Compatibility and stability of bryostatin 1 in infusion devices

Bryostatin 1 is currently in phase II clinical trial sponsored by the National Cancer Institute as an anticancer chemotherapeutic agent. Bryostatin 1 for injection was supplied in a dual pack containing a drug vial and a diluent vial and was manufactured by Ben Venue Laboratories, Inc (Bedford, OH). The stability and compatibility of the bryostatin 1-PET formulation, diluted to 1 and 10 ug/mL in saline and benzyl alcohol preserved saline, with polypropylene (PP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) bags at room temperature (27 degrees C) were studied. All experiments were conducted in triplicate and analyses were performed using a validated, stability-indicating, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay. Bryostatin 1 solutions were compatible with PP bags. At both concentrations and with both salines, the bryostatin content remained unchanged during the 28-day storage period, benzyl alcohol concentration in the preserved saline solutions also remained relatively constant. In PVC bags, however, a decrease in bryostatin 1 concentrations without generation of decomposition products was observed at both dilutions and with both salines during the 28-day storage. A decrease in benzyl alcohol concentration in the preserved saline was also observed. While no diethylhexylphthalate (DEHP) leakage into the solution was observed in PP bags, DEHP leakage in PVC infusion bags was observed on day 2 of storage which increased with storage time and leveled off on day 6. The amount of DEHP leached into drug solution is dependent on the drug concentration. This study suggests bryostatin-PET formulation diluted with preserved saline can be used for long-term (4 week) intravenous administration using PP infusion bags, but not with PVC bags.