Customer-centric product presentations for monoclonal antibodies

Delivering customer-centric product presentations for biotherapeutics, such as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), represents a long-standing and paramount area of engagement for pharmaceutical scientists. Activities include improving experience with the dosing procedure, reducing drug administration-related expenditures, and ultimately shifting parenteral treatments outside of a controlled healthcare institutional setting. In times of increasingly cost-constrained markets and reinforced with the coronavirus pandemic, this discipline of "Product Optimization" in healthcare has gained momentum and changed from a nice-to-have into a must. This review summarizes latest trends in the healthcare ecosystem that inform key strategies for developing customer-centric products, including the availability of a wider array of sustainable drug delivery options and treatment management plans that support dosing in a flexible care setting. Three disease area archetypes with varying degree of implementation of customer-centric concepts are introduced to highlight relevant market differences and similarities. Namely, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, and oncology have been chosen due to differences in the availability of subcutaneously dosed and ready-to-use self-administration products for mAb medicines and their follow-on biologics. Different launch scenarios are described from a manufacturer's perspective highlighting the necessity of platform approaches. To unfold the full potential of customer-centric care, value-based healthcare provider reimbursement schemes that incentivize the efficiency of care need to be broadly implemented.

Sensory methodology in product optimization of cold smoked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) processed with atomized purified condensed smoke

Atomized purified condensed smoke (PCS) is a smoke processing technique, producing fewer harmful substances during processing, than conventional smoking. Manufacturers of cold smoked salmon (CSS) are however skeptical to PCS due to expected decrease in perceptual quality. The aim of this study was to use sensory methodology (Check All That Apply [CATA], Descriptive Analysis [DA] and Napping^® ) in optimization of PCS processed CSS. A three-step experiment was performed using five unique PCS condensates and varying process parameters. In each step, PCS processed CSS were perceptually evaluated and compared with conventional CSS. In Step one, PCS processed CSS was compared to conventional CSS, initiating process changes prior to the next step. In Step two, conventional CSS, two new condensates and the altered CSS from Step one, were screened to choose two prototypes for Step three. In Step three, perceptual differences, consumer acceptance, and physiochemical parameters of the two PCS prototypes and conventional CSS were examined. Napping^® was proven effective for sorting and describing samples, distinguishing the dry and smoky ones from the shiny, soft, and mild varieties. CATA with hedonic scaling successfully characterized samples and the ideal CSS, gave useful information about consumer acceptance, and identified salty, smokey and natural to be important drivers of liking. The two descriptive tests CATA and DA in Step three, processing yield and physiochemical parameters gave a complete prototype description and input for further development. By combining the results from sensory perception and the physicochemical measurements, the experiment succeeded to produce a promising PCS prototype with sensory quality and consumer acceptance similar to conventional CSS. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The use of atomized purified condensed smoke (PCS) is considered healthier than conventional smoke processing (EU Regulation 2065/2003; Lingbeck et al., 2014). Even if PCS is widely used in meat processing, manufacturers of cold smoked salmon (CSS) are hesitant, fearing loss of perceptual quality. However, by using sensory methodology in product optimization of PCS processed CSS, a promising prototype was developed. With some more testing and adjustments, it will be possible to produce healthier CSS with similar sensory quality and consumer acceptance to conventionally CSS and offer this to a world-wide market.

Meloxicam emulgels for topical management of rheumatism: Formulation development, in vitro and in vivo characterization

Purpose

The study designed, formulated and evaluated meloxicam emulgels as a potential alternative topical treatment option for rheumatism.

Methods

A 3² factorial design was employed to formulate nine preliminary meloxicam emulgels (Formulations F1 - F9). The influences of carbopol-934 and menthol as gelling agent and drug release enhancer, respectively, were correlated with four pharmaceutical properties of the formulated emulgels namely viscosity, spreadability, and cumulative drug release at one hour and at eight hours. Using the generated data and applying the Design Expert® modelling software, two optimized meloxicam emulgels (Formulations F10 and F11) were designed, formulated and evaluated. In vivo anti-inflammatory efficacy was conducted using carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema method. Drug release kinetics was modelled using DDSolver® dissolution software.

Results

All formulations were homogenous with no observable grittiness or phase separation. The optimized Formulations F10 and F11 had pH 6.5 and 6.4, viscosity of 23656 and 24524 mPa.s, spreadability of 9.9 and 9.5 cm, and drug content of 90.4% and 92.9%, respectively, all within optimal values. The cumulative percentage of drug released was 21.0% and 22.9% after one hour and 50.1% and 55.8% after eight hours for Formulations F10 and F11, respectively. Drug release kinetics exhibited Fickian diffusion best described by Korsmeyer-Peppas model. Paw volume inhibition by Formulation F11 at two and three hours after carrageenan injection was statistically significant (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The optimized meloxicam emulgels had high pharmaceutical quality and were pharmacologically active. Further optimization could potentially provide a safe and efficacious alternative treatment option for rheumatism.