Biophysical characterization of adeno-associated virus capsid through the viral transduction life cycle.

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors have emerged as the leading delivery platforms for gene therapy. Throughout the life cycle of the virions, the capsid vector carries out diverse functions, ranging from cell surface receptor engagement, cellular entry, endosomal escape, nuclear import to new particle packaging, and assembly. Each of these steps is mediated by exquisite structure features of the viral capsid and its interaction with viral genome, Rep proteins, and cellular organelle and apparatus. In this brief review, we provide an overview of results from over a decade of extensive biophysical studies of the capsid employing various techniques. The remaining unaddressed questions and perspective are also discussed. The detailed understanding of the structure and function interplay would provide insight to the strategy for improving the efficacy and safety of the viral vectors.

Impact of sertraline salt form on the oxidative stability in powder blends.

Oxidation of active pharmaceutical ingredients is a common chemical degradation process occurring in solid dosage forms. The aim of this study was to investigate the tendency of various sertraline salts to oxidize in powder blends containing a basic additive. A different extent of conversion of each salt to the free base was observed to occur in the presence of the basic additive, consistent with their respective pHmax values. Sertraline was found to undergo oxidation as the unioinized form, in both solution and powder blends that incorporated an oxidizing agent. In contrast, the ionized form of sertraline remained stable in both cases. Three sertraline salts undergoing a significant extent of conversion from salt to free form in the presence of tribasic sodium phosphate were found to oxidize extensively while sertraline benzoate which had a considerably lower extent of free base formation was more resistant to oxidation. The oxidative degradants were produced through oxidation at the amine functional group of sertraline which is where sertraline is ionized as the salt form. The link between oxidation tendency and the ionization state of sertraline in powder mixtures has thus been demonstrated in this study.

Online NMR and HPLC as a reaction monitoring platform for pharmaceutical process development.

Detector response is not always equivalent between detectors or instrument types. Factors that impact detector response include molecular structure and detection wavelength. In liquid chromatography (LC), ultraviolet (UV) is often the primary detector; however, without determination of UV response factors for each analyte, chromatographic results are reported on an area percent rather than a weight percent. In extreme cases, response factors can differ by several orders of magnitude for structurally dissimilar compounds, making the uncalibrated data useless for quantitative applications. While impurity reference standards are normally used to calculate UV relative response factors (RRFs), reference standards of reaction mixture components are typically not available during route scouting or in the early stages of process development. Here, we describe an approach to establish RRFs from a single experiment using both online nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and LC. NMR is used as a mass detector from which a UV response factor can be determined to correct the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) data. Online reaction monitoring using simultaneous NMR and HPLC provides a platform to expedite the development and understanding of pharmaceutical reaction processes. Ultimately, the knowledge provided by a structurally information rich technique such as NMR can be correlated with more prevalent and mobile instrumentation [e.g., LC, mid-infrared spectrometers (MIR)] for additional routine process understanding and optimization.

Chiral separation of amides using supercritical fluid chromatography.

Nine amide derivatives bearing α-stereocenters as well as different substitutions on the amide nitrogen were synthesized via an n-propanephosphonic acid cyclic anhydride (T3P)-mediated coupling, and their enantiomeric pairs were separated using supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). Five polysaccharide-based chiral stationary phases (CSPs), Chiralcel OD-H, and OJ-H, and Chiralpak AD-H, AS-H and IC columns were explored for the chiral separation of these compounds. None of the compounds could be resolved on all five columns, and no single column could separate all nine pairs of enantiomers. Comparatively, the IC and OD-H columns showed the best results for this group of amides, yielding baseline separations for eight of nine pairs. The type of polar functional group and aromatic substitution in the CSPs and the substitutions on the amide nitrogen had a significant impact on the enantiomeric resolution of the compounds in the interaction between the analyte and the stationary phases. The potential separation mechanism and the effect of substitutions in the CSPs and amide solutes on the separation are discussed. The effects of the organic modifiers, modifier composition, mobile phase additives, and temperature were investigated for the separation of these amides on the IC or the OD-H column. Baseline resolution was achieved under optimized chromatographic conditions using an IC or an OD-H column. Linearity, reproducibility, and limit of quantitation were also demonstrated for the compound 9. Approximately three-fold improvement in signal-to-noise was observed using a SFC system with better instrument design.

The use of total reflectance X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) for the determination of metals in the pharmaceutical industry.

The control of residual metals in active pharmaceutical ingredients (API's) and intermediates is critical because of their potential toxic effects. A variety of technologies are available to measure residual metals in pharmaceutical compounds including, AAS, ICP-AES, and ICP-MS. The newest technology is total reflectance X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (TXRF) which uses primary X-rays to excite atoms which then emit secondary X-rays. The emitted X-rays are characteristic of the individual elements present, and the intensities of the emitted X-rays are proportional to the concentrations of the elements present in the sample. The benefits of TXRF are that it is essentially unaffected by matrix effects, is very sensitive (ppb's), requires small amounts of sample (5-10 mg), and requires very little sample preparation time. During this study, TXRF was used to quantitatively measure residual metals in API's and intermediates and such topics as sample preparation, sensitivity, linearity, reproducibility and accuracy are discussed. The results obtained by TXRF were compared with those obtained by ICP-MS for the same samples for Pd and Cu measurement, and statistical analysis indicated that the results obtained by the two technologies are equivalent at the 95% confidence level. A comparison is also made of the capabilities of the instruments using a tungsten (W) or a molybdenum (Mo) source for excitation. Both instruments could be used for the quantitative determination of residual metals in pharmaceuticals.

General and scalable amide bond formation with epimerization-prone substrates using T3P and pyridine.

The mild combination of T3P (n-propanephosphonic acid anhydride) and pyridine has been developed for low-epimerization amide bond formation and implemented for the synthesis of a key intermediate to a glucokinase activator. This robust method is general for the coupling of various racemization-prone acid substrates and amines, including relatively non-nucleophilic anilines, and provides amides in high yields with very low epimerization. With easy reaction setup and product isolation, this protocol offers several practical and experimental benefits.

Development and validation of a GC method for quantitative determination of enantiomeric purity of a proline derivative.

Enantioselective HPLC, SFC and GC methods were evaluated for separation and quantitative determination of chiral purity of (2R,4R)-1-(1-tert-butoxyvinyl)-4-methoxypyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid [(2R,4R)-TBMPCA], a common building block in organic synthesis. All three separation methods can provide baseline resolution of (2R,4R)-TBMPCA and its enantiomer (2S,4S)-TBMPCA; however, both enantioselective HPLC and SFC are unsuitable for quantitation of low levels of the undesired enantiomer in (2R,4R)-TBMPCA. Comparatively, the enantioselective GC method not only separates the derivatized enantioselective pair with resolution as high as 4, but also was shown to be sufficiently linear, precise, and accurate to enable quantitation of derivatized (2S,4S)-TBMPCA down to 2.4 microg/ml (0.04% of nominal concentration). The sample derivatization procedure is simple, and no sample clean-up is needed before injecting samples for enantiomeric GC analysis. Compared to the enantioselective HPLC and SFC methods, the enantioselective GC method is advantageous because of its high efficiency and high sensitivity.

Pseudolinear gradient ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography using an injection valve assembly.

The use of ultrahigh pressures in liquid chromatography (UHPLC) imposes stringent requirements on hardware such as pumps, valves, injectors, connecting tubing, and columns. One of the most difficult components of the UHPLC system to develop has been the sample injector. Static-split injection, which can be performed at pressures up to 6900 bar (100,000 psi), consumes a large sample volume and is very irreproducible. A pressure-balanced injection valve provided better reproducibility, shorter injection time, reduced sample consumption, and greater ease of use; however, it could only withstand pressures up to approximately 1000 bar (15,000 psi). In this study, a new injection valve assembly that can operate at pressures as high as 2070 bar (30,000 psi) was evaluated for UHPLC. This assembly contains six miniature electronically controlled needle valves to provide accurate and precise volumes for introduction into the capillary LC column. It was found that sample volumes as small as several tenths of a nanoliter can be injected, which are comparable to the results obtained from the static-split injector. The reproducibilities of retention time, efficiency, and peak area were investigated, and the results showed that the relative standard deviations of these parameters were small enough for quantitative analyses. Separation experiments using the UHPLC system with this new injection valve assembly showed that this new injector is suitable for both isocratic and gradient operation modes. A newly designed capillary connector was used at a pressure as high as 2070 bar (30,000 psi).

Ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography using elevated temperature.

Fast liquid chromatographic (LC) methods are important for a variety of applications. Reducing the particle diameter (d(p)) is the most effective way to achieve fast separations while preserving high efficiency. Since the pressure drop along a packed column is inversely proportional to the square of the particle size, when columns packed with small particles (<2 microm) are used, ultrahigh pressures (>689 bar) must be applied to overcome the resistance to mobile phase flow. Elevating the column temperature can significantly reduce the mobile phase viscosity, allowing operation at higher flow rate for the same pressure. It also leads to a decrease in retention factor. The advantage of using elevated temperatures in LC is the ability to significantly shorten separation time with minimal loss in column efficiency. Therefore, combining elevated temperature with ultrahigh pressure facilitates fast and efficient separations. In this study, C6-modified 1.0 microm nonporous silica particles were used to demonstrate fast separations using a temperature of 80 degrees C and a pressure of 2413 bar. Selected separations were completed in 30 s with efficiencies as high as 220,000 plates m(-1).

Application of diaza-18-crown-6-capped beta-cyclodextrin bonded silica particles as chiral stationary phases for ultrahigh pressure capillary liquid chromatography.

Two bonded chiral stationary phases (CSPs), 8-aminoquinoline-2-ylmethyl- and 8-aminoquinoline-7-ylmethyl-diaza-18-crown-6-capped [3-(2-O-beta-cyclodextrin)-2-hydroxypropoxy]propylsilyl silica particles (non-porous, 1.5 microm), have been prepared and evaluated using capillary liquid chromatography at high pressures (> or = 8000 p.s.i.). High column efficiency (up to 400 000 plates m(-1)) was achieved for chiral separations. These CSPs with two recognition sites, i.e. substituted-diaza-18-crown-6 and beta-cyclodextrin combined with high chromatographic efficiency provide good resolution of a variety of enantiomers and positional isomers in relatively short times under reversed-phase conditions. After inclusion of a Ni (II) ion from the mobile phase, the positively charged crown ether-capped beta-cyclodextrin facilitates specific static, dipolar, and host-guest complexation interactions with solutes.

Synthesis of micron diameter polybutadiene-encapsulated non-porous zirconia particles for ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography.

In this study, 1-microm diameter polybutadiene-encapsulated non-porous zirconia particles were synthesized, slurry packed into 50-microm I.D. fused-silica capillary columns, and evaluated using ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography. The dependencies of column efficiency and solute retention factor on pressure were investigated. Efficiencies as high as 280000 plates per meter were obtained for the separation of anti-inflammatory drugs at a pressure of 1351 MPa. Comparing the reversed-phase behavior of the polybutadiene-encapsulated non-porous zirconia with octadecylsilane bonded non-porous silica, greater selectivity was found using the zirconia-based material for the applications reported in this study. The encapsulated non-porous zirconia particles demonstrated excellent thermal stability in the separation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at a temperature of 100 degrees C and a pressure of 1351 MPa.

Safety concerns in ultrahigh pressure capillary liquid chromatography using air-driven pumps.

Ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) is an emerging technique which utilizes pressures higher than 10,000 p.s.i. to overcome the flow resistance imposed when using very small particles as packing materials in fused-silica capillary columns (1 p.s.i.=6894.76 Pa). This technique has demonstrated exceptionally high separation speeds and chromatographic efficiencies. However, safety is a concern when extremely high pressures are used. In this study, the safety aspects of capillary column rupture during operation were identified and carefully evaluated. First, liquid jets may be formed as a result of blow-out of the on-column frits or from rupture of the capillary at or near the column inlet. Second, incorrect installation of the capillary at the injector, failure of the ferrule used in the capillary connection, or rupture of the capillary can produce high speed projectiles of silica particles or column fragments. Experiments were carried out in the laboratory to produce liquid (water) jets and capillary projectiles using a UHPLC system, and the power density, an important parameter describing water jets in industrial practice, was calculated. Experimental results were in accordance with theoretical calculations. Both indicated that water jets and capillary projectiles under ultrahigh pressures might lead to skin penetration under limited conditions. The use of a plexiglass shroud to cover an initial length of the installed capillary column can eliminate any safety-related concerns about liquid jets or capillary projectiles.

Elevated-temperature ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography using very small polybutadiene-coated nonporous zirconia particles.

Capillary columns packed with small diameter particles typically lead to low permeability and long separation times in high-performance liquid chromatography. Ultrahigh pressures (>10,000 p.s.i.; 1 p.s.i. is identical with 6,894.76 Pa) can be used to overcome the limitations that small particles impose. Ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) has demonstrated great potential for high-speed and high-efficiency separations. Decreasing the viscosity of the mobile phase by elevating the temperature could additionally reduce the pressure drop and facilitate the use of longer columns or smaller particles to achieve even higher total plate numbers. For this reason, we investigated the use of elevated temperatures in UHPLC. Water-resistant, flexible heater tape covered with insulation was used to provide the desired heat to the column. Polybutadiene-coated 1 microm nonporous zirconia particles were used because of their chemical stability at elevated temperature. A column efficiency as high as 420,000 plates m(-1) was obtained. The effects of temperature and pressure on the separation of parabens were investigated. Separation of five herbicides was completed in 60 s using 26,000 p.s.i. and 90 degrees C.