Development of a Lyophilized Parenteral Pharmaceutical Formulation of the Investigational Polypeptide Marine Anticancer Agent Kahalalide F

Abstract

Kahalalide F is a novel antitumor agent isolated from the marine mollusk Elysia rufescens; it has shown highly selective in vitro activity against androgen-independent prostate tumors. The purpose of this study was to develop a stable parenteral formulation of kahalalide F to be used in early clinical trials. Solubility and stability of kahalalide F were studied as a function of polysorbate 80 (0.1%–0.5% w/v) and citric acid monohydrate (5–15 mM) concentrations using an experimental design approach. Stabilities of kahalalide F lyophilized products containing crystalline (mannitol) or amorphous (sucrose) bulking agents were studied at +5°C and +30°C ±60% relative humidity (RH) in the dark. Lyophilized products were characterized by infrared (IR) spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Recovery studies after reconstitution of kahalalide F lyophilized product and further dilution in infusion fluid were carried out to select an optimal reconstitution vehicle. It was found that a combination of polysorbate 80 and citric acid monohydrate is necessary to solubilize kahalalide F. Lyophilized products were considerably less stable with increasing polysorbate 80 and citric acid monohydrate concentrations, with polysorbate 80 being the major effector. A combination of 0.1% w/v polysorbate 80 and 5 mM citric acid monohydrate was selected for further investigation. Lyophilized products containing sucrose as a bulking agent were more stable compared to the products containing mannitol. The glass transition temperature of the sucrose-based product was determined to be + 46°C. The amorphous state of the product was confirmed by IR analysis. A solution composed of Cremophor EL, ethanol, and water for injection (5%/5%/90% v/v/v CEW) kept kahalalide F in solution after reconstitution and further dilution with 0.9% w/v sodium chloride (normal saline) to 1.5 μg/m. A stable lyophilized formulation was presented containing 100 μg of kahalalide F, 100 mg sucrose, 2.1 mg citric acid monohydrate, and 2 mg polysorbate 80 to be reconstituted with a vehicle composed of 5%/5%/90% v/v/v CEW and to be diluted further using normal saline.

Key Words: :

• Citric acid monohydrate
• Cremophor EL
• Glass transition temperature
• Kahalalide F
• Marine antitumor agent
• Parenteral lyophilized formulation
• Polysorbate 80
• Polypeptide
• Sucrose