Reformulation of a new vancomycin analog: An example of the importance of buffer species and strength

The purpose of this research was to use our previously validated dynamic injection apparatus as a rapid method for screening pH-adjusted formulations of a new vancomycin analog, Van-An, for their potential to precipitate upon dilution. In 1 vial, Van-An was reconstituted according to the manufacturer’s instructions. In a separate vial, the Van-An formulation’s existing phosphate buffer species was supplemented with acetate buffer, which has a pKa in the desired range: between the pH values of the formulation (pH 3.9) and blood (pH 7.4). The formulations were injected using the dynamic injection apparatus into a flowing stream of isotonic Sorensen’s phosphate buffer at rates of 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 mL/min. The peaks obtained with the spectrophotometer were reproducible for each injection rate/formulation combination. For the phosphate-buffered formulation, the least amount of precipitation was obtained at the 0.25 mL/min injection rate. Acetate buffer was able to substantially reduce such precipitation, even at the highest injection rate. The opacity peaks for the formulation with the acetate addition were significantly smaller (P<.05) than those obtained for the unaltered formulation at all 4 injection rates. The results suggest that acetate is a better buffer species than phosphate for the pH range defined. Furthermore, we present evidence to support a generally applicable approach to screening new formulations of drug products that may be clinically useful for reducing the incidence of phlebitis in humans

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic modelling of lisinopril in children: A case story of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors

Aims Lisinopril is an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor to treat hypertension. It shows complex pharmacokinetics (PK), and its PK behaviour in paediatric populations is not well characterized. The aim of this study was to develop a physiologically based PK (PBPK) model for lisinopril to describe the drug's PK in children. Methods The PBPK model development was performed in a step-wise manner. An adult model was initially developed to characterize lisinopril's disposition and absorption and verified using literature data. Subsequently, the adult PBPK model was extrapolated to the paediatric population (0.5-18 years old) by accounting for age-dependent physiological and anatomical changes. Model performance was evaluated by comparing the PK profiles and drug exposures of observedvspredicted data. Results The disposition of lisinopril was well described by a minimal PBPK model-an effective strategy to capture the biphasic elimination of the drug. The absorption of lisinopril was described by the intestinal peptide transporter-mediated uptake. The adult model adequately described the literature data with predictions within a twofold range of clinical observations. Good model predictivity was also observed in children older than 6 years of age. The model overpredicted the drug exposure in children under 6 years, probably due to not incorporating the actual, unknown ontogeny of the intestinal peptide transporter. Conclusions The PBPK model predicted the PK of lisinopril in adults and children above 6 years of age well. Model refinement in children under 6 years warrants future informative ontogeny data of the intestinal peptide transporter

Physicochemical properties and antimicrobial activity of new spirocyclic thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-one derivatives

A number of 6'-methylidene-2,3-dihydro-1H-spiro[pyridine-4,5'-thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin]-4'(3'H)-one derivatives, obtained as major products of a domino reaction between 5,6,7,8-tetrahydropyrido[4',3':4,5]thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidines and electron-deficient alkynes, were characterized for their acid-base properties and lipophilicity and evaluated for the antimicrobial activity against a number of clinical isolates of bacterial and fungal strains. The cytotoxicity against four tumor cell lines was also screened for some compounds. The dissociation constants (pKa) and partition coefficients (log P) in 1-octanol–water system were determined using a potentiometric technique. The negative difference between the observed and calculated log P values could be explained in the light of the conformational rigidity. Most of the studied compounds showed a moderate and selective activity against Gram-positive bacteria strains (S. agalactiae, E. faecalis, S. epidermidis), whereas did not exhibit any effect against Gram-negative bacteria and fungi at the maximum test concentration (500 μM). Implications of the physicochemical properties in modulating the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of the examined spirocyclic thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-one derivatives are also discussed