriate sampling method, swab type, and surface condition can affect and increase recovery rate determination efficiency.

Cleaning Validation for Residual Estimation of Mometasone Furoate on Stainless-Steel Surface of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Equipment Using a UHPLC-UV Method

Cleaning validation is the documented evidence that shows the effectiveness of cleaning procedures for the removal of product residues and other contaminants. The cleaning procedures must be validated and methods to determine trace amounts of drugs have to be considered with special attention. An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (UHPLC-UV) method for the determination of mometasone furoate residues on stainless-steel surfaces was developed and validated in order to control a cleaning procedure. The chromatography separation was achieved on a Waters Acquity UPLC HSS T3 column (50 × 2.1 mm, 1.8 µm) at 40°C using acetonitrile and water (1:1, v/v) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. The injection volume was 2 µL, and the detection was performed at 254 nm. The swab and rinse procedures were optimized in order to obtain a recovery higher than 90% of mometasone furoate from stainless-steel surfaces, using ethanol as the extraction solvent. The method was validated in the range of 0.2-2.6 µg/mL and showed appropriate selectivity, limit of detection and quantification, linearity, precision, accuracy, and robustness. This method was found to be simple, fast, and sensitive for determination of mometasone furoate residues and, therefore, can be used for cleaning validation analysis.

Cleaning Validation: Complete Guide for Health - Based Approach in Chemical Cross - Contamination Risk Assessment

Cross contamination is a major concern in the pharmaceutical industry, especially with long - term dosing and possible cumulative effects. The risk depends on many factors that can be divided into three main groups: individual related-starting from the individual's genomic makeup, age, sex, environment, and even diet and psychological state, which in turn alter the individual's response to contamination and to any active pharmaceutical ingredient (API); formulation related-the API's cleanability, solubility, batch size, maximum daily dose, and most importantly permitted daily exposure (PDE), which covers the toxicological profile of this API, including its genotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, sensitizing potential, or any adverse effects that would result from long- or short - term cross contamination; and facility related-as the machine shared surface area between Product A as the contaminant and Product B as the contaminated. The following approach is based on EMA recommendations on health - based exposure limits. It aims to address all three of the aforementioned groups to give a scientific rationale on how to evaluate the cleaning process efficiency.LAY ABSTRACT: This manuscript aims to provide a health-based exposure limit for acceptable carryover of one pharmaceutical product to another in a multiproduct pharmaceutical facility, owing to the manufacturing of more than one product on the same machine line, without any affects upon or side effects in patients. The risk assessment of cross contamination is affected by many factors, related to either the patients taking the pharmaceutical products or the pharmaceutical product itself.Factors related to patients include those that might alter the individual's responses toward active pharmaceutical products; for instance, the cytochrome P450 (CYP) liver enzyme family is responsible for the breakdown of more than 30 different classes of drugs. Patients having less active or inactive forms of CYP enzymes cannot metabolize or eliminate certain drugs, leading to accumulation and increased toxicity of those drugs. Aging also affects the metabolizing process of drugs. Other factors can affect an individual's response toward any drug, and these effects range from minor to major.The factors related to the facility or formulation itself also have a major impact on the determination of maximum allowed carryover between two products; for instance, a potentially carcinogenic active pharmaceutical ingredient must have a lower accepted carryover than a noncarcinogenic one. Smaller batch size poses a larger threat when the batch is contaminated with the same amount of contaminant as a larger batch, and a large surface area machine train poses a larger risk for contamination.

Use of the permitted daily exposure (PDE) concept for contaminants of intravitreal (IVT) drugs in multipurpose manufacturing facilities

A toxicological evaluation to determine the product specific permitted daily exposure (PDE) value is an accepted method to determine a safe limit for the carry-over of product residues in multipurpose manufacturing facilities. The PDE calculation for intravitreal (IVT) injection of small and large molecular weight (MW) drugs follows the guiding principles set for systemic administration. However, there are specific differences with respect to the volume administered with IVT administration, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics (PK-PD) parameters and potential for toxicity. In this publication, we have proposed a method to derive PDE_IVT in the presence of IVT dose. In the absence of an IVT dose we have a proposed default extrapolationof the systemic PDE for intravenous (IV) administration to the PDE_IVT dose by applying a factor of 500 based on comparison of the volume of vitreous humour with the plasma volume, as well as provided examples for PK-PD and toxicity considerations.

Analysis of the variability of the pharmacokinetics of multiple drugs in young adult and elderly subjects and its implications for acceptable daily exposures and cleaning validation limits

The elderly constitute a significant, potentially sensitive, subpopulation within the general population, which must be taken into account when performing risk assessments including determining an acceptable daily exposure (ADE) for the purpose of a cleaning validation. Known differences in the pharmacokinetics of drugs between young adults (who are typically the subjects recruited into clinical trials) and the elderly are potential contributors affecting the interindividual uncertainty factor (UF_H) component of the ADE calculation. The UF_H values were calculated for 206 drugs for young adult and elderly groups separately and combined (with the elderly assumed to be a sensitive subpopulation) from published studies where the pharmacokinetics of the young adult and elderly groups were directly compared. Based on the analysis presented here, it is recommended to use a default UF_H value of 10 for worker populations (which are assumed to be approximately equivalent to the young adult groups) where no supporting pharmacokinetic data exist, while it is recommended to use a default UF_H value of 15 for the general population, to take the elderly into consideration when calculating ADE values. The underlying reasons for the large differences between the exposures in the young adult and elderly subjects for the 10 compounds which show the greatest separation are different in almost every case, involving the OCT2 transporter, glucuronidation, hydrolysis, CYP1A2, CYP2A6, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP3A4 or CYP3A5. Therefore, there is no consistent underlying mechanism which appears responsible for the largest differences in pharmacokinetic parameters between young adult and elderly subjects.

The regulatory framework for preventing cross-contamination of pharmaceutical products: History and considerations for the future

Cross-contamination in multi-product pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities can impact both product safety and quality. This issue has been recognized by regulators and industry for some time, leading to publication of a number of continually evolving guidelines. This manuscript provides a historical overview of the regulatory framework for managing cross-contamination in multi-product facilities to provide context for current approaches. Early guidelines focused on the types of pharmaceuticals for which dedicated facilities and control systems were needed, and stated the requirements for cleaning validation. More recent guidelines have promoted the idea of using Acceptable Daily Exposures (ADEs) to establish cleaning limits for actives and other potentially hazardous substances. The ADE approach is considered superior to previous methods for setting cleaning limits such as using a predetermined general limit (e.g., 10 ppm or a fraction of the median lethal dose (LD50) or therapeutic dose). The ADEs can be used to drive the cleaning process and as part of the overall assessment of whether dedicated production facilities are required. While great strides have been made in using the ADE approach, work remains to update good manufacturing practices (GMPs) to ensure that the approaches are clear, consistent with the state-of-the-science, and broadly applicable yet flexible enough for adaptation to unique products and situations.

Investigation of Air-Liquid Interface Rings in Buffer Preparation Vessels: the Role of Slip Agents

Air-liquid interface rings were observed on the side walls of stainless steel buffer vessels after certain downstream buffer preparations. Those rings were resistant to regular cleaning-in-place procedures but could be removed by manual means. To investigate the root cause of this issue, multiple analytical techniques, including liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry detection (LC-MS/MS), high-resolution accurate mass liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy have been employed to characterize the chemical composition of air-liquid interface rings. The main component of air-liquid interface rings was determined to be slip agents, and the origin of the slip agents can be traced back to their presence on raw material packaging liners. Slip agents are commonly used in plastic industry as additives to reduce the coefficient of friction during the manufacturing process of thin films. To mitigate this air-liquid interface ring issue, an alternate liner with low slip agent was identified and implemented with minimal additional cost. We have also proactively tested the packaging liners of other raw materials currently used in our downstream buffer preparation to ensure slip agent levels are appropriate.

LAY ABSTRACT

Air-liquid interface rings were observed on the side walls of stainless steel buffer vessels after certain downstream buffer preparations. To investigate the root cause of this issue, multiple analytical techniques have been employed to characterize the chemical composition of air-liquid interface rings. The main components of air-liquid interface rings were determined to be slip agents, which are common additives used in the manufacturing process of thin films. The origin of the slip agents can be traced back to their presence on certain raw material packaging liners. To mitigate this air-liquid interface ring issue, an alternate liner with low slip agent was identified and implemented.

Optimization of photocatalytic degradation of meloxicam using titanium dioxide nanoparticles: application to pharmaceutical wastewater analysis, treatment, and cleaning validation

Meloxicam is a commonly prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug with analgesic and fever-reducing effects. In this study, photocatalytic degradation of meloxicam in the presence of TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2NP) was optimized and applied for pharmaceutical wastewater treatment. A validated stability-indicating orthogonal testing protocol (reversed-phase (RP)-HPLC and capillary zone electrophoresis) was developed and validated for monitoring of meloxicam concentration in the presence of its photodegradation products. Fractional factorial design was employed in order to investigate the effects of pH, irradiation time, UV light intensity, TiO2NP loading, and initial meloxicam concentration on the efficiency of the process. The light intensity was found as the most significant parameter followed by irradiation time and concentration, respectively. The most influencing interactions were noted between irradiation time-concentration and irradiation time-light intensity. The kinetics of meloxicam degradation was investigated at the optimum set of experimental conditions. The protocol was successfully applied for treatment of incurred water samples collected during various cleaning validation cycles. A percentage degradation of 77.34 ± 0.02 % was achieved upon irradiation of samples containing 64.57 ± 0.09 μg/mL with UV light (1012 μW/cm(2), 8 h) in the presence of 0.4 mg/mL TiO2NP at pH 9.0 ± 0.05. Treatment of wastewaters collected during the cleaning validation of each product separately rather than the combined waste should result in a significant improvement in the economics of pharmaceutical wastewater treatment. This could be attributed to the relatively small waste volumes and the ability to tailor the experimental conditions to achieve maximum efficiency.

Proof of concept for a banding scheme to support risk assessments related to multi-product biologics manufacturing

A banding scheme theory has been proposed to assess the potency/toxicity of biologics and assist with decisions regarding the introduction of new biologic products into existing manufacturing facilities. The current work was conducted to provide a practical example of how this scheme could be applied. Information was identified for representatives from the following four proposed bands: Band A (lethal toxins); Band B (toxins and apoptosis signals); Band C (cytokines and growth factors); and Band D (antibodies, antibody fragments, scaffold molecules, and insulins). The potency/toxicity of the representative substances was confirmed as follows: Band A, low nanogram quantities exert lethal effects; Band B, repeated administration of microgram quantities is tolerated in humans; Band C, endogenous substances and recombinant versions administered to patients in low (interferons), intermediate (growth factors), and high (interleukins) microgram doses, often on a chronic basis; and Band D, endogenous substances present or produced in the body in milligram quantities per day (insulin, collagen) or protein therapeutics administered in milligram quantities per dose (mAbs). This work confirms that substances in Bands A, B, C, and D represent very high, high, medium, and low concern with regard to risk of cross-contamination in manufacturing facilities, thus supporting the proposed banding scheme.

Assessment of interplay between UV wavelengths, material surfaces and food residues in open surface hygiene validation

The use of UV-visible radiation for detecting invisible residue on different surfaces as a means of validating cleanliness was investigated. Wavelengths at 365, 395, 435, 445, 470 and 490 nm from a monochromator were used to detect residues of beef, chicken, apple, mango and skim milk. These were on three surfaces: aluminium, fibre re-enforced plastic (FRP; Q-Liner®) and stainless steel, pre- and post a cleaning step using commercial detergent. The area covered by residues as detected by specific wavelengths was compared statistically. The sensitivity of the wavelengths for detection differed significantly (p < 0.05) for various residues depending on the material surfaces. Generally, wavelengths 365-445 nm were consistently able to illuminate all residue before cleaning, though sensitivity varied, while 490 nm showed more of the surface structural features instead of residue. The 365-395 nm wavelengths were significantly more sensitive (p < 0.05) for detecting beef and chicken residues on aluminium and stainless steel both before and after cleaning. The 435-445 nm wavelengths were significantly more sensitive for detecting apple and mango residues on the FRP both before and after cleaning. It is important when UV-systems are used as real-time tools for assessing cleanliness of surfaces that the surface materials being illuminated are taken into account in the choice of lamp wavelength, in addition to expected residue. This will ensure higher confidence in results during the use of UV-light for real-time hygiene validation of surfaces.

A Rapid, Validated RP-HPLC Method for the Simultaneous Determination of Cleaning Validation and Cross-Contamination of 12 Beta-Lactam Compounds

The present work reports a rapid reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method for the simultaneous determination of 12 beta-lactam components for cleaning validation and cross-contamination. A strategic experimental approach was implemented for the method development. The desired chromatographic separation was achieved on a Symmetry C18 (4.6 X 75 mm, 3.5 μm) column using gradient elution. The optimized mobile phase consisted of the buffer tetrabutylammonium hydroxide pH-6.8 and acetonitrile. The eluted compounds were monitored at 215 nm and 254 nm wavelength using a photodiode array detector. The developed method separated 12-beta-lactam compounds from each other within a run time of 50 min. The method is effective for the determination of cross-contamination of penicillin and cephalosporin production blocks. The present method is specific and a lower limit of quantification was determined on the basis of the signal-to-noise ratio method; it is 1 μg/mL for all components. The developed RP-HPLC method was validated according to the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines.

Cleaning level acceptance criteria and HPLC-DAD method validation for the determination of Nabumetone residues on manufacturing equipment using swab sampling

Prevention of cross contamination with active pharmaceutical ingredients is crucial and requires special attention in pharmaceutical industries. Current method validation describes the determination of Nabumetone (NAB) residue on a stainless steel surface using swab sampling with a sensitive HPLC-DAD analysis. The acceptance limit was decided as 2 μg swab per 100 cm². Cotton swabs impregnated with extraction solution were used to determine residual drug content. Recoveries were 90.88%, 91.42%, and 92. 21% with RSD ranging from 2.2% to 3.88% at three concentration levels. Residual concentration was found to be linear in the range of 0.1–4.56 μg/mL, when estimated using a Phenomenex Luna C₁₈ (25 cm×5 μm×4.6 mm i.d.) column at 1.0 mL/min flow rate and 230 nm. The mobile phase consisted of a mixture of methanol:acetonitrile:water (55:30:15, v/v/v). The LOD and LOQ for NAB were found to be 0.05 and 0.16 μg/mL, respectively. The validated method was found to be simple, selective and sensitive for demonstration of cleaning validation of NAB residues on a stainless steel surface.

Development and validation of a UPLC method for the determination of duloxetine hydrochloride residues on pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment surfaces

Background:

In pharmaceutical industries, it is very important to remove drug residues from the equipment and areas used. The cleaning procedure must be validated, so special attention must be devoted to the methods used for analysis of trace amounts of drugs. A rapid, sensitive, and specific reverse phase ultra-performance liquid chromatographic (UPLC) method was developed for the quantitative determination of duloxetine in cleaning validation swab samples.

Material and Methods:

The method was validated using an Acquity UPLC™ HSS T3 (100 × 2.1 mm²) 1.8 μm column with a isocratic mobile phase containing a mixture of 0.01 M potassium dihydrogen orthophosphate, pH adjusted to 3.0 with orthophosphoric acid and acetonitrile (60:40 v/v). The flow rate of the mobile phase was 0.4 ml/min with a column temperature of 40°C and detection wavelength at 230 nm. Cotton swabs, moisten with extraction solution (90% methanol and 10% water), were used to remove any residue of drug from stainless steel, glass and silica surfaces, and give recoveries >80% at four concentration levels.

Results:

The precision of the results, reported as the relative standard deviation, were below 1.5%. The calibration curve was linear over a concentration range from 0.02 to 5.0 μg/ml with a correlation coefficient of 0.999. The detection limit and quantitation limit were 0.006 and 0.02 μg/ml, respectively. The method was validated over a concentration range of 0.05–5.0 μg/ml.

Conclusion:

The developed method was validated with respect to specificity, linearity, limit of detection and quantification, accuracy, precision, and robustness.