Development and validation of a UPLC-MS method for determination of atazanavir sulfate by the "analytical quality by design" approach

Implementation of the QbD Approach to the Analytical Method Development and Validation for the Estimation of the Treprostinil Injection Dosage Form by RP-HPLC

Quality by design (QbD) is a predictable quality tool that ensures that products meet predefined specifications. QbD involves understanding dependent variables, key factors, and their interactions, assessed through designed experiments analyzing specific responses. The central composite experimental design describes the interrelationships between the flow rate, buffer, and column temperature at different levels, with observed responses including retention time, theoretical plates, and tailing factor analyzed using Design-Expert software. A stability-indicating reverse-phase high-performance chromatography (RP-HPLC) technique was developed and validated for the quantitative estimation of treprostinil, assessing its stability under various forced degradation conditions. Using the optimized method, successful separation of treprostinil was achieved with an Agilent HPLC system with a photodiode array detector and an Express C18 column (5 μm particle size, L × I.D. = 15 cm × 4.6 mm), maintained at 31.4 °C. The mobile phase, a buffer (0.01N KH2PO4) and diluent in a ratio of 36.35:63.35 (v/v), was used at a flow rate of 1.04 mL/min. Detection was performed at 276.0 nm, with treprostinil eluting at 2.579 min within a run time of 6.0 min. Treprostinil peak purity values across all degradation conditions confirmed homogeneity, establishing this method as stability-indicating. The proposed method was accurate, precise (relative standard deviation (% RSD) = 0.4%), linear, and robust (% RSD < 2%). The green analytical procedure index method yielded a total score of 83, classifying it as environmentally friendly, with a similar score obtained using the BAGI and GAPI tools. The developed AQbD-based RP-HPLC method is suitable for the assay of treprostinil in regular production batches and stability samples of treprostinil injection.

A brief review on application of design of experiment for the analysis of pharmaceuticals using HPLC

The quality pioneer Dr. Joseph M. Juran first proposed the idea of quality by design. According to him, pharmaceutical quality by design is an organised approach to product development that starts with predetermined goals and places an emphasis on product, process understanding, control based on reliable science and quality risk management. The quality of a product or process can typically be affected by a number of input elements. Design of experiments has been employed widely recently to understand the impacts of multidimensional and interactions of input parameters on the output responses of analytical procedures and pharmaceutical goods. Depending on the design of experiments objectives, screening, characterization, or optimization of the process and formulation, a variety of designs, such as factorial or mixture, can be used. The most popular designs used in the stage of screening or factor selection are the 2-Level Factorial and Plackett-Burman designs, both of which have two levels for each factor (k), both economical and effective, and in optimization widely used designs in this step are full factorial at three levels, central composite, Box-Behnken design. The analysis of variance, regression significance, and lack of fit of the regression model were some of the key topics covered in the discussion of the main components of multiple regression model adjustment. Design of experiments is thus the primary element of the formulation and analytical quality by design. The details about design of experiments used for the analysis of pharmaceutical formulation using HPLC.

Drilling into "Quality by Design" Approach for Analytical Methods

The need for consistency in analytical method development reinforces the dependence of pharmaceutical product development and manufacturing on robust analytical data. The Analytical Quality by Design (AQbD), akin to the product Quality by Design (QbD) endows a high degree of confidence to the method quality developed. AQbD involves the definition of the analytical target profile as starting point, followed by the identification of critical method variables and critical analytical attributes, supported on risk assessment and design of experiment tools for the establishment of a method operable design region and control strategy of the method. This systematic approach moves away from reactive troubleshooting to proactive failure reduction. The objective of this review is to highlight the elements of the AQbD framework and provide an overview of their implementation status in various analytical methods used in the pharmaceutical field. These methodologies include but are not limited to, high-performance liquid chromatography, UV-Vis spectrophotometry, capillary electrophoresis, supercritical fluid chromatography, and high-performance thin-layer chromatography. Finally, a critical appraisal is provided to highlight how regulators have encouraged AQbD principles application to boost the prevention of method failures and a better understanding of the method operable design region (MODR) and control strategy, ultimately resulting in cost-effectiveness and regulatory flexibility.

Implementation of QbD Approach to the Analytical Method Development and Validation for the Estimation of Metformin Hydrochloride in Tablet Dosage Forms by HPLC

The current studies entail quality by design (QbD)-enabled development of a simple, rapid, precise, accurate, and cost-effective high-performance liquid chromatographic method for estimation of metformin hydrochloride (M-HCl). Design of experiments (DoE) was applied for multivariate optimization of the experimental conditions of the HPLC method. Risk assessment was performed to identify the critical method parameters (CMPs) using Ishikawa diagram. The factor screening studies were performed using a two-factor three-levels design. Two independent factors, buffer pH and mobile phase composition, were used to design mathematical models. Central composite design (CCD) was used to study the response surface methodology and to study in depth the effects of these independent factors, thus evaluating the critical analytical attributes (CAAs), namely, retention time, peak area, and symmetry factor as the parameters of method robustness. Desirability function was used to simultaneously optimize the CAAs. The optimized and predicted data from contour diagram consisted of 0.02 M acetate buffer pH = 3/methanol in a ratio of 70/30 (v/v) as the mobile phase with a flow rate 1 mL/min. The separation was made on a Thermoscientific ODS Hypersyl^TM chromatographic column (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) with oven temperature 35 °C and UV detection at 235 nm. The optimized assay conditions were validated according to ICH guidelines. Hence, the results clearly showed that QbD approach could be successfully applied to optimize HPLC method for estimation of M-HCl. The method was applied both for the evaluation of M-HCl content in tablets, and for in vitro dissolution studies of M-HCl from conventional and prolonged-release tablets.

Quality-by-design in pharmaceutical development: From current perspectives to practical applications

Current pharmaceutical research directions tend to follow a systematic approach in the field of applied research and development. The concept of quality-by-design (QbD) has been the focus of the current progress of pharmaceutical sciences. It is based on, but not limited, to risk assessment, design of experiments and other computational methods and process analytical technology. These tools offer a well-organized methodology, both to identify and analyse the hazards that should be handled as critical, and are therefore applicable in the control strategy. Once implemented, the QbD approach will augment the comprehension of experts concerning the developed analytical technique or manufacturing process. The main activities are oriented towards the identification of the quality target product profiles, along with the critical quality attributes, the risk management of these and their analysis through in silico aided methods. This review aims to offer an overview of the current standpoints and general applications of QbD methods in pharmaceutical development.