Justification of metformin hydrochloride biowaiver criteria based on bioequivalence study.
The Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) represents the framework for predicting the intestinal drug absorption based on its solubility and intestinal permeability. Recent research has lead to the use of in vitro tests to waive additional in vivo bioequivalence studies for some pharmaceutical products (i.e., biowaiver). The current regulations permit waivers for BCS Class I (highly soluble/highly permeable) drug substances, which represent up to 25% of the drugs. Efforts in both the science and regulatory bodies are being made to extend biowaivers to certain Class II and III products, which would represent more than 50% of all drugs coming to the market. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of experimental conditions on metformin hydrochloride (CAS 1115-70-4) release from two immediate-release tablet formulations with proven bioequivalence and justify the biowaiver request for dissolution profile similarity in three pH media. The results obtained indicate that differences in drug dissolution observed in vitro were not reflected in vivo. Such data support the existing idea that BCS Class III drugs are eligible biowaiver candidates, even if a very rapid dissolution criterion is not fulfilled.
Galenika ad, R&D Institute, Belgrade, Serbia. irena.homsek@gmail.com
Irena
I
Homsek
Jelena
J
Parojcić
Mirjana
M
Dacević
Ljiljana
L
Petrović
Dusan
D
Jovanović
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001702:Biopharmaceutics; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D017277:Drug Approval; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008687:Metformin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012995:Solubility; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D013607:Tablets; D013810:Therapeutic Equivalency; D055815:Young Adult
D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D013607:Tablets; D008687:Metformin