Investigation of isomerization of dexibuprofen in a ball mill using chiral capillary electrophoresis.

Besides the racemate, the S-enantiomer of ibuprofen (Ibu) is used for the treatment of inflammation and pain. Since the configurational stability of S-Ibu in solid state is of interest, it was studied by means of ball milling experiments. For the evaluation of the enantiomeric composition, a chiral CE method was developed and validated according to the ICH guideline Q2(R1). The addition of Mg2+ , Ca2+ , or Zn2+ ions to the background electrolyte (BGE) was found to improve Ibu enantioresolution. Chiral separation of Ibu enantiomers was achieved on a 60.2 cm (50.0 cm effective length) x 75 µm fused-silica capillary using a background electrolyte (BGE) composed of 50 mM sodium acetate, 10 mM magnesium acetate tetrahydrate, and 35 mM heptakis-(2,3,6-tri-O-methyl)-ß-cyclodextrin (TM-ß-CD) as chiral selector. The quantification of R-Ibu in the mixture was performed using the normalization procedure. Linearity was evaluated in the range of 0.68-5.49% R-Ibu (R2 = 0.999), recovery was found to range between 97 and 103%, the RSD of intra- and interday precision below 2.5%, and the limit of quantification for R- in S-Ibu was calculated to be 0.21% (extrapolated) and 0.15% (dilution of racemic ibuprofen), respectively. Isomerization of S-Ibu was observed under basic conditions by applying long milling times and high milling frequencies.

Quality Control of L-Ascorbic Acid 2-Phosphate Magnesium Using Reversed-Phase Liquid Chromatography.

L-Ascorbic acid 2-phosphate magnesium (AP-Mg) salt is a Vitamin C derivative frequently used as a raw material in cell culture media for research purposes as well as for Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-manufacturing of cell and tissue advanced therapy medicinal products. A selective reversed-phase HPLC (RP-LC) method was developed and validated. Commercially available AP-Mg products from different suppliers were analyzed. Various new impurities were found using this newly developed RP-LC method. Using quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, a mass balance of roughly 99.9% was obtained; the total numbers of impurities detected in both methods are also identical. The values of the relative ultraviolet (UV) response factors at λ = 210 nm of the impurities in this RP-LC method were discussed. When equaling the overall mean relative response factor of the impurities to 0.6 (estimated central value), the mass balance in the RP-LC method was nearly 100%. The structures of the new impurities are proposed as ethylation derivatives of open-ring AP-Mg products as well as phosphorylated derivatives of ascorbic acid.

Ball milling - a new concept for predicting degradation profiles in active pharmaceutical ingredients.

A method for forced oxidative mechanochemical degradation of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) using clopidogrel hydrogensulfate as a model compound is presented. Considerable and selective formation of degradants occurs already after very short reaction times of less than 15 minutes and the nature of the products is strongly dependent on the used oxidant.

Zwitterionic-hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography for l-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate magnesium, a raw material in cell therapy.

l-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate magnesium (APMg) salt is a vitamin C derivative frequently used in cell culture media for research purposes. It is also used as a raw material in the GMP-manufacturing of gene-, cell- and tissue advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs). However, quality methods are currently lacking. Therefore, a LC method was developed, based on hydrophilic interaction (HILIC)-ion exchange (IE) mixed-mode liquid chromatography. The final method consisted of an isocratic system with 15 mM KH2PO4 buffer (pH 2.5 with HCl) acetonitrile (30:70, v/v) mobile phase on a zwitterionic HILIC column, containing an hydrophilic ligand embedded cation-exchange functionality and a surface anion-exchange group. A flow rate of 0.4 mL/min and UV detection at 240 nm was applied. The assay method of APMg was validated, obtaining adequate linearity (R2 = 0.999), precision (RSD of 0.49%) and accuracy (overall recovery of 100.4%). The developed method was successfully applied on five currently marketed products from different suppliers, showing different related substance impurity profiles. Using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), magnesium was found to be bound on the stationary phase, requiring a strong mobile phase to rinse the column. Finally, related impurities were identified using MS/MS and high resolution MS, and found to be ascorbic acid as well as ethyl derivatives, which was further confirmed by NMR.