In-Vitro-In-Vivo Correlation Definitions and Regu Ce: Latory Guidan
In-Vitro-In-Vivo Correlation Definitions and Regu Ce: Latory Guidan
In-Vitro-In-Vivo Correlation Definitions and Regu Ce: Latory Guidan
com
INTRODUCTION
development and optimization is an ongoing process in the design, manufacturer and marketing of any therapeutic agent. Depending on the design and delivery goals of a particular dosage form, this process of formulation development and optimization may require a significant amount of time as well as financial investment. Formulation optimization may require altering formulation composition, manufacturing, equipment and batch sizes. In the past when these types of changes are applied to a formulation, bioavailability studies would also have to be performed in many instances to ensure that the new formulation displayed statistically similar in-vivo behavior as the old formulation. Of course this requirement delayed the marketing of the new formulation and added time and cost to the process of formulation optimization. Recently a regulatory guidance was developed to minimize the need for additional bioavailability studies as part of the formulation design. This guidance referred to as the, In Vitro/In Vivo Correlation Guidance was developed by the Food and Drug Administration and was based on scientifically sound research.(1)
Formulation
ABSTRACT
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Definition of Correlations
In
Vitro-In-Vivo
An In-vitro in-vivo correlation (IVIVC) has been defined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a predictive mathematical model describing the relationship between an in-vitro property of a dosage form and an in-vivo response.1 Generally, the in-vitro property is the rate or extent of drug dissolution or release while the in-vivo response is the plasma drug concentration or amount of drug absorbed. The United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) also defines IVIVC as the establishment of a relationship between a biological property, or a parameter derived from a biological property produced from a dosage form, and a physicochemical property of the same dosage form.(3) Typically, the parameter derived from the biological property is AUC or Cmax, while the physicochemical property is the in vitro dissolution profile. A linear relationship with slope of unity, if possible, is preferred, as the dissolution profile is a representative of the absorption profile.(1,3) Figure 2 presents a linear correlation between Cmax and the percent dissolved in 15 minutes for an immediate release dosage form. Since, IVIVCs are basically mathematical relationships, non-linear
correlations may also be appropriate. IVIVC plays an important role in product development in that it:first, serves as a surrogate of in vivo and assists in supporting biowaivers; second, supports and / or validates the use of dissolution methods and specifications; and Thirdly, assists in quality control during manufacturing and selecting appropriate formulations (1,4). The first and main role of establishing IVIVC is to use dissolution test as a surrogate for human studies. The benefit of this is to minimize the number of bioequivalence studies performed during the initial approval process and during the scaling-up and post-approval changes (1). Additional advantages of an IVIVC is to assist in validating or setting dissolution specifications. This is because the IVIVC includes in-vivo relevance to invitro dissolution specification. In other words, dissolution specifications are set based on the performance of the biobatch in-vivo. The general dissolution time point specification is 10% deviation from the mean dissolution profile obtained from the biobatch (1). Bioequivalency between formulations would be expected if the formulation(s) fall within the upper and lower limits of the specification. Dissolution specification setting based on an IVIVC can also be used as a quality control for product performance. However, this quality control may sometimes be more rigorous than the usual control standard since it depends on the product bioavailability. The use of IVIVC, however, is limited to a certain drug product. It can be used only on that particular formulation.
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The
IVIVC cannot be used across the products, especially drug product with different release mechanisms (1,5). This premise has been recently investigated in our laboratory. In this work, two major types of oral extended release dosage forms were compared: coated pellets filled in a gelatin capsule and a hydrophilic matrix tablet. The tablet formulation was manufactured under separate investigations using fluid bed granulation. The active compound, metoprolol tartrate, was blended with the release rate-controlling polymer (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose) and with other excipients, such as a filler (lactose and dicalcium phosphate), a binder (hydroxypropylmethylcellulose) and a lubricant (magnesium stearate). The granules were then compressed into a tablet. A correlation developed with the hydroxypropyl methylcellulose system and was applied to predicting the in vivo behavior of the multiparticulate gelatin capsule. The IVIVC was predictive of the extent of absorption. Prediction errors associated with AUC were found to be less than 10 percent. However, the IVIVC was unable to accurately estimate the rate of drug absorption, Cmax. Prediction errors were found to be greater than 20 %. These results support the contention that IVIVCs are product specific. IVIVC is usually developed when drug dissolution is a rate-limiting step for the in vivo absorption. The absorption and consequently the bioavailability of an oral solid dosage
form depends on two main processes, drug dissolution and permeation. Drug dissolution is the process in which the drug is released and available in solution and ready to be absorbed. Physicochemical properties of a drug such as solubility as well as the gastrointestinal environment are the crucial parameters affecting dissolution. Drug permeability is the second process beginning after the solid drug is converted into a solution form. Permeability is the ability of the drug to penetrate across a membrane into the systemic circulation. The extent of permeation and ultimately absorption also depends upon the physicochemical properties of the drug and blood perfusion (6). The complete penetration of a highly permeable drug occurs in a short time. Thus, the only factor governing drug absorption is drug release and/or dissolution from the dosage form. In-vitro drug dissolution then can be used as a surrogate for the in-vivo absorption. On the contrary side, the dissolution rate of immediate release drug products is relatively very rapid. The rate of absorption then is likely to be a function of the gastric emptying rate or the intestinal permeability. In this case, the IVIVC may not be obtained (5).
Previous
IVIVC studies have been reported for various drugs (7-18). The studies were conducted both in animal, such as rat, rabbit, and dog and human. Most of the studies focused on the development of a level B and level C correlations. The level B is a correlation in which it compares the mean in-vivo
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dissolution to the mean in-vitro dissolution as outlined in Figure 3. Whereas the level C correlation describes a relationship between the amount of drug dissolved at one time point and one pharmacokinetic parameter. The level C is also considered the lowest level of correlation. Figure 4 displays a typical level C correlation between Cmax and percent dissolved at 15 minutes. Level B and C IVIVCs have been developed for several purposes in formulation development, for example, for selecting the appropriate excipients and optimizing manufacturing processes, for quality control purposes, and for characterizing the release patterns of a newly formulated immediate release (IR) and modified release (MR) products relative to the reference (7-18). However, current IVIVC studies have focused on the development and validation of a level A correlation. It is a point-to-point relationship between drug release in-vitro and invivo. Although, a concern of non-linear correlation has been addressed, no formal guidance on the non-linear IVIVC has been established (1). In summary, the IVIVC is established to enable the dissolution test to be used as a surrogate for bioequivalency. A validated IVIVC is of significant benefit for pharmaceutical manufacturers due to minimizing the time and cost invested in additional bioavailability studies. In addition, IVIVC is normally expected for highly permeable drugs or drugs under dissolution rate-limiting conditions. This statement is further
supported by the regulatory Biopharmaceutical Drug Classification (BCS), which anticipates the successful IVIVC for highly permeable drugs (4).
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solubility (19):
and
intestinal
permeability
Class I
HIGH solubility / High permeability,
Class II
LOW solubility / High permeability,
Class III
HIGH solubility / LOW permeability
Class IV
LOW solubility / LOW permeability.
general, a high soluble drug is characterized based on the largest dosage strength soluble in 250 ml or less of water over a pH range of 1-8. In addition, if the extent of drug absorption is greater than 90% given that the drug is stable in the gastrointestinal environment, it will be considered as a high permeable drug (5). Table 1 and 2 illustrate the BCS and the expected IVIVC for immediate and extended release formulations (4).
In
dissolution studies in the early stage of drug development is to select the optimum formulation, evaluate the active ingredient and excipient, and assess any minor changes for drug products. However, for the IVIVC perspective, dissolution is proposed to be a surrogate of drug bioavailability. Thus, a more rigorous dissolution standard may be necessary for the in-vivo waiver (5). Generally, a dissolution methodology, which is able to discriminate between the study formulations and which best reflects the in vivo behavior would be selected. Four basic types of dissolution apparatus, i.e. [1] rotating basket, [2] paddle method, [3] reciprocating cylinder, [4] flow through cell, are specified by the USP and recommended in the FDA guidance especially, for modified release dosage form (20). Other dissolution methodologies may be used, however, the first four are preferred, especially the basket and paddle. It is also recommended to start
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with the basket or paddle method prior to using the others (5). The in vitro dissolution release of a formulation can be modified to facilitate the correlation development. Changing dissolution testing conditions such as the stirring speed, choice of apparatus, pH of the medium, and temperature may alter the dissolution profile. As previously described, appropriate dissolution testing conditions should be selected so that the formulation behaves in the same manner as the in vivo dissolution. The appropriate dissolution testing conditions should also discriminate between different formulations that possess different release patterns. A common dissolution medium is water, simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2), or intestinal fluid (pH 6.8 or 7.4) without enzyme, and buffers with a pH range of 4.5 to 7.5 (20). For sparingly water-soluble drugs, use of surfactants in the dissolution medium is recommended (6). A simple aqueous dissolution media is also recommended for BCS Class I drug as this type of drug exhibits lack of influence of dissolution medium properties (21). Water and simulated gastric fluid then are the default mediums for most of the Class I drugs. A typical medium volume is 500 to 1000 ml. The normal test duration for immediate release is 15 to 60 minutes with a single time point. For example, BCS class I recommend 15 minutes. Additionally, two time points may be required for the BCS class II at 15 minutes and the other time at which 85% of the drug is dissolved (6). In contrast, in vitro dissolution tests for a modified
release dosage form require at least three time points to characterize the drug release. The first sampling time (1-2 hours or 2030% drug release) is chosen to check dose-dumping potential. The intermediate time point has to be around 50% drug release in order to define the in vitro release profile. The last time point is to define essentially complete drug release (2, 20). The dissolution limit should be at least 80% drug release. Further justification as well as 24-hours test duration are required if the percent drug release is less than 80 (20). Once the discriminatory system is established, dissolution testing conditions should be fixed for all formulations tested for development of the correlation (1). A dissolution profile of percentage or fraction of drug dissolved versus time then can be determined. The similarity of the dissolution profiles in particular dissolution testing conditions is evaluated using the similarity factor (f2 metric) defined by equation 1 (22,23). n -0.5 x100 } [1] f2 = 50 log{[1 + 1 Wt( Rt - Tt) 2 ] n t=1 Where Rt and Tt are the cumulative percentage dissolved at time point t for reference and test products, respectively, and n is the number of pool points. The f2 equation is a logarithmic transformation of the sum of squares of the difference between test and reference profiles (22). The results are values between 0 and 100. The value of f2 is 100 when the test and reference profiles are identical and approaches zero as the dissimilarity increases.
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In vivo absorption
methods (23, 24). Wagner Nelson and Loo-Riegelman are both modeldependent methods in which the former is used for a one-compartment model and the latter is for multi-compartment system. The Wagner Nelson method is less complicated than the Loo-Riegelman as there is no requirement for intravenous data (24). However, misinterpretation on the terminal phase of the plasma profile may be possible in the occurrence of a flipflop phenomenon in which the rate of absorption is slower than the rate of elimination Deconvolution is a numerical method used to estimate the time course of drug input using a mathematical model based on the convolution integral (1). For example, the absorption rate time course (rabs) that resulted in plasma concentration (c(t)) may be estimated by solving the convolution integral equation for rabs. c(t) = 0t c(t-u) r abs(u) du [2] The function c represents the concentration time course that would result from the instantaneous absorption of a unit amount of drug and it is typically estimated from intravenous injection bolus data or reference oral solution data. c(t) is the plasma concentration vs. time level of the extended release formulation. rabs is drug input rate of the oral solid dosage form and u is variable of integration. Deconvolution is a model independent method which can be employed for either one- or multiple-compartment models. The key to developing an IVIVC is identifying a dissolution testing method
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that is descriptive of the in vivo absorption of the test compound. In vitro testing has several purposes. It serves an important tool for characterizing the biopharmaceutical quality of a product at different stages of formulation development. In early drug development, in vitro dissolution properties are decisive for choosing between different alternative dosage forms for further development of the respective drug product. Also, in vitro dissolution data can be helpful in the evaluation and interpretation of possible risks, especially in the case of extended release dosage forms, e.g. dose dumping, food effects and drug -drug interaction. In addition, in vitro dissolution data has great importance when assessing minor changes in production site or manufacturing process and respective decision on the necessity of bioavailability studies. None of these purposes can be fulfilled by in vitro dissolution testing without sufficient knowledge of its in vivo relevance, that is by studying in vitro-in vivo correlations. If a correlation can be established with an individual drug, an in vitro dissolution test may serve not only as a guide to formulation development or as a quality control test, which indicates uniformity of manufacture or stability, but also as a reliable predictor of drug absorption. In summary, this report outlined the regulatory requirements for the development and validation of an IVIVC. It focuses on the role of the Biopharmaceutical Classification system as an indicator of developing a predictive IVIVC and also examined the importance of drug dissolution and permeability on IVIVC validity.
Table 1.
Biopharmaceutics Drug Classification and Expected IVIVC for Immediate Release Drug Products.4
Class I II III IV
S
High Low High Low
P
High High Low Low
IVIVC
Correlation (if dissolution
is rate limiting step)
S = Solubility
Table 2.
S
High & Site Independent High & Site Independent
P
High & Site Independent Dependent on site & Narrow Absorption Window High & Site Independent Dependent on site & Narrow Absorption Window Variable Variable
IVIVC
IVIVC Level A expected IVIVC Level C expected IVIVC Level A expected Little or no IVIVC
IB
IIa
IIb
Variable Variable
S = Solubility
P = Permeability
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Figure 1. Representative mean fraction of drug dissolved convolved to provide plasma drug concentration vs. time profile.
80 1.2
1.0
Metoprolol (ng/ml)
60 0.8 40 FRA
0.6
0.4 20 0.2 0 0 5 10 15 20 25
Time (hr)
23 21 19 17 15 1
Figure 2 Level C In Vitro In Vivo Correlation between Cmax and percent dissolved at 15 minutes.
Cmax
1.2
1.4
1.6
F R D a t 3 0 m in
30 MRT (hr) 25 20 15 1
Figure 3 Level B In Vitro In Vivo Correlation between Mean Dissolution Time (MDT) and Mean Absorption Time (MAT).
1.2
1.4
M D T (h r)
1.6
1.8
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Subsequent
include: (1) Systematic method for the development and validation of an IVIVC with relevant examples, (2) Development of an IVIVC for a Class I agent metoprolol tartrate using two formulations, (3) The role of stereoisomerisms in IVIVC development, (4) The application of IVIVC for immediate release products, a Class I and III drug example, (5) The role of mathematical modeling in IVIVC development, Case Report Using a Non-linear relationship between FRA and FRD, and (6) The role of pharmacokinetic variability in individual IVIVC in product development.
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Pharmacokinetics. East Norwark, Connecticut: Appleton & Lange. 7. Chattaraj, S. C., and Das, S. K. (1990). Effect of formulation variables on the preparation and in vitro-in vivo evaluation of cimetidine release from ethyl cellulose micropellets. Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy. 16(2), 283-292. 8. Lin, S., Kao, Y., and Chang, H. (1990). Preliminary evaluation of the correlation between in vitro release and in vivo bioavailability of two aminophylline slowrelease tablets. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 79(4), 326-330. 9. Hussein, Z., and Friedman, M. (1990). Release and absorption characteristics of novel theophylline sustained-release formulations: In vitro-in vivo correlation. Pharmaceutical Research. 7(11), 1167-1171. 10. Ebel, J. P., Jay, M., and Beihn, R. M. (1990). An in vitro/in vivo correlation for disintegration and onset of drug release from enteric-coated pellets. Pharmaceutical Research. 10(2), 233-238. 11. Bhagavan, H. N., and Wolkoff, B. I. (1993). Correlation between the disintegration time and the bioavailability of vitamin C tablets. Pharmaceutical Research. 10(2), 239-242. 12. Drewe, J., and Guitard, P. (1993). In vitro-in vivo correlation for modified-release formulations. Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 82(2), 132-137. 13. Ammar, H. O., and Khalil, R. M. (1993). Discrepancy among dissolution rates of commercial tablets as a function of dissolution method. Part 3: In vitro/in vivo correlation of paracetamol tablets. Pharmazie. 48(Feb), 136-139.
14. Brock, M. H., Dansereau, R. J., and Patel, V. S. (1994). Use of in vitro and in vivo data in the design, development, and quality control of sustained-release decongestant dosage form. Pharmacotherapy. 14, 430-437. 15. Hayashi, T, Ogura, T., and Takagishi, Y. (1995). New evaluation method for in vitro/in vivo correlation of enteric-coated multiple unit dosage forms. Pharmaceutical Research. 12 (9), 13331337. 16. Qui, Y., Cheskin, H., Briskin, J., and Engh, K. (1997). Sustained-release hydrophilic matrix tablets of zileuton: formulation and in vitro/in vivo
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studies. Journal of Controlled release. 45, 249256. 17. Jung, H., Milan, R. C., Girard, M. E., Leon, F., and Montoya, M. A. (1997). Bioequivalence study of carbamazepine tablets: in vitro/in vivo correlation. International Journal of Pharmaceutics. 152, 37-44. 18. Abuzarur-aloul, R., Gjellan, K., Sjound, M., and Graffner, C. (1998). Critical dissolution tests of oral systems based on statistically designed experiments. III. In vitro/in vivo correlation for multiple-unit capsules of paracetamol based on PLS modeling. Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy. 24, 371-383. 19. Amidon, G. L., Lennernas, H., Shah, V. P., and Crison, J. R. (1995). A theoretical basis for a biopharmaceutic drug classification: The correlation of in vitro drug product dissolution and in vivo bioavailabilty. Pharmaceutical Research. 12(3), 413-419. 20. Sievert, B., and Siewert, M. (1998). Dissolution tests for ER products. Dissolution Technologies. 5(4). 21. Galia, E., Nicolaides, E., Horter, D., Lobenberg, R., Reppas, C., and Dressman, B. (1998). Evaluation of various dissolution media for predicting in vivo performance of class I and class II drugs. Pharmaceutical Research. 15(5), 698705. 22. Moore, J. W., and Flanner, H. H. (1996). Mathematical comparison of dissolution profiles. Pharmaceutical Technology. June, 64-74. 23. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (November 1995). Guidance for industry: Immediate release solid oral dosage forms scale-up and postapproval changes: chemistry, manufacturing, and controls, in vitro dissolution testing, and in vivo bioequivalence documentation. Center for drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration. Rockville, MD. Abdou, H. M. (1989). Dissolution, Bioavailability and Bioequivalence. Easton, Pennsylvania: Mack Printing.
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