Common Deficiencies Found in the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) Section of Non-sterile Generic Products Submitted for Registration by SAHPRA

Author(s):  
Lerato Moeti ◽  
Madira Litedu ◽  
Jacques Joubert
2010 ◽  
Vol 54 (8) ◽  
pp. 3271-3279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar Vesga ◽  
Maria Agudelo ◽  
Beatriz E. Salazar ◽  
Carlos A. Rodriguez ◽  
Andres F. Zuluaga

ABSTRACT Generic versions of intravenous antibiotics are not required to demonstrate therapeutic equivalence with the innovator because therapeutic equivalence is assumed from pharmaceutical equivalence. To test such assumptions, we studied three generic versions of vancomycin in simultaneous experiments with the innovator and determined the concentration and potency of the active pharmaceutical ingredient by microbiological assay, single-dose pharmacokinetics in infected mice, antibacterial effect by broth microdilution and time-kill curves (TKC), and pharmacodynamics against two wild-type strains of Staphylococcus aureus by using the neutropenic mouse thigh infection model. The main outcome measure was the comparison of magnitudes and patterns of in vivo efficacy between generic products and the innovator. Except for one product exhibiting slightly greater concentration, vancomycin generics were undistinguishable from the innovator based on concentration and potency, protein binding, in vitro antibacterial effect determined by minimal inhibitory or bactericidal concentrations and TKC, and serum pharmacokinetics. Despite such similarities, all generic products failed in vivo to kill S. aureus, while the innovator displayed the expected bactericidal efficacy: maximum antibacterial effect (E max) (95% confidence interval [CI]) was 2.04 (1.89 to 2.19), 2.59 (2.21 to 2.98), and 3.48 (2.92 to 4.04) versus 5.65 (5.52 to 5.78) log10 CFU/g for three generics and the innovator product, respectively (P < 0.0001, any comparison). Nonlinear regression analysis suggests that generic versions of vancomycin contain inhibitory and stimulatory principles within their formulations that cause agonistic-antagonistic actions responsible for in vivo failure. In conclusion, pharmaceutical equivalence does not imply therapeutic equivalence for vancomycin.


2013 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 1005-1018 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Agudelo ◽  
C. A. Rodriguez ◽  
C. A. Pelaez ◽  
O. Vesga

ABSTRACTSeveral studies with animal models have demonstrated that bioequivalence of generic products of antibiotics like vancomycin, as currently defined, do not guarantee therapeutic equivalence. However, the amounts and characteristics of impurities and degradation products in these formulations do not violate the requirements of the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP). Here, we provide experimental data with three generic products of meropenem that help in understanding how these apparently insignificant chemical differences affect thein vivoefficacy. Meropenem generics were compared with the innovatorin vitroby microbiological assay, susceptibility testing, and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) analysis andin vivowith the neutropenic guinea pig soleus infection model (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and the neutropenic mouse thigh (P. aeruginosa), brain (P. aeruginosa), and lung (Klebisella pneumoniae) infection models, adding the dihydropeptidase I (DHP-I) inhibitor cilastatin in different proportions to the carbapenem. We found that the concentration and potency of the active pharmaceutical ingredient,in vitrosusceptibility testing, and mouse pharmacokinetics were identical for all products; however, two generics differed significantly from the innovator in the guinea pig and mouse models, while the third generic was therapeutically equivalent under all conditions. Trisodium adducts in a bioequivalent generic made it more susceptible to DHP-I hydrolysis and less stable at room temperature, explaining its therapeutic nonequivalence. We conclude that the therapeutic nonequivalence of generic products of meropenem is due to greater susceptibility to DHP-I hydrolysis. These failing generics are compliant with USP requirements and would remain undetectable under current regulations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. e000922 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristián Mansilla ◽  
Jorge Cárdenas ◽  
Warren A. Kaplan ◽  
Veronika J. Wirtz ◽  
Lucy Kuhn-Barrientos ◽  
...  

IntroductionChile implemented a generic substitution policy in 2014 to improve access to medicines. This study aims to measure if the generic substitution policy had an effect on the sales volume and prices of referent and the branded generic products with demonstrated bioequivalence (BEQ) in the private pharmaceutical market.MethodsThe volume and total private sales of medicines sold at private sector retail outlets between November 2011 and October 2016 were considered in the analysis. We calculated the total number of daily defined doses (DDD) by adding up the number of DDDs of different presentations with the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). We determined the ratio of the median prices of all BEQ per DDD presentations compared with the median price of the corresponding referent presentations per DDD in 2011 and 2016. Sixteen APIs representing 231 different conventional-release presentations were included in the analysis.ResultsOverall, the volume of sales of the referent products decreased over time after the intervention. However, this reduction was not mirrored by an increase in the corresponding branded generic BEQ volumes overall. In all cases, the median price per DDD of the referent was higher than its BEQ counterpart in 2011 and 2016.ConclusionSince referent products are more costly than branded BEQ generic products, reducing their consumption—and increasing the BEQ availability—should improve access to medicines in Chile. However, this must be accompanied by promotion of BEQ products to ensure savings for consumers in the long term. Future research should focus on identifying facilitating and inhibiting factors of generic substitution.


Author(s):  
Jan M Keppel Hesselink

Topical analgesics are regarded as new inroads to treat peripheral neuropathic pain, with a number of advantages over oral treatments. Topical treatment reduces systemic induced side-effects and have good tolerability, without problems of misuse or abuse, or dependency. Furthermore, the onset of action is fast, mostly within 30 minutes. The mechanism of action of topical analgesics is either via transdermal delivery of the analgesic, or via intradermal mechanisms of action. In the latter case, plasma levels of analgesics in the blood are absent or very low. This perspective is missing in the approach of the ad hoc committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in the USA, installed by the FDA. In this short commentary, we plead for a more comprehensive approach of topical analgesics, including those formulations which explicitly are not based on transdermal penetration of the active pharmaceutical ingredient, but on intradermal mechanisms of action.


Author(s):  
L.E. Yasinskaya ◽  

Introduction. Earlier, the comparative analysis of the commercial and investment activities of the companies that play the key roles in the investment processes in the Russian pharmaceutical industry and operate within the four main business models (biotechnological, generic, specialized pharmaceutical companies, active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturers) has been conducted. No full assessment of the companies’ activitiesis conceivable without a financial analysis of their activities to identify the risks of investment activities. Objective of the study. A detailed comparative analysis of the financial standing of domestic pharmaceutical manufacturers operating within the selected business models for further identification of potential financial risks for investors. Research procedure and article structure. Analysis of RAS statements (forms 1 and 2) of 72 over 500 million revenue companies grouped together as selected business models for the period from 2015 to 2019. Results. The researchers provided a detailed description of the commercial activities of domestic pharmaceutical companies within the business models under consideration. The companies within various business models showed positive revenue growth rates over the past five years. All business models demonstrate consistently high business profitability and a significant share of own capital in the asset profile. Conclusion. The results of the study show the stable financial standing of the pharmaceutical companies within various business models. The biotechnology sector companies that are the most attractive for investments have the highest quality financial standing. The specialized and generic companies show similar consistently strong performance. API manufacturers that the companies with relatively small revenues are actively developing and are attractive to restrained budget investors.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samar R. Saleh ◽  
Mariam M. Abady ◽  
Mohammed Nofal ◽  
Nashwa W. Yassa ◽  
Mohamed S. Abdel-latif ◽  
...  

Background: Berberine (BBR), an isoquinoline alkaloid, acts as a multipotent active pharmaceutical ingredient to counteract several types of dementia based on its numerous pharmacological actions including antioxidant, antiinflammatory, cholesterol-lowering effect, and inhibition of Aβ production and AChE. However, BBR suffers from poor absorption, bioavailability and brain drug uptake. The present study is directed for the formulation and characterization of Chitosan BBR-nanoparticles (BBR-NPs) as well as the estimation of its neuroprotective effects against scopolamine induced cognitive impairments. Methods: BBR-NPs were formulated using ionic gelation method and tripolyphosphate was chosen as a cross linker. Nanoparticles size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency and releasing profile were estimated. To investigate the neuroprotective effects, adult fifty six Wistar male rats were randomly distributed into: three control groups, received saline, polyethylene glycol or chitosan- NPs respectively; induced group, received scopolamine (2 mg/ kg, i.p.) and three treated groups were orally administrated BBR (50 mg/ kg), BBR- NP (7 mg/ kg) and donepezil (2.25 mg/ kg, as positive control) followed by scopolamine injection after 40 min, daily for 4 weeks. Morris water maze test, oxidative stress parameters, cholinergic and amyloid-β processing intermediates as well as neuroplasticity markers and histopathological examination were assessed. Results: Our results showed that BBR- NPs were better than BBR and donepezil as BBR- NPs were powerful inhibitory ligands toward AChE and Aβ42 formation and significantly down regulated Tau, iNOS and BACE gene expression in rats’ hippocampus. BBR-NPs administration, at 1/6 of BBR therapeutic recommended dose, significantly improved learning and memory function. This could be accredited to the diminution of oxidative stress and amyloid-β toxicity in addition to the improvement of the neuroplasticity markers. Conclusions: The enhancing effect of BBR- NPs could be related to the enhancing of its bioavailability, absorption and brain drug uptake which need more investigation in future work.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1656
Author(s):  
Nataliya E. Kuz’mina ◽  
Sergey V. Moiseev ◽  
Mikhail D. Khorolskiy ◽  
Anna I. Lutceva

The authors developed a 1H qNMR test procedure for identification and quantification of impurity A present in gabapentin active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and gabapentin products. The validation studies helped to determine the limit of quantitation and assess linearity, accuracy, repeatability, intermediate precision, specificity, and robustness of the procedure. Spike-and-recovery assays were used to calculate standard deviations, coefficients of variation, confidence intervals, bias, Fisher’s F test, and Student’s t-test for assay results. The obtained statistical values satisfy the acceptance criteria for the validation parameters. The authors compared the results of impurity A quantification in gabapentin APIs and capsules by using the 1H qNMR and HPLC test methods.


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