AAPS JournalPub Date : 2024-07-02DOI: 10.1208/s12248-024-00942-6
Costas Demetzos
{"title":"Nanosimilars: A Scientific or A Regulatory Debate?","authors":"Costas Demetzos","doi":"10.1208/s12248-024-00942-6","DOIUrl":"10.1208/s12248-024-00942-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The paper highlights the necessity for a robust regulatory framework for assessing nanomedicines and their off-patent counterparts, termed as nanosimilar, which could be considered as 'similar' to the prototype nanomedicine,based on essential criteria describing the 'similarity'. The term 'similarity' should be focused on criteria that describe nanocarriers, encompassing their physicochemical, thermodynamic, morphological, and biological properties, including surface interactions and pharmacokinetics. Nanocarriers can be regarded as advanced self-assembled excipients (ASAEs) due to their complexity and chaotic behavior and should be evaluated by using essential criteria in order for off-patent nanomedicines be termed as nanosimilars, from a regulatory perspective. Collaboration between the pharmaceutical industry, regulatory bodies, and artificial intelligence (AI) startups is pivotal for the precise characterization and approval processes for nanomedicines and nanosimilars and embracing innovative tools and terminology facilitates the development of a sustainable regulatory framework, ensuring safety and efficacy. This crucial shift toward precision R&D practices addresses the complexity inherent in nanocarriers, paving the way for therapeutic advancements with economic benefits.</p>","PeriodicalId":50934,"journal":{"name":"AAPS Journal","volume":"26 4","pages":"74"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141494179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AAPS JournalPub Date : 2024-07-02DOI: 10.1208/s12248-024-00947-1
Laura Boffel, Anskje Van Mensel, Janne Pauwels, Elly Den Hond, Jos Bessems, Katleen Van Uytfanghe, Christophe P Stove
{"title":"Self-Sampling by Adolescents at Home: Assessment of the Feasibility to Successfully Collect Blood Microsamples by Inexperienced Individuals.","authors":"Laura Boffel, Anskje Van Mensel, Janne Pauwels, Elly Den Hond, Jos Bessems, Katleen Van Uytfanghe, Christophe P Stove","doi":"10.1208/s12248-024-00947-1","DOIUrl":"10.1208/s12248-024-00947-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Blood microsampling has increasingly attracted interest in the past decades as a more patient-centric sampling approach, offering the possibility to collect a minimal volume of blood following a finger or arm prick at home. In addition to conventional dried blood spots (DBS), many different devices allowing self-sampling of blood have become available. Obviously, the success of home-sampling can only be assured when (inexperienced) users collect samples of good quality. Therefore, the feasibility of six different microsampling devices to collect capillary blood by inexperienced adolescents at home was evaluated. Participants (n = 95) were randomly assigned to collect blood (dried or liquid) at different time points using four of six different self-sampling devices (i.e., DBS, Mitra volumetric absorptive microsampling (VAMS), Capitainer B, Tasso M20, Minicollect tube and Tasso<sup>+</sup> serum separator tube (SST)). The quality of the samples was visually inspected and analytically determined. Moreover, the participants' satisfaction was assessed via questionnaires. Although a majority succeeded based on the visual inspection, the success rate differed largely between the different devices. In general, the lowest success rate was obtained for the Minicollect tubes, although there is an opportunity and need for improvement for the other self-sampling devices as well. Hence, this also emphasizes the importance to assess the quality of samples collected by the target population prior to study initiation. In addition, visual classification by a trained individual was confirmed based on assessment of the analytical variability between replicates. Finally, self-sampling at home was overall (very) positively received by the participants.</p>","PeriodicalId":50934,"journal":{"name":"AAPS Journal","volume":"26 4","pages":"75"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141494180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Influence of Various Freezing-thawing Methods of Skin on Drug Permeation and Skin Barrier Function.","authors":"Xinying Wang, Yuanyuan Zhang, Kaili Liang, Xue Meng, Chunyan Ma, Qing Wang","doi":"10.1208/s12248-024-00941-7","DOIUrl":"10.1208/s12248-024-00941-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The selection of skin is crucial for the in vitro permeation test (IVPT). The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of different freezing-thawing processes on the barrier function of skin and the transdermal permeability of granisetron and lidocaine. Rat and hairless mouse skins were thawed at three different conditions after being frozen at -20℃ for 9 days: thawed at 4℃, room temperature (RT), and 32℃. There were no significant differences in the steady-state fluxes of drugs between fresh and thawed samples, but compared with fresh skin there were significant differences in lag time for the permeation of granisetron in rat skins thawed at RT and 32℃. Histological research and scanning electron microscopy images showed no obvious structural damage on frozen/thawed skin, while immunohistochemical staining and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the tight junction (TJ) protein Cldn-1 showed significantly impaired epidermal barrier. It was concluded that the freezing-thawing process increases the diffusion rate of hydrophilic drugs partly due to the functional degradation of TJs. It's recommended that hairless, inbred strains and identical animal donors should be used, and the selected thawing method of skin should be validated prior to IVPT, especially for hydrophilic drugs.</p>","PeriodicalId":50934,"journal":{"name":"AAPS Journal","volume":"26 4","pages":"76"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141494181","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AAPS JournalPub Date : 2024-06-26DOI: 10.1208/s12248-024-00926-6
Andreas Abend, Erika Stippler, Nikos Kühl, Anna Externbrink, Kieran Lewis Smith, James Mann
{"title":"Commentary on \"The Effect of Sampling Cannula on In Vitro Dissolution Testing with USP Paddle Method\".","authors":"Andreas Abend, Erika Stippler, Nikos Kühl, Anna Externbrink, Kieran Lewis Smith, James Mann","doi":"10.1208/s12248-024-00926-6","DOIUrl":"10.1208/s12248-024-00926-6","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":50934,"journal":{"name":"AAPS Journal","volume":"26 4","pages":"73"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141460562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AAPS JournalPub Date : 2024-06-18DOI: 10.1208/s12248-024-00943-5
Rafael Dal-Ré, Ignacio Mahillo-Fernández
{"title":"Principal Features of Industry-Funded Trials that Posted Informed Consent Forms on ClinicalTrials.gov: a Cross-Sectional Analysis.","authors":"Rafael Dal-Ré, Ignacio Mahillo-Fernández","doi":"10.1208/s12248-024-00943-5","DOIUrl":"10.1208/s12248-024-00943-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We aim to characterize industry-funded trials that have posted the informed consent forms (ICFs), and to assess whether the role played by industry as 'sponsor' or 'collaborator' could impact several relevant variables. A cross-sectional study was conducted on ClinicalTrials.gov on all industry-funded trials registered on or before 25 February 2023. We registered types of intervention, current recruitment status, design, enrollment, and countries involved. For trials with special interest to potential participants and investigators and/or clinicians an analysis of the role played by industry as 'sponsor' or 'collaborator' was performed. Of 116,281 industry-funded trials registered, 741 (0.6%) had posted ICFs. Most of these trials were categorized as 'completed' (n = 408) or 'terminated' (n = 107). The review of a sample of 359 trials showed that most were on drugs and/or biologics (59%), were randomized (51%), conducted exclusively in the USA (72%), and had posted results (79%), protocols (92%), and statistical analysis plans (SAPs) (89%). Trials in which industry participated as 'collaborator' were significantly more likely to post ICFs when trials were in the 'active, not recruiting' phase (OR 4.70, 99.71% CI 1.59-13.9, p < 0.001) than industry-sponsored trials. This was also the case when assessing drugs/biologics (OR 2.64, 99.71% CI 1.25-5.58, p < 0.001). Conversely, companies acting as 'sponsors' were significantly more likely to post ICFs with trials assessing devices, radiation interventions and/or diagnostic tests (OR 0.37, 99.71% CI 0.17-0.79, p < 0.001) than when participating as 'collaborators'. While industry-funded trials rarely post ICFs, when they do, they are highly compliant with transparency requirements. Regulations and ethics codes should consider requiring posting of protocols, SAPs, and ICFs for all clinical trials, regardless the type of sponsor.</p>","PeriodicalId":50934,"journal":{"name":"AAPS Journal","volume":"26 4","pages":"72"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141421722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AAPS JournalPub Date : 2024-06-17DOI: 10.1208/s12248-024-00935-5
Rudiger Kaspera, Yoshihisa Shitara
{"title":"Doses Evaluated in Clinical Pharmacology Studies Investigating the Effect of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors on PK and Safety: Case Examples from Approved Drug Development Programs.","authors":"Rudiger Kaspera, Yoshihisa Shitara","doi":"10.1208/s12248-024-00935-5","DOIUrl":"10.1208/s12248-024-00935-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dose selection for investigations of intrinsic and extrinsic factors of pharmacokinetic variability as well as safety is a challenging question in the early clinical stage of drug development. The dose of an investigational product is chosen considering the compound information available to date, feasibility of the assessments, regulatory requirements, and the intent to maximize information for later regulatory submission. This review selected 37 programs as case examples of recently approved drugs to explore the doses selected with focus on studies of drug interaction, renal and hepatic impairment, food effect and concentration-QTc assessment.The review found that regulatory agencies may consider alternative approaches if justified and safe as illustrated in these examples. It is thus recommendable to use the first in human trial as an opportunity to assess QT-prolongation and drug interactions using probes or endogenous markers while maximizing the DDI potential, increasing sensitivity and ensuring safety. Early understanding of dose proportionality assists dose finding and simple and fast to conduct DDI study designs are advantageous. Single dose impairment studies despite non-proportional/time-dependent PK are often acceptability.Overall, the early understanding of the drug's safety profile is essential to ensure the safety of doses selected while preventing clinical trials with unnecessary exposure when using high doses or multiple doses. The information collected in this retrospective survey is a good reminder to tailor the early clinical program to the profile and needs of the molecule and consider regulatory opportunities to streamline the development path.</p>","PeriodicalId":50934,"journal":{"name":"AAPS Journal","volume":"26 4","pages":"71"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141421805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AAPS JournalPub Date : 2024-06-11DOI: 10.1208/s12248-024-00938-2
Michael Wang, Tycho Heimbach, Wei Zhu, Di Wu, Kevin G Reuter, Filippos Kesisoglou
{"title":"Physiologically Based Biopharmaceutics Modeling for Gefapixant IR Formulation Development and Defining the Bioequivalence Dissolution Safe Space.","authors":"Michael Wang, Tycho Heimbach, Wei Zhu, Di Wu, Kevin G Reuter, Filippos Kesisoglou","doi":"10.1208/s12248-024-00938-2","DOIUrl":"10.1208/s12248-024-00938-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Gefapixant is a weakly basic drug which has been formulated as an immediate release tablet for oral administration. A physiologically based biopharmaceutics model (PBBM) was developed based on gefapixant physicochemical properties and clinical pharmacokinetics to aid formulation selection, bioequivalence safe space assessment and dissolution specification settings. In vitro dissolution profiles of different free base and citrate salt formulations were used as an input to the model. The model was validated against the results of independent studies, which included a bioequivalence and a relative bioavailability study, as well as a human ADME study, all meeting acceptance criteria of prediction errors ≤ 20% for both Cmax and AUC. PBBM was also applied to evaluate gastric pH-mediated drug-drug-interaction potential with co-administration of a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), omeprazole. Model results showed good agreement with clinical data in which omeprazole lowered gefapixant exposure for the free base formulation but did not significantly alter gefapixant pharmacokinetics for the citrate based commercial drug product. An extended virtual dissolution bioequivalence safe space was established. Gefapixant drug product batches are anticipated to be bioequivalent with the clinical reference batch when their dissolution is > 80% in 60 minutes. PBBM established a wide dissolution bioequivalence space as part of assuring product quality.</p>","PeriodicalId":50934,"journal":{"name":"AAPS Journal","volume":"26 4","pages":"69"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141307266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AAPS JournalPub Date : 2024-06-11DOI: 10.1208/s12248-024-00939-1
Sivacharan Kollipara, Mahendra Chougule, Rajkumar Boddu, Ashima Bhatia, Tausif Ahmed
{"title":"Playing Hide-and-Seek with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors: Can We Overcome Administration Challenges?","authors":"Sivacharan Kollipara, Mahendra Chougule, Rajkumar Boddu, Ashima Bhatia, Tausif Ahmed","doi":"10.1208/s12248-024-00939-1","DOIUrl":"10.1208/s12248-024-00939-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have demonstrated significant efficacy against various types of cancers through molecular targeting mechanisms. Over the past 22 years, more than 100 TKIs have been approved for the treatment of various types of cancer indicating the significant progress achieved in this research area. Despite having significant efficacy and ability to target multiple pathways, TKIs administration is associated with challenges. There are reported inconsistencies between observed food effect and labeling administration, challenges of concomitant administration with acid-reducing agents (ARA), pill burden and dosing frequency. In this context, the objective of present review is to visit administration challenges of TKIs and effective ways to tackle them. We have gathered data of 94 TKIs approved in between 2000 and 2022 with respect to food effect, ARA impact, administration schemes (food and PPI restrictions), number of pills per day and administration frequency. Further, trend analysis has been performed to identify inconsistencies in the labeling with respect to observed food effect, molecules exhibiting ARA impact, in order to identify solutions to remove these restrictions through novel formulation approaches. Additionally, opportunities to reduce number of pills per day and dosing frequency for better patient compliance were suggested using innovative formulation interventions. Finally, utility of physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling (PBPK) for rationale formulation development was discussed with literature reported examples. Overall, this review can act as a ready-to-use-guide for the formulation, biopharmaceutics scientists and medical oncologists to identify opportunities for innovation for TKIs.</p>","PeriodicalId":50934,"journal":{"name":"AAPS Journal","volume":"26 4","pages":"66"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141307268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AAPS JournalPub Date : 2024-06-11DOI: 10.1208/s12248-024-00940-8
Diletta Berardinelli, Omayema Taoussi, Gloria Daziani, Francesco Tavoletta, Giovanna Ricci, Livio P Tronconi, Piotr Adamowicz, Francesco P Busardò, Jeremy Carlier
{"title":"3-CMC, 4-CMC, and 4-BMC Human Metabolic Profiling: New Major Pathways to Document Consumption of Methcathinone Analogues?","authors":"Diletta Berardinelli, Omayema Taoussi, Gloria Daziani, Francesco Tavoletta, Giovanna Ricci, Livio P Tronconi, Piotr Adamowicz, Francesco P Busardò, Jeremy Carlier","doi":"10.1208/s12248-024-00940-8","DOIUrl":"10.1208/s12248-024-00940-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Synthetic cathinones represent one of the largest and most abused new psychoactive substance classes, and have been involved in numerous intoxications and fatalities worldwide. Methcathinone analogues like 3-methylmethcathinone (3-MMC), 3-chloromethcathinone (3-CMC), and 4-CMC currently constitute most of synthetic cathinone seizures in Europe. Documenting their consumption in clinical/forensic casework is therefore essential to tackle this trend. Targeting metabolite markers is a go-to to document consumption in analytical toxicology, and metabolite profiling is crucial to support investigations. We sought to identify 3-CMC, 4-CMC, and 4-bromomethcathinone (4-BMC) human metabolites. The substances were incubated with human hepatocytes; incubates were screened by liquid chromatography-high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry and data were mined with Compound Discoverer (Themo Scientific). 3-CMC-positive blood, urine, and oral fluid and 4-CMC-positive urine and saliva from clinical/forensic casework were analyzed. Analyses were supported by metabolite predictions with GLORYx freeware. Twelve, ten, and ten metabolites were identified for 3-CMC, 4-CMC, and 4-BMC, respectively, with similar transformations occurring for the three cathinones. Major reactions included ketoreduction and N-demethylation. Surprisingly, predominant metabolites were produced by combination of N-demethylation and ω-carboxylation (main metabolite in 3-CMC-positive urine), and combination of β-ketoreduction, oxidative deamination, and O-glucuronidation (main metabolite in 4-CMC-positive urine). These latter metabolites were detected in negative-ionization mode only and their non-conjugated form was not detected after glucuronide hydrolysis; this metabolic pathway was never reported for any methcathinone analogue susceptible to undergo the same transformations. These results support the need for comprehensive screening strategies in metabolite identification studies, to avoid overlooking significant metabolites and major markers of consumption.</p>","PeriodicalId":50934,"journal":{"name":"AAPS Journal","volume":"26 4","pages":"70"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141307335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Pioneering Topical Ointment Intervention for Unprecedented Antimicrobial and Diabetic Wound Management with Phenylpropanoids and Nano-Silver.","authors":"Hari Prasath Nagaiah, Priya Dharsini Periyakaruppan Murugesan, Chaughule Vrushali Ravindra Rupali, Karutha Pandian Shunmugiah","doi":"10.1208/s12248-024-00936-4","DOIUrl":"10.1208/s12248-024-00936-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Addressing the intertwined challenges of antimicrobial resistance and impaired wound healing in diabetic patients, an oil/water emulsion-based nano-ointment integrating phenylpropanoids-Eugenol and Cinnamaldehyde-with positively-charged silver nanoparticles was synthesized. The process began with the synthesis and characterization of nano-silver, aimed at ensuring the effectiveness and safety of the nanoparticles in biological applications. Subsequent experiments determined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against pathogens such as Streptococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. These MIC values of all three active leads guided the strategic formulation of an ointment base, which effectively integrated the bioactive components. Evaluations of this nano-ointment revealed enhanced antimicrobial activity against both clinical and reference bacterial strains and it maintained stability after freeze-thaw cycles. Furthermore, the ointment demonstrated superior in-vitro diabetic wound healing capabilities and significantly promoted angiogenesis, as shown by enhanced blood vessel formation in the Chorioallantoic Membrane assay. These findings underscore the formulation's therapeutic potential, marking a significant advance in the use of nanotechnology for topical wound care.</p>","PeriodicalId":50934,"journal":{"name":"AAPS Journal","volume":"26 4","pages":"67"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141307267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}