Assessment of the impact of partial area under the curve in a bioavailability/bioequivalence study on generic prolonged-release formulations.

The requirement for multiple-dose bioequivalence studies for the approval of generic prolonged-release (PR) formulations is not agreed upon by the EMA and FDA. While the EMA requests these studies, the FDA has no specific requirement, nor does ANVISA. Additional metrics are suggested for the assessment of prolonged-release products, and the partial Area Under the Curve (pAUC) metric has received increasing regulatory recognition. The objective of this work was to investigate whether the evaluation of the partial AUC in studies assessed by ANVISA can detect differences between 2 prolonged-release formulations that have demonstrated bioequivalence by the usual metrics. Twenty-four studies in a total of 117, which were already approved by ANVISA considering the usual metrics in the last 14 years, failed to demonstrate bioequivalence for partial AUC, which is related to 33.9% of evaluated PR products. For 76.92% of the studies, there was no significant increase in the intrasubject variability observed in the partial AUC analysis compared to the usual metrics, with a CV < 30% for both cases, calculated individually for each study, indicating that there is no need to increase the sample size to perform such analysis. The results of this paper demonstrate that the current criteria for assessing the bioequivalence of some prolonged-release formulations are insufficient and that the evaluation of partial AUC could be useful to assure the therapeutic parity of two products.

[Bioequivalence of dermatological topical medicines:the Brazilian scenario and the challenges for health surveillance]. / Bioequivalência de medicamentos tópicos dermatológicos: o cenário brasileiro e os desafios para a vigilância sanitária.

The comparative evaluation required for the registration of generic topical medicines in Brazil is conducted by means of a pharmaceutical equivalence study, which merely assesses the physical/chemical and microbiological parameters of the formulations. At the international level, clinical or pharmacodynamic studies are now being required to prove the efficacy and safety of semisolid topical generic formulations. This work presents a comparison of the different requirements for the registration of topical formulations, taking into consideration the various regulatory authorities, and presents a survey of topical medicines registered in Brazil prior to 2013. The survey revealed that in comparison with the USA there were many more copies of these formulations registered in Brazil. This fact, together with the large number of studies in the literature showing the lack of bioequivalence of topical medication, is clear proof of the major importance of the need to realign Brazilian legislation with respect to the technical requirements for the registration of generic and similar medication for dermatological topical application in Brazil.

Bioequivalência de medicamentos tópicos dermatológicos: o cenário brasileiro e os desafios para a vigilância sanitária / Bioequivalence of dermatological topical medicines: the Brazilian scenario and the challenges for health surveillance

A avaliação comparativa exigida para registro das formulações tópicas genéricas no Brasil é feita por meio do estudo de equivalência farmacêutica que avalia apenas os parâmetros físico-químicos e microbiológicos dos medicamentos. Internacionalmente, estudos clínicos ou farmacodinâmicos vêm sendo exigidos para comprovar a eficácia e a segurança das formulações genéricas tópicas semissólidas. Este trabalho apresenta uma comparação entre os diferentes requerimentos para registro de uma formulação tópica, considerando diferentes autoridades regulatórias, e faz um levantamento dos produtos tópicos dermatológicos registrados no Brasil até 2013. Tal levantamento demonstrou haver uma grande quantidade de cópias desse tipo de formulação no Brasil em comparação com os EUA. Este fato, associado à grande quantidade de estudos encontrados na literatura demonstrando bioinequivalência de medicamentos tópicos, evidencia a grande importância de uma readequação da legislação brasileira no que se refere aos requisitos técnicos para o registro de medicamentos genéricos e similares de aplicação tópica dermatológica no Brasil.

The comparative evaluation required for the registration of generic topical medicines in Brazil is conducted by means of a pharmaceutical equivalence study, which merely assesses the physical/chemical and microbiological parameters of the formulations. At the international level, clinical or pharmacodynamic studies are now being required to prove the efficacy and safety of semisolid topical generic formulations. This work presents a comparison of the different requirements for the registration of topical formulations, taking into consideration the various regulatory authorities, and presents a survey of topical medicines registered in Brazil prior to 2013. The survey revealed that in comparison with the USA there were many more copies of these formulations registered in Brazil. This fact, together with the large number of studies in the literature showing the lack of bioequivalence of topical medication, is clear proof of the major importance of the need to realign Brazilian legislation with respect to the technical requirements for the registration of generic and similar medication for dermatological topical application in Brazil.

An Update of the Brazilian Regulatory Bioequivalence Recommendations for Approval of Generic Topical Dermatological Drug Products.

This note aims to clarify the Brazilian regulatory bioequivalence recommendations for approval of generic topical dermatological drug products, since the legal framework of the "Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency" (ANVISA) is only available in Portuguese. According to Resolutions RE n. 1170 (December 19th 2006) and RDC n. 37 (August 3rd 2011) in Brazil, only in vitro studies are required for registration of generic topical dermatological drug products. Current Regulatory Agenda of ANVISA, which contains possible future resolutions to be revised over 2015-2016, includes a discussion on biowaiver requirements and on possible in vitro and in vivo comparability tests for these products.

Preparation and evaluation of inclusion complexes of commercial sunscreens in cyclodextrins and montmorillonites: performance and substantivity studies.

Herein we describe inclusion complexes of commercial sunscreens in cyclodextrins and montmorillonites to generate new sunscreen derivatives with optimized functional properties such as water resistance and skin adherence. Four cyclodextrins (alpha-, beta-, and gamma-cyclodextrin, and beta-dimethyl cyclodextrin) and two montmorillonites (sodium and alkylammonium) were investigated for encapsulating some commercial sunscreens. Our results reveal a good yield and inclusion products with functional properties obtained by using kneading technique on Eusolex 2292 and Eusolex 6007 in beta-cyclodextrin and solubilization method on Eusolex 6007 and NeoHeliopan MA in montmorillonite. In addition, molecular modeling studies indicated flexibility as important for the intercalation of the host molecule.