Data-driven approach to mitigate quality impact of hygroscopic pharmaceutical raw materials throughout the supply chain.

The challenges of working with hygroscopic pharmaceutical raw materials can have a significant impact on the industry's ability to make high-quality medicines. In order to mitigate the impact to the manufacturing process or product quality it is critical to understand the hygroscopicity of the raw materials across the entire supply chain so that the proper management strategies can be implemented, from the raw material manufacturing to the use of the raw material in the drug manufacturing process. Employing suitable controls protects these materials from physical and chemical changes due to moisture uptake such as caking or hydrolysis. We have developed a fit for purpose and data-driven approach to hygroscopicity classifications of over 200 commonly used chemicals, excipients, media and resins in drug manufacturing processes. Dynamic vapor sorption data is presented with supporting thermal gravimetric analysis and X-ray powder diffraction data where pertinent. Approximately 60% of all raw materials tested were determined to be hygroscopic. Strategies for applying this data to reduce the potential impact of hygroscopic materials on the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals are discussed with examples.

4. Contemporary research in contact lens care.

As our understanding of the eye and how it works evolves, we must re-evaluate previous findings, beliefs, and methods of diagnosis and treatment. The eye has proven to be naturally adept at protecting itself from pathogenic intruders, but contact lens wear and lens cleaning products can adversely impact this innate ability. Keeping up to date on the latest information is challenging, and becomes more complex when trying to incorporate the new scientific data into clinical practice. Several factors prevent drawing a straight line from study findings to real-world results, such as patient compliance and potentially flawed diagnostic tools. In this section, we review the latest research findings and opinions related to contact lens care and further explore compliance and its effect on ocular health.

Comparative evaluation of multi-purpose solutions in the stabilization of tear lysozyme.

The range and extent of tear proteins removed by various multi-purpose solutions has been investigated, but there is little information in the literature about their ability to prevent denaturation of tear proteins, particularly lysozyme. The purpose of this study was to determine the ability of Bausch+Lomb Biotrue™ multi-purpose solution and other care solutions to affect denaturation of lysozyme using a lysozyme activity assay. The test solutions used were: Biotrue multi-purpose solution, Bausch+Lomb renu(®) fresh™, formerly ReNu MultiPlus(®), Alcon OPTI-FREE RepleniSH, Alcon OPTI-FREE EXPRESS, CIBA VISION AQuify, and AMO COMPLETE Multi-Purpose Solution Easy Rub Formula. A phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution served as a control. The test and control solutions containing lysozyme were exposed to sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), a known denaturant of the enzyme. The assay was based on digestion of the cell wall of Micrococcus luteus in a suspension, a substrate sensitive to active lysozyme. Enzymatic activity against M. luteus was used to assess activity of lysozyme. The decrease in the turbidity of the cell wall suspension, a measure of relative enzyme activity, was determined by following the decrease in absorbance (at 450nm) over time using a spectrophotometer. Statistically significant greater stabilization of lysozyme was observed with Biotrue multi-purpose solution and renu fresh than with OPTI-FREE RepleniSH, OPTI-FREE EXPRESS, AQuify, COMPLETE Multi-Purpose Solution Easy Rub Formula, and a PBS control. The lysozyme activity assay revealed that Biotrue multi-purpose solution and renu fresh have the ability to stabilize lysozyme under conditions that typically denature the protein.

Swelling behavior of hyaluronic acid/polyallylamine hydrochloride multilayer films.

The reversible swelling behavior of multilayer films containing hyaluronic acid and polyallylamine hydrochloride was investigated using in situ ellipsometry, since many of the natural functions and applied uses of hyaluronic acid are related to the extraordinary ability of this biopolymer to swell, and to respond conformationally to the local solution environment. This swelling was observed to be substantial, and depended strongly on the film thickness, the pH conditions used to prepare the films, and the swelling solution pH and ionic strength. The swelling results were also rationalized in terms of the dissociation behavior of the polyelectrolytes in the multilayer assemblies, measured by the zeta potential, on colloidal particles. The films were found to swell by as much as 8 times their dry thickness, and the extent of film hydration was observed to depend on the thickness of the films in a nonlinear fashion. This was related to the internal structure of the films, which is dictated by the assembly pH conditions. In addition, the swelling solution pH and ionic strength influence the electrostatic environment in the films and, in turn, have a substantial effect on the overall swelling behavior.

pH-responsive properties of multilayered poly(L-lysine)/hyaluronic acid surfaces.

Multilayer films have been prepared by the sequential electrostatic adsorption of poly(L-lysine) and hyaluronic acid onto charged silicon surfaces from dilute aqueous solutions under various pH conditions. Microelectrophoresis was used to examine the local acid-base equilibria of the polyelectrolytes within the films as a function of the total number of layers in the film and the assembly solution pH. The acid-base dissociation constants were observed to deviate significantly from dilute solution values upon adsorption, to be layer dependent only within the first 3-4 layers, and to show sensitivity to the assembly solution pH. As a result, some of the physicochemical properties of the films have also been found to exhibit pH-responsive behavior. For example, the thickest films result when at least one of the polyelectrolytes is only partially dissociated in solution. As well, the pH-dependent degree of dissociation of the surface functional groups can be used to vary the contact angle of a water droplet by as much as 25 degrees and the coefficient of friction by up to an order of magnitude. In addition, the extent to which PLL/HA films can be made to swell in solution can be varied by a factor of 7 depending on the assembly solution and swelling solution pH. The anomalies found in the dissociation constants account for the trends in these pH-dependent properties. Here, we demonstrate that knowledge of the acid-base dissociation behavior in multilayer films is key to understanding and controlling the physical properties of the films, particularly surface friction and wettability, which are fundamentally important factors for many biomaterials applications. For example, we outline a mechanism whereby biopolymer thin films can be electrostatically adsorbed under highly charged "sticky" conditions and then quickly transformed into stable low-friction films simply by altering the pH environment.

Physicochemical Investigations on the Interaction of Surfactants and Salts with Polyvinylpyrrolidone in Aqueous Medium.

Microcalorimetric investigations have been carried out onthe interaction of the surfactants sodium cholate, sodium deoxycholate, tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide, cetyl(hexadecyl)trimethylammonium bromide, and p-tert-octylphenoxy polyoxy-ethylene ether (Triton X-100) and the salts potassium iodide, sodium benzoate, sodium bromide, and sodium salicylate with the neutral polymer polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The enthalpy of dilution of the surfactants has been measured in the absence and presence of the polymer and the results are compared to determine the effect of PVP on the micellization of the surfactants and the energetics of the process. As well, the micellization activity of the surfactants in the presence of the polymer has been studied by conductometric and fluorimetric methods. The enthalpy of dilution of the salts has been measured to provide an understanding of the nature and magnitude of their interaction with PVP. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.