Integrated Application of Quality-by-Design Principles to Drug Product Development: A Case Study of Brivanib Alaninate Film-Coated Tablets.

Modern drug product development is expected to follow quality-by-design (QbD) paradigm. At the same time, although there are several issue-specific examples in the literature that demonstrate the application of QbD principles, a holistic demonstration of the application of QbD principles to drug product development and control strategy, is lacking. This article provides an integrated case study on the systematic application of QbD to product development and demonstrates the implementation of QbD concepts in the different aspects of product and process design for brivanib alaninate film-coated tablets. Using a risk-based approach, the strategy for development entailed identification of product critical quality attributes (CQAs), assessment of risks to the CQAs, and performing experiments to understand and mitigate identified risks. Quality risk assessments and design of experiments were performed to understand the quality of the input raw materials required for a robust formulation and the impact of manufacturing process parameters on CQAs. In addition to the material property and process parameter controls, the proposed control strategy includes use of process analytical technology and conventional analytical tests to control in-process material attributes and ensure quality of the final product.

Comprehensive determination of extractables from five different brands of stoppers used for injectable products.

Five commonly used stopper formulations were tested for extractables using three different vehicles (pH 3 citrate buffer with 20% w/v sulfobutylether-beta-cyclodextrin, pH 8 phosphate buffer and 50/50 v/v polyoxyethylated castor oil/dehydrated alcohol). The stoppers, made from butyl and halobutyl rubbers, coated and uncoated with proprietary films, were stored in contact with each vehicle for up to 6 months at 40 degrees C/75% relative humidity (RH) or for up to 24 months at 25 degrees C/60% RH. Samples were analyzed for the presence of extractables using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy, ion chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography. Extractables were observed at greater than 10 ppm for only one of the five stoppers that were tested. Based on these results, a standardized protocol for stopper extractable testing was developed. This protocol has been used to satisfy stopper extractable testing regulatory requirements for a number of different new injectable products.