title: Rapid formulation assessment of filgrastim therapeutics by a thermal stress test.
abstract: The biosimilar versions of recombinant methionyl human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rh-Met-G-CSF, filgrastim) are now widely available. Because changes to the formulation often lead to subtle differences, there is a critical need to define techniques to test and insure the quality of these products. The present study was designed to compare formulation and thermal stress stability of filgrastim products. The formulation ingredients including acetate, polysorbate 80, and sorbitol were determined using state-of-the-art validated analytical methods. The formulation pH and osmolality were also measured. Moreover, the stability profiles of 8 filgrastim products using thermal stress at 57 °C for 4 h were assessed by size-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC) and in vitro biological assay. The products had different stability profiles. More stable products were within the specification for formulation and less stable products were beyond the specification limits. Altogether, the results suggest that a short-time stress study at 57 °C and analysis of filgrastim by SE-HPLC could unveil formulation problems and is potentially useful for comparability studies.
authors.affiliation: Food and Drug Control Research Center, FDO, Ministry of Health, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alebouyeh
authors.affiliation: Food and Drug Control Research Center, FDO, Ministry of Health, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tahzibi
authors.affiliation: AryaTinaGene Biopharmaceutical Company, Gorgan, Iran.
authors.forename: Sareh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yaghoobzadeh
authors.affiliation: AryaTinaGene Biopharmaceutical Company, Gorgan, Iran.
authors.forename: Elnaz Tamaskany
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Zahedy
authors.affiliation: AryaTinaGene Biopharmaceutical Company, Gorgan, Iran.
authors.forename: Shiva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kiumarsi
authors.affiliation: AryaTinaGene Biopharmaceutical Company, Gorgan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mojtaba Hadi
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Soltanabad
authors.affiliation: AryaTinaGene Biopharmaceutical Company, Gorgan, Iran.
authors.forename: Saleh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shahbazi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Science, P.O. Box: 49175-553, Gorgan, Iran. Electronic address: haminhplc@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amini
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002850:Chromatography, Gel / Q000379:methods; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000379:methods*; D004355:Drug Stability; D000069585:Filgrastim / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006401:Hematologic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D051379:Mice; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011136:Polysorbates / Q000032:analysis; D013012:Sorbitol / Q000032:analysis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D006401:Hematologic Agents; D011136:Polysorbates; D013012:Sorbitol; D000069585:Filgrastim
keywords: Biological assay; Filgrastim; Formulation; Size-exclusion HPLC; Thermal stress