Zoomlab™-guided co-crystal engineering of nilotinib for improved dissolution

Food Effect on Oral Bioavailability: Old and New Questions.

The aim of this study was (1) to determine how closely physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models can predict oral bioavailability using a priori knowledge of drug-specific properties and (2) to examine the influence of the biopharmaceutics classification system class on the simulation success. Simcyp Simulator, GastroPlus™ and GI-Sim were used. Compounds with published Biowaiver monographs (bisoprolol (BCS I), nifedipine (BCS II), cimetidine (BCS III), furosemide (BCS IV)) were selected to ensure availability of accurate and reproducible data for all required parameters. Simulation success was evaluated with the average fold error (AFE) and absolute average fold error (AAFE). Parameter sensitivity analysis (PSA) to selected parameters was performed. Plasma concentration-time profiles after intravenous administration were forecast within an AAFE < 3. The addition of absorption processes resulted in more variability in the prediction of the plasma profiles, irrespective of biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) class. The reliability of literature permeability data was identified as a key issue in the accuracy of predicting oral drug absorption. For the four drugs studied, it appears that the forecasting accuracy of the PBPK models is related to the BCS class (BCS I > BCS II, BCS III > BCS IV). These results will need to be verified with additional drugs.

Evidence suggests that the rate of oral drug absorption changes during early childhood. Yet, respective clinical implications are currently unclear, particularly for preterm neonates. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in oral drug absorption after birth for different Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) class I and II compounds to better understand respective implications for paediatric pharmacotherapy. Two paradigm compounds were selected for BCS class I (paracetamol (acetaminophen) and theophylline) and II (indomethacin and ibuprofen), respectively, based on the availability of clinical literature data following intravenous and oral dosing. A comparative population pharmacokinetic analysis was performed in a step-wise manner in NONMEM® 7.2 to characterize and predict changes in oral drug absorption after birth for paracetamol, theophylline and indomethacin. A one compartment model with an age-dependent maturation function for oral drug absorption was found appropriate to characterize the pharmacokinetics of paracetamol. Our findings indicate that the rate at which a drug is absorbed from the GI tract reaches adult levels within about 1 week after birth. The maturation function for paracetamol was found applicable to theophylline and indomethacin once solubility limitations were overcome via drug formulation. The influence of excipients on solubility and, hence, oral bioavailability was confirmed for ibuprofen, a second BCS class II compound. The findings of our study suggest that the processes underlying changes in oral drug absorption after birth are drug-independent and that the maturation function identified for paracetamol may be generally applicable to other BCS class I and II compounds for characterizing drug absorption in preterm as well as term neonates.

Food effect (FE) and gastric pH-dependent drug-drug interactions (DDIs) are both absorption-related. Here, we evaluated if Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) classes may be correlated with FE or pH-dependent DDIs. Trends in FE data were investigated for 170 drugs with clinical FE studies from the literature and new drugs approved from 2013 to 2019 by US Food and Drug Administration. A subset of 38 drugs was also evaluated to determine whether FE results can inform the need for a gastric pH-dependent DDI study. The results of FE studies were defined as no effect (AUC ratio 0.80-1.25), increased exposure (AUC ratio ≥1.25), or decreased exposure (AUC ratio ≤0.8). Drugs with significantly increased exposure FE (AUC ratio ≥2.0; N=14) were BCS Class 2 or 4, while drugs with significantly decreased exposure FE (AUC ratio ≤0.5; N=2) were BCS Class 1/3 or 3. The lack of FE was aligned with the lack of a pH-dependent DDI for all 7 BCS Class 1 or 3 drugs as expected. For the 13 BCS Class 2 or 4 weak base drugs with an increased exposure FE, 6 had a pH-dependent DDI (AUC ratio ≤0.8). Among the 16 BCS Class 2 or 4 weak base drugs with no FE, 6 had a pH-dependent DDI (AUC ratio ≤0.8). FE appears to have limited correlation with BCS classes except for BCS Class 1 drugs, confirming that multiple physiological mechanisms can impact FE. Lack of FE does not indicate absence of pH-dependent DDI for BCS Class 2 or 4 drugs. Graphical Abstract.

Esterification was used to simultaneously increase solubility and permeability of ciprofloxacin, a biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) class 4 drug (low solubility/low permeability) with solid-state limited solubility. Molecular flexibility was increased to disturb the crystal lattice, lower the melting point, and thereby improve the solubility, whereas lipophilicity was increased to enhance the intestinal permeability. These structural changes resulted in BCS class 1 analogues (high solubility/high permeability) emphasizing that simple medicinal chemistry may improve both these properties.

Progressive Applications of Dissolution, Its Impact, and Implications in the Pharmaceutical World

Small-molecule drug candidates often encounter challenges related to physicochemical properties, such as poor solubility and stability. Modifying the crystal form of these compounds is a promising approach to overcoming these challenges. Herein, trimethoprim (TMP), a biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) class II drug with low water solubility, and sulfathiazole (STZ), a polymorphic sulfa drug, were selected as model active pharmaceutical ingredients. A TMP-STZ complex was prepared using liquid-assisted grinding, yielding anhydrous and ethanol-solvated forms. Physicochemical analyses confirmed that the complexes formed stable salt crystals, reducing hygroscopicity and improving thermal stability. An ethanol solvate demonstrated enhanced stability but exhibited a decreased melting point due to desolvation. Single-crystal structure analysis revealed strong hydrogen-bonding interactions between TMP and STZ, contributing to the stability of the crystal. Structural analysis confirmed proton transfer between TMP and STZ, forming a stable salt. Reduced hygroscopicity and improved thermal stability indicate enhanced solid-state robustness of TMP. These results provide a structural basis for controlling the solid-state stability of TMP by salt formation.

Biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) class IV compounds, exhibits low solubility, intestinal permeability and oral bioavailability among all the pharmaceutical class of drugs. Therefore, these drugs need a more compatible and efficient delivery system. Since, their solubility in various mediums will remains a limitation. Hence, the mesoporous Nanomatrix approach may prove to be a suitable solution ahead. Therefore, in the present study, the polymer-coated mesoporous material like Sylysia 350, Carbon, Tin Oxide are opted for the BCS class IV drug like Apixaban to attain higher solubility and dissolution. The prepared Nanomatrix was evaluated for its particle size, DSC, Solubility and dissolution studies. For this study, Apixaban was opted for formulating Sylysia 350, Carbon, Tin Oxide based Mesoporous Nanomatrix system. Nanomatrix was prepared by the Amorphous solid dispersion method using probe sonication. The mesoporous Nanomatrix of Apixaban showed improvement in the solubility in water by approx.7 folds when Apixaban used in combination with Sylysia 350 and Polymer HPMC K15M. From the present study, we can conclude that the optimized Apixaban mesoporous Nanomatrix may prove to be a suitable potential option for solubility enhancement, increase in-vitro drug release and effective delivery of BCS class IV drugs.

Low water solubility and high permeability present formulation challenges for drugs categorized as Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) Class II, resulting in reduced bioavailability. This research focuses on addressing the solubility issues of BCS Class II drugs, including Simvastatin, Ketoprofen, griseofulvin, ibuprofen, ketoconazole, and carbamazepine, which exhibit high permeability but poor solubility. A potential strategy to improve the solubility and bioavailability of these drugs is the utilization of nanosuspensions.&#x0D; This study investigates the application of nanosuspension technology to enhance the solubility of Ketoprofen, a BCS Class II drug. By reducing the drug's particle size within the nanosuspension, solubility is improved, leading to increased bioavailability and optimized therapeutic efficacy. The research includes in vitro and in vivo experiments to evaluate the drug release profiles and bioavailability of Ketoprofen-loaded nanosuspensions.&#x0D; Significant findings from this research include the demonstration of improved bioavailability and enhanced drug release properties achieved with the nanosuspension formulation. In vitro studies show increased drug dissolution rates and improved release profiles compared to conventional formulations. In vivo experiments reveal enhanced pharmacokinetic parameters and therapeutic effectiveness of Ketoprofen when administered through the nanosuspension.&#x0D; These results highlight the potential of nanosuspensions as an efficient drug delivery system for BCS Class II drugs, addressing their solubility limitations and improving their bioavailability. The findings contribute to the development of novel strategies in pharmacology for enhancing drug solubility and therapeutic outcomes. Overall, this research emphasizes the significance of nanosuspension technology in optimizing the delivery of BCS Class II drugs and offers valuable insights for future formulation development and therapeutic applications.&#x0D; Keywords: Ketoprofen, Nanosuspensions, Ultrasonication, Precipitation, Dissolution rate, Oral bioavailability.

The Combination of GIS and Biphasic to Better Predict In Vivo Dissolution of BCS Class IIb Drugs, Ketoconazole and Raloxifene

To evaluate the influence of solubility and permeability on the pharmacokinetic prediction performance of orally administered drugs using avirtual bioequivalence (VBE) model, a total of 23 orally administered drugs covering Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) classes 1-4 were selected. A VBE model (i.e., a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model integrated with dissolution data) based on a B2O simulator was applied for pharmacokinetic (PK) prediction in a virtual population. Parameter sensitivity analysis was used for input parameter selection. The predictive performances of PK parameters (i.e., AUC0-t, Cmax, and Tmax), PK profiles, and bioequivalence (BE) results were evaluated using the twofold error, average fold error (AFE), absolute average fold error (AAFE), and BE reassessment metrics. All models successfully simulated the mean PK profiles, with AAFE < 2 and AFE ranging from 0.58 to 1.66. As for the PK parameters, except for the time of peak concentration, Tmax, of isosorbide mononitrate, other simulated PK parameters were all within a twofold error. The simulated PK behaviors were comparable to the observed ones, both for test (T) and reference (R) products, and the simulated T/R arithmetic mean ratios were all within 0.88-1.16 of the observed values. These four evaluation metrics were distributed equally among BCS class 1-4 drugs. The VBE model showed powerful performance to predict the PK behavior of orally administered drugs with various combinations of solubility and permeability, irrespective of the BCS category.

Age-related changes in many parameters affecting drug absorption remain poorly characterized. The objective of this study was to apply physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models in pediatric patients to investigate the absorption and pharmacokinetics of 4 drugs belonging to the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) class I administered as oral liquid formulations. Pediatric PBPK models built with PK-Sim/MoBi were used to predict the pharmacokinetics of acetaminophen, emtricitabine, theophylline, and zolpidem in different pediatric populations. The model performance for predicting drug absorption and pharmacokinetics was assessed by comparing the predicted absorption profile with the deconvoluted dose fraction absorbed over time and predicted with observed plasma concentration-time profiles. Sensitivity analyses were performed to analyze the effects of changes in relevant input parameters on the model output. Overall, most pharmacokinetic parameters were predicted within a 2-fold error range. The absorption profiles were generally reasonably predicted, but relatively large differences were observed for acetaminophen. Sensitivity analyses showed that the predicted absorption profile was most sensitive to changes in the gastric emptying time (GET) and the specific intestinal permeability. The drug's solubility played only a minor role. These findings confirm that gastric emptying time, more than intestinal permeability or solubility, is a key factor affecting BCS class I drug absorption in children. As gastric emptying time is prolonged in the fed state, a better understanding of the interplay between food intake and gastric emptying time in children is needed, especially in the very young in whom the (semi)fed condition is the prevailing prandial state, and hence prolonged gastric emptying time seems more plausible than the fasting state.

Drug solubility, effective permeability, and intestinal metabolism and transport are parameters that govern intestinal bioavailability and oral absorption. However, excipients may affect the systemic bioavailability of a drug by altering these parameters. Thus, parameter sensitivity analyses using physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models were performed to examine the potential impact of excipients on oral drug absorption of different Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) class drugs. The simulation results showed that changes in solubility had minimal impact on Cmax and AUC0-t of investigated BCS class 1 and 3 drugs. Changes in passive permeability altered Cmax more than AUC0-t for BCS class 1 drugs but were variable and drug-specific across different BCS class 2 and 3 drugs. Depending on the drug compounds for BCS class 1 and 2 drugs, changes in intestinal metabolic activity altered Cmax and AUC0-t. Reducing or increasing influx and efflux transporter activity might likely affect Cmax and AUC0-t of BCS class 2 and 3 drugs, but the magnitude may be drug dependent. Changes in passive permeability and/or transporter activity for BCS class 2 and 3 drugs might also have a significant impact on fraction absorbed and systemic bioavailability while changes in intestinal metabolic activity may have an impact on gut and systemic bioavailability. Overall, we demonstrate that PBPK modeling can be used routinely to examine sensitivity of bioavailability based on physiochemical and physiological factors and subsequently assess whether biowaiver requirements need consideration of excipient effects for immediate release oral solid dosage forms.

Objective: The objective of this study was to increase the water solubility of Dasatinib (DAS) by incorporating it into a Self-Nano Emulsifying Drug Delivery System (SNEDDS). Dasatinib, a Biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) class II drug, has poor solubility in aqueous media, affecting its oral bioavailability. Various oils, surfactants, and co-surfactants were chosen based on solubility tests, with the highest solubility selected. Methods: Various compositions of oils, surfactants and co-surfactants with Smix concentrations as 1:1, 1:2 and 2:1 and there were 9 formulations under each of these groups with Oil: Smix concentrations of 1:9, 2:8, 3:7, 4:6, 5:5, 6:4, 7:3, 8:2 and 9:1. Capmul MCM, Cremophor EL, and Tween 20 were selected as oil phase, surfactant, and co-surfactant, respectively. A pseudo-ternary phase diagram using the water titration technique optimized the nano-emulsification ratio. The optimized formulation was characterized and evaluated for thermodynamic stability, cloud point measurement, zeta potential, Poly dispersity Index (PDI), globule size, percent transmittance, robustness to dilution, and dissolution studies. Results: Transmittance of 95% was demonstrated by the formulation, indicating transparency and stability. The zeta potential was over 30 mV, indicating strong electrical stability, and the average globule size was measured to be 85 nm. The formulation was shown to be stable at body temperature, as evidenced by the cloud point being reported above 95 °C. The formulation maintained its stability when diluted in water, 0.1N acid, and phosphate buffer. The formulation contained 85% of the dasatinib, according to the drug content study. The optimized SNEDDS formulation significantly increased drug release in in vitro drug release experiments as compared to the pure medication. The oral bioavailability of dasatinib in the SNEDDS formulation was shown to be 3.24 times higher than that of the pure medication, according to in vivo pharmacokinetic tests. Conclusion: Consequently, the findings indicated that the formulation of dasatinib SNEDDS functions as a means of achieving increased drug loading, better dissolving profiles, and increased bioavailability for the BCS Class II drug dasatinib.

P.2.120 Time of dosing and food effect on aripiprazole pharmacokinetics