Drug products impurity profile

Impurity testing is pivotal in pharmaceutical development for establishing drug safety and quality. In this chapter, an overview of impnrity evaluations of drug substances and products by HPLC is presented from both the laboratory and regulatory standpoints. Concepts from the development of impurity profiles to the final establishment of public specifications are described. Useful strategies in the identification and quantification of impurities and degradation products are summarized with practical examples to illustrate impurity method development. 

An output of the impurity profiling of DS and stress studies of DP is an understanding of drug chemistry, particularly with respect to which synthetic impurities are expected to continue to be present in optimized synthetic lots and what degradation products are formed in DS and DP. Significant impurities and degradation products, formed during these... 

C. Impurity Profiles for Drug Products SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION DISCLAIMER... 

The generic representation in Figure 1 illustrates the various types of impurities that may arise during the production of a dosage form. It is not all inclusive, as each dosage form has unique sources of impurities, but it includes most of the important ones. The sources of impurities increase with the increase in the number of components and the number of steps in the process. Each drug substance and excipient has its own impurity profile and the potential for interactions and reactions. 

Several dosage forms carry an increased risk of degradation or adjunct formation. Products such as injections and aerosols are more likely to interact with volatiles or extractables from packaging and closure systems. Tablets have the potential to form adjuncts with excipients (specifically, lactose has been shown to form adjuncts in tablets). Non-CFC propellants in aerosols have a large number of impurities that typically do not interact with drug substances, but the potential for these interactions does still exist. Creams, ointments, lotions, and other such products will each have specific interactions that should be considered while evaluating the impurity profile of a drug product. 

VIII. IMPURITY PROFILING FOR DRUG SUBSTANCES AND PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS... 

A. Continuous Monitoring of Impurity Profile in Drug Product... 

Various international pharmacopoeias help assure the quality of drugs worldwide. These pharmacopoeias constantly review and revise their monographs. A different impurity profile can be anticipated if a drug s production process is changed this results in the development of new analytical methods that need to be incorporated in the pharmacopoeias. In earlier editions, color reactions were performed for identification and purity evaluation purposes. 

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