Browsing by Subject "tablet formulations"

Formulation development for protein drugs should base on the knowledge of the mechanism of protein degradation. Excipients and formulation can be chosen to stabilize the protein and prevent decomposition. Stability testing is important to identify the likely degradation routes and provide information for formulation development and stability-indicating analytical method development. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is a neuropeptide hormone that regulates the synthesis and release of gonadotropins: luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FHS). Analogs of the endogenous GnRH have been developed to achieve more potent and longer-acting agonists or antagonists. GnRH agonists degrade in several pathways. The primary degradation routes are hydrolysis/backbone cleavage, oxidation, isomerization and aggregation. The stability of GnRH agonists in solid dosage forms has not been studied as excessively as in solutions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the stability of a GnRH agonist (API) at different storage conditions in powder form and in tablet formulations with maize starch or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC). The samples were stored for three months at 5 °C (common refrigerator conditions) 25 °C/58 %RH (long-term conditions), and 40 °C/75 %RH (accelerated storage conditions). The samples were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography. Additionally, the mechanical properties of the formulations and tablets were studied. The stability of API was confirmed in tablet dosage form, when maize starch or HPMC were used as excipients. No degradation products of API were found. As a pure powder API did not degrade either, but it did not stay physically stable at 40 °C/75 %RH. Stressed conditions could be used to find out degradation products in solid state that were not found in this study. Further, the formulations were not ideal, because neither of the studied excipient produced tablets with desirable properties.