Analytical Method Development Articles

Several gaps in current regulatory guidelines that govern the analytical method life cycle for the testing of biopharmaceuticals are identified. Strategic guidance on how to monitor and control the life cycle of an analytical test method is provided in this article. Analytical method transfer, analytical method component equivalency, and analytical method comparability protocols are discussed in light of risk-based strategies for validation extensions. The use of an analytical method maintenance program is suggested to control over time the predictable risk to patients and firm.

In the first part of this article1 we discussed the GAMP Good Practice Guide (GPG) for the Validation of Laboratory Computerized Systems.2 We looked at the advantages offered by the System Implementation Life Cycle (SILC) in contrast to the complexity of the system classification proposed in the GPG.

In this part I'll look at the risk assessment methodology, the new US Pharmacopeia (USP) general chapter <1058>,3 which is based upon the AAPS analytical equipment qualification white paper,4 and suggest a way forward to unite the qualification of equipment with the validation of the controlling laboratory computers.

Risk Assessment Methodology

Figure 1: GAMP GPG risk management process.

The design of pharmaceutical water systems has always been part science and part alchemy, and unfortunately, it is not likely to change in the near future. Daily rhetoric is rife with statements from informed and intelligent people alleging design requirements that do not actually exist.

The problem is that if you do not have documentation from a reliable source that supports or contradicts these statements, they are nearly impossible to refute. As a result, they are often incorporated into system design.

An isocratic HPLC method for the determination of phenol and nitrophenols (4-nitrophenol, 2-nitrophenol, 4,6-dinitro-o-cresol and 2,4-dinitrophenol) has been developed and validated using 2-chlorophenol as internal standard (IS) and a monolithic column in tap water samples. Prior to HPLC, the method requires solid-phase extraction (SPE) using polymeric Lichrolut EN cartridges. The method development involved the study of methanol and acetonitrile as organic modifiers, pH and flow-rate using a Chromolith RP-18e (150 mm × 4.6 mm I.D.) column. After comparing the performance of the separations obtained with both organic modifiers, the optimum separation of these compounds was achieved using 50 mM acetate buffer (pH 5.0)-acetonitrile (80:20, v/v) as mobile phase, 3 mL min-1 flow-rate and UV detection at maximum absorbance wavelength.

Purpose. A sensitive, robust, and selective liquid chromatographic – tandem mass spectrometric method (LC-MS/MS) was developed and validated for paroxetine quantification in human EDTA plasma. Methods. Sample preparation was based on liquid-liquid extraction using a mixture of ethyl acetate/hexane (50/50; v/v) to extract the drug and internal standard from plasma. Chromatography was performed on a C-18 analytical column and the retention times were 1.6 and 1.7 for paroxetine and fluoxetine (IS), respectively.

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Reproducibility? Ruggedness? Robustness? To many people, all of these terms mean the same thing. But in reality, in the words of a popular children's program, "one of these things is not like the other." An earlier "Validation Viewpoint" column (1) touched briefly on this topic, but this column will explore the topic in a little more detail. So, for the purposes of this discussion, the "R-word" we are most interested in is robustness. However, first we need a few clarifications.

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R.D. McDowall

When you write up your observations and notes in a traditional laboratory notebook, there are a number of features that help to ensure data integrity. The notebook pages are numbered sequentially and they are bound together. Therefore, if a page is removed, it is obvious immediately. When recording observations in the notebook, the order of the write-up is important and is enforced by the sequential or linear pagination of the notebook. The author signs and dates the recorded information and this is witnessed by a second person, who signs and also dates when they reviewed the work. Note that it is not usual to time and date signatures in a laboratory notebook.

Working in an Electronic Environment

Many industry professionals know that analytical testing for biopharmaceuticals for all raw materials, production in-process stages, and final containers must be validated, and they generally understand how this can be achieved. Many of us even understand the basic concepts of laboratory compliance and production process quality. However, how exactly are analytical test method performance and process robustness related and how do they depend on each other? Furthermore, how do we monitor and maintain the accuracy and reliability of analytical methods long after validation completion to ensure the suitability of these methods for measuring process quality?

During pharmaceutical development and postapproval, it is often necessary to change analytical methods to ensure they remain stability-indicating, take advantage of improved analytical technology, monitor new related substances as a result of changes in synthetic or formulation processes, and improve analytical effeciency (e.g.,through automation).

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