Risk Assessment for Biopharmaceutics Classification System Class IV Molecule Containing Immediate Release Products:...

Nitrosamines drug substance related impurities (NDSRI) are organic impurities, highly potent mutagenic substances that are classified as human carcinogens. Regulatory guidance's in this area provide procedures for control and risk mitigation of NDSRI's in drug products. While efforts are made to control the NDSRI's, cases where NDSRI's are observed post- pivotal bioequivalence studies may require additional bioequivalence studies, between pre- and post- change formulations. The recent USFDA (United State Food and Drug Administration) guidance on "Control of Nitrosamine Impurities in Human Drugs" provides alternative BE methodologies for biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) I, II and III drugs based on in vitro testing. For BCS IV molecule containing immediate release (IR) formulations, physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling approach is recommended. In this context, this present article discusses use of PBPK modeling approaches as alternative BE methodologies for BCS IV molecule containing IR products. We have summarized use of in-house in silico tool for early risk prediction of NDSRI's solely based on molecule structure. This tool was used to predict the carcinogenic potential of 37 BCS IV molecules and further clinical exposure risk assessment was conducted on identified 5 high risk category molecules namely edoxaban, selumetinib, bosutinib, furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide where transporters are involved in absorption. The PBPK models were used to evaluate the impact of altered permeability and transporter kinetics on exposures, that may happen in presence of antioxidants. Further, the impact of permeability within ± 10-20% was evaluated on clinical exposures to determine permeability safe space (region within which bioequivalence is guaranteed as compared to the target formulation).