An integrated process analytical technology (PAT) approach to monitoring the effect of supercooling on lyophilization product and process parameters of model monoclonal antibody formulations.
The aim of the present study was to apply an integrated process analytical technology (PAT) approach to control and monitor the effect of the degree of supercooling on critical process and product parameters of a lyophilization cycle. Two concentrations of a mAb formulation were used as models for lyophilization. ControLyo™ technology was applied to control the onset of ice nucleation, whereas tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) was utilized as a noninvasive tool for the inline monitoring of the water vapor concentration and vapor flow velocity in the spool during primary drying. The instantaneous measurements were then used to determine the effect of the degree of supercooling on critical process and product parameters. Controlled nucleation resulted in uniform nucleation at lower degrees of supercooling for both formulations, higher sublimation rates, lower mass transfer resistance, lower product temperatures at the sublimation interface, and shorter primary drying times compared with the conventional shelf-ramped freezing. Controlled nucleation also resulted in lyophilized cakes with more elegant and porous structure with no visible collapse or shrinkage, lower specific surface area, and shorter reconstitution times compared with the uncontrolled nucleation. Uncontrolled nucleation however resulted in lyophilized cakes with relatively lower residual moisture contents compared with controlled nucleation. TDLAS proved to be an efficient tool to determine the endpoint of primary drying. There was good agreement between data obtained from TDLAS-based measurements and SMART™ technology. ControLyo™ technology and TDLAS showed great potential as PAT tools to achieve enhanced process monitoring and control during lyophilization cycles.
Division of Product Quality ResearchOffice of Testing and ResearchOPS, CDER, United States Food and Drug Administration.
David
D
Awotwe Otoo
Division of Product Quality ResearchOffice of Testing and ResearchOPS, CDER, United States Food and Drug Administration.
Cyrus
C
Agarabi
Division of Product Quality ResearchOffice of Testing and ResearchOPS, CDER, United States Food and Drug Administration. Electronic address: Mansoor.Khan@fda.hhs.gov.
Mansoor A
MA
Khan
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000737:chemistry*; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D003460:Crystallization; D004339:Drug Compounding; D004355:Drug Stability; D005612:Freeze Drying; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D013499:Surface Properties; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods*; D044366:Transition Temperature
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
dry layer thickness; formulation; freeze drying; ice nucleation; lyophilization; monoclonal antibody; primary drying; process analytical technology (PAT); product temperature; secondary drying