Analytical Quality by Design (AQbD) Approach to the Development of In Vitro Release Test for Topical Hydrogel

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.

Foams Set a New Pace for the Release of Diclofenac Sodium

Medicated foams have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional carrier systems in pharmaceutical research. Their rapid and convenient application allows for effective treatment of extensive or hirsute areas, as well as sensitive or inflamed skin surfaces. Foams possess excellent spreading capabilities on the skin, ensuring immediate drug absorption without the need for intense rubbing. Our research focuses on the comparison of physicochemical and biopharmaceutical properties of three drug delivery systems: foam, the foam bulk liquid, and a conventional hydrogel. During the development of the composition, widely used diclofenac sodium was employed. The safety of the formulae was confirmed through an in vitro cytotoxicity assay. Subsequently, the closed Franz diffusion cell was used to determine drug release and permeation in vitro. Ex vivo Raman spectroscopy was employed to investigate the presence of diclofenac sodium in various skin layers. The obtained results of the foam were compared to the bulk liquid and to a conventional hydrogel. In terms of drug release, the foam showed a rapid release, with 80% of diclofenac released within 30 min. In summary, the investigated foam holds promising potential as an alternative to traditional dermal carrier systems, offering faster drug release and permeation.

Question-based review for pharmaceutical development: An enhanced quality approach

Over the last years, the pharmaceutical industry has faced real challenges regarding quality assurance. In this context, the establishment of more holistic approaches to the pharmaceutical development has been encouraged. The emergence of the Quality by Design (QbD) paradigm as systematic, scientific and risk-based methodology introduced a new concept of pharmaceutical quality. In essence, QbD can be interpreted as a strategy to maximize time and cost savings. An in-depth understanding of the formulation and manufacturing process is demanded to optimize the safety, efficacy and quality of a drug product at all stages of development. This innovative approach streamlines the pharmaceutical Research and Development (R&D) process, provides greater manufacturing flexibility and reduces regulatory burden. To assist in QbD implementation, International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) organized and launched QbD principles in their guidance for industry, identifying key concepts and tools to design and develop a high-quality drug product. Despite the undeniable advantages of the QbD approach, and the widespread information on QbD regulatory expectations, its full implementation in the pharmaceutical field is still limited. The present review aims to establish a crosswise overview on the current application status of QbD within the framework of the ICH guidelines (ICH Q8(R2) - Q14 and ICH Q2(R2)). Moreover, it outlines the way information gathered from the QbD methodology is being harmonized in Marketing Authorization Applications (MAAs) for European market approval. This work also highlights the challenges that hinder the deployment of the QbD strategy as a standard practice.

Formulation and investigation of hydrogels containing an increased level of diclofenac sodium using risk assessment tools

Transdermal delivery of active ingredients is a challenge for pharmaceutical technology due to their inadequate penetration properties and the barrier function of the skin. The necessity of painless, effective, topical therapy for the aging population is growing, and a variety of diclofenac sodium-containing semi-solid preparations are available to alleviate the symptoms of these ailments. Our purpose was to formulate a novel composition with higher drug content to enhance drug release and permeation, thereby providing more effective therapy. Another goal was to maintain the concentration of the organic solvent mixture below 30%, to protect the skin barrier. Firstly, literature and market research were conducted, based on which the appropriate excipients for the target formulation were selected. Solubility tests were conducted with binary and ternary mixtures. As a result, the optimal ternary mixture was chosen. Hydrogels containing 1, 5, and 7% of diclofenac sodium were prepared and the stability of the formulations were studied by microscopic measurements and cytotoxicity test were carried out of the components also. The release and permeation of diclofenac sodium were investigated in different concentrations. It can be concluded that we have succeeded in preparing a topically applicable stable diclofenac sodium hydrogel with higher concentration, drug release, and improved skin permeation than the formulations available on the market.

Analytical Quality by Design: Achieving Robustness of an LC-CAD Method for the Analysis of Non-Volatile Fatty Acids

An alternative to the time-consuming and error-prone pharmacopoeial gas chromatography method for the analysis of fatty acids (FAs) is urgently needed. The objective was therefore to propose a robust liquid chromatography method with charged aerosol detection for the analysis of polysorbate 80 (PS80) and magnesium stearate. FAs with different numbers of carbon atoms in the chain necessitated the use of a gradient method with a Hypersil Gold C₁₈ column and acetonitrile as organic modifier. The risk-based Analytical Quality by Design approach was applied to define the Method Operable Design Region (MODR). Formic acid concentration, initial and final percentages of acetonitrile, gradient elution time, column temperature, and mobile phase flow rate were identified as critical method parameters (CMPs). The initial and final percentages of acetonitrile were fixed while the remaining CMPs were fine-tuned using response surface methodology. Critical method attributes included the baseline separation of adjacent peaks (α-linolenic and myristic acid, and oleic and petroselinic acid) and the retention factor of the last compound eluted, stearic acid. The MODR was calculated by Monte Carlo simulations with a probability equal or greater than 90%. Finally, the column temperature was set at 33 °C, the flow rate was 0.575 mL/min, and acetonitrile linearly increased from 70 to 80% (v/v) within 14.2 min.