HK1036224B - Protein-free preparations - Google Patents

Description

Protein-free formulations

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a preparation containing granulocyte colony stimulating factor, and particularly to a preparation containing granulocyte colony stimulating factor stabilized by preventing loss and inactivation of active ingredients due to adsorption, aggregation, polymerization, oxidation, etc. on the walls of a container.

Prior Art

Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (hereinafter also referred to as "G-CSF") is a glycoprotein having a molecular weight of about 20,000 and acting on neurophil precursor cells to promote their proliferation and differentiation to mature.

We purified human G-CSF with high purity by culturing a cell line obtained from tumor cells of patients with basal carcinoma of the oral cavity, thereby successfully cloning human G-CSF gene, and now recombinant human G-GSF can be produced in large quantities in animal cells through genetic engineering. We have also succeeded in converting this purified G-CSF into a preparation product, which is commercially available as an anti-infective agent (japanese laid-open publication No. 2116515).

G-CSF is applied in an extremely small amount, i.e., a preparation containing 0.1 to 1000. mu.g (preferably 5 to 500. mu.g) of G-CSF is administered per week 1 to 7 times per adult. However, such G-CSF is adsorbed on the side wall of an ampoule, a syringe or the like. G-CSF is unstable and sensitive to external factors such as temperature, humidity, oxygen, uv rays, etc. so that physical or chemical changes including aggregation, polymerization or oxidation occur, resulting in severe loss of activity.

Accordingly, various formulation designs have been proposed to provide stable G-CSF formulations to the market. For example, a formulation containing a buffer selected from acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, maleic acid, phosphoric acid and salts thereof or arginine and salts thereof has been proposed (JPA No. 505610/96). There is also proposed a G-CSF preparation containing 1 to 10,000 parts by weight of a surfactant per part by weight of G-CSF (JPA No. 146826/88). The latter document describes that the level of surfactant, particularly the lower limit thereof, is extremely strict to prevent loss of G-CSF and achieve stabilization in a G-CSF-containing liquid preparation.

An object of the present invention is to provide a G-CSF preparation which can reduce the complexity of the production process and which is more stable for long-term storage.

Summary of The Invention

As a result of meticulous studies to achieve the above object, we have found that a stable G-CSF preparation can be obtained even when the preparation contains a surfactant as a stabilizer in a very small amount, and based on this finding, we have completed the present invention.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a stable granulocyte colony stimulating factor-containing preparation comprising granulocyte colony stimulating factor and 0.0001-1 part by weight of at least one pharmaceutically acceptable surfactant per 1 part by weight of granulocyte colony stimulating factor and having a pH of 7 or less.

"stabilized" as used herein means that the G-CSF remaining after 6 months of storage at 25 ℃ is 95% or more, or the G-CSF remaining after 2 weeks of storage at 40 ℃ is equal to or more than 75%.

Brief Description of Drawings

FIG. 1 is a graph showing the relationship between pH and the percentage of G-CSF remaining in an accelerated test at 40 ℃ for 2 weeks.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing the relationship between pH and the yield of desialylated G-CSF in an accelerated test at 40 ℃ for 2 weeks.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing the relationship between 20 parts by weight of Tween per 1 part by weight of G-CSF and adsorption inhibition ratio over 24 hours after packaging.

The most preferred embodiment of the invention

Any high purity human G-CSF can be used in the liquid formulations of the invention. In particular, G-CSF may be derived from natural sources or from a retransmission group, provided that the G-CSF has substantially the same biological activity as mammalian G-CSF, especially human G-CSF. The genetically recombinant G-CSF may have the same amino acid sequence as that of the natural G-CSF or may contain one or more amino acids deleted, substituted or added in the amino acid sequence, as long as the genetically recombinant G-CSF has the biological activity. The G-CSFs in the present invention may be prepared by any method, for example, they may be extracted and purified from a culture of a human tumor cell line by various techniques, or may be prepared by genetic engineering in escherichia coli, yeast, Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO), C127, etc., and then extracted and purified by various techniques. G-CSF, which is prepared by genetic engineering in CHO cells, is most preferred.

Typical examples of surfactants suitable for obtaining stable formulations containing G-CSF of the present invention include: nonionic surfactants, for example sorbitan fatty acid esters such as sorbitan monocaprylate, sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monopalmitate; glycerol fatty acid esters such as glycerol monocaprylate, glycerol monomyristate, glycerol monostearate; polyglyceryl fatty acid esters such as decaglyceryl monostearate, decaglyceryl distearate, decaglyceryl monolinoleate; polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters such as polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monopalmitate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan tristearate; polyoxyethylene sorbitol fatty acid esters such as polyoxyethylene sorbitol tetrastearate, polyoxyethylene sorbitol tetraoleate; polyoxyethylene glycerin fatty acid esters such as polyoxyethylene glyceryl monostearate; polyethylene glycol fatty acid esters, such as polyethylene glycol distearate; polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers such as polyoxyethylene lauryl ether; polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene alkyl ethers such as polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene glycol ether, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene propyl ether, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene cetyl ether; polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ethers such as polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether; polyoxyethylene hardened castor oil such as polyoxyethylene hardened castor oil, polyoxyethylene hardened castor oil (polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil); polyoxyethylene beeswax derivatives such as polyoxyethylene sorbitol beeswax; polyoxyethylene lanolin derivatives, such as polyoxyethylene lanolin; polyoxyethylene fatty amides such as polyoxyethylene stearamide having 6-18 HLB; cationic surfactants, for example alkyl sulfates having a C10-18 alkyl group, such as sodium cetyl sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium oleyl sulfate; polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sulfate having an average molar number of EO of 2 to 4 and a C10-18 alkyl group, such as sodium polyoxyethylene lauryl sulfate; alkyl sulfosuccinate salts having a C8-18 alkyl group, such as sodium lauryl sulfosuccinate; natural surfactants such as lecithin; sphingomyelin (grycerophospholipids); sphingophospholipids (sphingophospholipids), such as sphingomyelin; sucrose fatty acid esters in which the fatty acid contains 12 to 18 carbon atoms. One or two or more of the above surfactants may be added to the liquid formulation of the present invention.

Preferred surfactants are polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, more preferably polysorbate (polysorbates)20, 21, 40, 60, 65, 80, 81, 85, most preferably polysorbate 20 and 80.

The surfactant is generally added to the G-CSF-containing preparation of the invention in an amount of 0.0001 to 1 part by weight per 1 part by weight of G-CSF, preferably 0.1 to 1 part by weight per 1 part by weight of G-CSF, particularly preferably 0.2 to 0.8 part by weight per 1 part by weight of G-CSF, most preferably 0.4 to 0.8 part by weight per 1 part by weight of G-CSF. Especially when 125. mu.g or 250. mu.g of G-CSF is contained per 1ml of the preparation, it is appropriate to add 100. mu.g of the surfactant. Therefore, 0.4 parts by weight or 0.8 parts by weight of a surfactant per 1 part by weight of G-CSF is particularly preferred. When any protein such as albumin is not added as a stabilizer, the percentage of the remaining G-CSF tends to decrease after long-term storage in the presence of more than 1 part by weight (per 1 part by weight of G-CSF) of a surfactant. In practice, 1 part by weight or less of the surfactant per 1 part by weight of G-CSF is sufficient to inhibit the adsorption of G-CSF on the container.

Preferred G-CSF-containing formulations of the invention are substantially free of protein as a stabilizer. Some marketed products contain proteins such as human serum albumin or purified gelatin as stabilizers to inhibit chemical or physical changes of G-CSF. However, the addition of proteins as stabilizers involves an extremely complicated process for eliminating viral contamination or other problems.

The G-CSF containing formulations of the invention have a pH of 7 or less, preferably 5 to 7, more preferably 6 to 6.8, most preferably 6.2 to 6.8. As further illustrated below, the percentage of G-CSF remaining after 2 weeks of accelerated testing at 40 ℃ remains stable at a pH equal to or less than 7. From this point of view, the pH is preferably about 7.0 or less. The yield of desialylated G-CSF measured after 2 weeks accelerated test at 40 ℃ showed a sharp increase in the content of desialylated product at pH 4 or less. From this point of view, it is preferable that the pH is about 5 or more. Further considering that neutral conditions are suitable for less irritation when administered to a human body as an injectable preparation, a pH of 6.2 to 6.8 is preferred.

The G-CSF-containing preparation of the present invention comprises a diluent, a solubilizer, an isotonizing agent, an excipient, a pH adjuster, a softening agent, a sulfur-containing reducing agent, an antioxidant and the like. For example, isotonic agents include polyethylene glycol; and saccharides such as dextran, mannitol, sorbitol, inositol, glucose, fructose, lactose, xylose, mannose, maltose, sucrose, raffinose. The sulfur-containing reducing agent includes N-acetyl cysteine, N-acetyl homocysteine, lipoic acid, thiodiglycol, thioethanolamine, thioglycerol, thiosorbitol, thioglycolic acid and salts thereof, sodium thiosulfate, glutathione and mercapto group-containing compounds such as mercapto alkanoic acids having 1 to 7 carbon atoms. Antioxidants include erythorbic acid, dibutylhydroxytoluene, butylhydroxyanisole, alpha-tocopherol, tocopherol acetate, L-ascorbic acid and its salts, L-ascorbyl palmitate, L-ascorbyl stearate, sodium bisulfite, sodium sulfite, tripentyl gallate, propyl gallate or chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt (EDTA), sodium pyrophosphate, sodium metaphosphate. Amino acids such as glycine, cysteine, threonine, cystine, tryptophan, methionine, lysine, hydroxylysine, histidine, arginine may be added as excipients. Other ingredients commonly added to liquid preparations may also be contained, for example, inorganic salts such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, sodium phosphate, potassium phosphate, sodium bicarbonate; and organic salts such as sodium citrate, potassium citrate, sodium acetate.

The content of G-CSF in the liquid preparation of the present invention depends on the nature of the disease to be treated, the severity of the disease, the age of the patient or other factors, but is usually in the range of 1 to 1000. mu.g/ml, preferably 10 to 800. mu.g/ml, more preferably 50 to 500. mu.g/ml.

The liquid formulation of the present invention may be prepared by dissolving these components in a buffered aqueous solution known in the art of liquid formulation, such as a phosphate and/or citrate buffer. Preferred phosphate buffers are the disodium hydrogen phosphate-sodium dihydrogen phosphate series, and preferred citrate buffers are sodium citrate buffers.

The stable G-CSF-containing formulations of the invention are generally administered by parenteral routes such as injection (subcutaneous, intravenous or intramuscular injection) or transdermally, transmucosally, nasally or pulmonarily, but may also be administered orally.

The G-CSF-containing formulations of the present invention are typically packaged in sealed and sterilized plastic or glass containers. The container may be provided as a defined dosage form, such as an ampoule, vial or disposable syringe, or may be provided as a larger dosage form, such as a bag or bottle for injection. Preferably, the G-CSF-containing formulation is provided as a dosage form packaged in a vial, ampoule or prefilled syringe.

As shown in the following examples, the G-CSF-containing preparations of the present invention exhibited excellent percent G-CSF remaining after 2 weeks of accelerated testing at 40 ℃ or after 6 months of storage at 25 ℃. The sugar chain of G-CSF has one or two terminal sialic acids, and they can be cleaved during long-term storage. It was found that the G-CSF-containing preparations of the invention actually retained a low ratio of desialylated product after 2 weeks accelerated testing at 40 ℃. Furthermore, the G-CSF-containing preparation of the present invention can sufficiently inhibit adsorption on a container regardless of the shape of the container such as a vial or a syringe, and exhibits an excellent percentage of remaining G-CSF after an accelerated test at 40 ℃ for 2 weeks and after storage at 25 ℃ for 6 months.

The following examples further illustrate the invention but are not intended to limit it.

Examples

Test method

A mixture of 250mg of G-CSF, 0.1G of polysorbate 20 and 30G D-mannitol was weighed and adjusted to different pH's as shown in the following table, and then adjusted to a total amount of 1L.

TABLE 1

pH	G-CSF	Polysorbate 20	Mannitol	Sodium phosphate buffer solution	Total amount of
						4.0	250mg	0.1g	30g	Equal to 25mM	1L
5.0	250mg	0.1g	30g	Same as above	1L
						5.5	250mg	0.1g	30g	Same as above	1L
6.0	250mg	0.1g	30g	Same as above	1L
						6.5	250mg	0.1g	30g	Same as above	1L
7.0	250mg	0.1g	30g	Same as above	1L
						7.5	250mg	0.1g	30g	Same as above	1L
8.0	250mg	0.1g	30g	Same as above	1L

Each preparation solution was prepared and filtered under sterilization conditions, and thereafter 1ml of each solution was aseptically packaged in 1 vial and sealed to prepare a G-CSF liquid preparation.

The thus sterilized preparation containing 250. mu.g/ml G-CSF was placed in an incubator at 40 ℃ for 2 weeks.

The content of G-CSF in each bottle was measured according to the following method 1. The amount of desialylated G-CSF in each vial was determined according to method 2 below.

Method 1

Purified water, acetonitrile and trifluoroacetic acid were used as mobile phases on a C4 reverse phase chromatography column (4.6 mm. times.250 mm, 300. ANG.). The content of G-CSF was determined by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography. An amount equivalent to 5 μ G G-CSF was injected and the G-CSF was eluted with an acetonitrile gradient and detected with a spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 215 nm.

The percentage (%) of G-CSF remaining after the accelerated test at 40 ℃ for 2 weeks was calculated using the G-CSF content determined by this method according to the following formula.

The remaining percentage (%) - (content of G-CSF after 2 weeks acceleration at 40 ℃)/(unaccelerated G-CSF) ] × 100

Method 2

Desialylated G-CSF (total cleavage of sialic acid on sugar chains) and G-CSF (intact) were detected by cation exchange high performance liquid chromatography. In other words, the two substances were eluted with a sodium chloride gradient (0 to 500mM) on a cation exchange chromatography column (TSK gel DEAE) using 20mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH7.4) as the mobile phase, and detected with a spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 215 nm.

The yields of desialylated G-CSF after 2 weeks acceleration at 40 ℃ were calculated using the values of desialylated G-CSF and intact G-CSF determined by this method according to the following formula.

Yield (%) of desialylated G-CSF { (desialylated G-CSF)/[ (desialylated G-CSF) + (intact G-CSF) ] } × 100

Example 1: effect of different pH on the percent G-CSG remaining

Liquid formulations prepared at various pHs as shown in Table 1 were subjected to an accelerated test at 40 ℃ for 2 weeks, after which the percentage of G-CSF remaining was calculated according to the formula of method 1. The results are shown in FIG. 1.

When the pH is equal to or less than 7, the percentage of the remaining G-CSF is equal to 75% or more.

Example 2: effect of different pH on the production of desialylated G-CSF

Accelerated tests at 40 ℃ for 2 weeks were carried out on liquid formulations prepared at various pHs as shown in Table 1, after which the yield of desialylated G-CSF was calculated according to the formula of method 2. The results are shown in FIG. 2.

The yield of desialylated G-CSF is extremely low when the pH is in the range of 5-7.

Example 3: effect of surfactant concentration on adsorption of G-CSG onto Container

To a mixture of 250mg of G-CSF and 5.844G of sodium chloride was added polysorbate 20 to the concentration shown in Table 2, and the pH of the mixture was adjusted to 6.5 and the total amount was 1L with sodium phosphate buffer.

TABLE 2

Polysorbate 20	G-CSF	Sodium chloride	Sodium phosphate buffer solution	pH	Total amount of
						0g	250mg	5.844g	Equal to 15mM	6.5	1L
0.02g	250mg	5.844g	Same as above	6.5	1L
						0.05g	250mg	5.844g	Same as above	6.5	1L
0.1g	250mg	5.844g	Same as above	6.5	1L
						0.2g	250mg	5.844g	Same as above	6.5	1L
0.5g	250mg	5.844g	Same as above	6.5	1L

Various G-CSF preparation solutions as shown in table 2 were prepared and filtered under sterilization conditions, after which 1ml of each solution was aseptically packaged in a vial (untreated white Glass vial (5ml), manufactured by Murase Glass) and the content of G-CSF was determined by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography as shown in method 1 immediately after packaging and after the lapse of 24 hours after packaging.

The adsorption inhibition (%) after 24 hours after packaging was calculated using the G-CSF content determined by this method according to the following formula.

Adsorption inhibition ratio (%) [ (G-CSF content after 24 hours after packaging)/(G-CSG content immediately after packaging) ] × 100

The results are shown in Table 3 and FIG. 3.

TABLE 3

Parts by weight) 00.080.20.40.82

Adsorption inhibition rate is 94.5 percent, 95.0 percent, 97.5 percent, 97.0 percent, 100 percent and 99.5 percent

Weight portions of: parts by weight of Tween 20 per 1 part by weight of G-CSF

The adsorption inhibition ratio was also sufficient when the tween concentration was 1 part by weight (per 1 part by weight of G-CSF) or less.

Example 4: stability of formulations packaged in vials or syringes

A preparation solution containing 250mg of G-CSF, 0.1G of polysorbate 20 and 7G of sodium chloride in a total amount of 1L and adjusted to pH 6.5 was prepared under sterilization conditions, filtered, and thereafter 1ml of each solution was sterilized and packed in a vial (see above) or a syringe (Hypac SFC, length 1ml, manufactured by Nippon Becton Dickinson & Co., Ltd.) and sealed to prepare G-CSF liquid preparations as shown in Table 4.

TABLE 4

G-CSF	Polysorbate 20	Sodium chloride	Sodium phosphate buffer solution	pH	Total amount of
						250mg	0.1g	7.0g	15mM	6.5	1L

The thus sterilized preparation containing 250. mu.g/ml G-CSF was left in an incubator at 40 ℃ for 2 weeks or at 25 ℃ for 6 months.

The content of G-CSF was measured according to the method described in method 1, and the percentage of G-CSF remaining after the accelerated test at 40 ℃ for 2 weeks or after storage at 25 ℃ for 6 months was calculated according to the formula in method 1.

The results are shown in Table 5.

TABLE 5

Type of container	Percentage remaining
			Accelerated test at 40 ℃ for 2 weeks	Storing at 25 deg.C for 6 months
	Small bottle	89.6％			98.4％
Syringe with a needle			90.7％	97.9％

The remaining percentage after 2 weeks of accelerated test at 40 ℃ in vials and syringes was 75% or more, and the remaining percentage after 6 months of storage at 25 ℃ was 95% or more, thus demonstrating that the G-CSF preparation of the present invention is extremely stable.

Industrial applicability

The G-CSF-containing preparation of the present invention, which contains a very small amount of surfactant, for example, 1 part by weight or less per 1 part by weight of G-CSF, is effective in solving the problems associated with the loss or reduction in activity of active components due to aggregation, polymerization, oxidation or adsorption on the walls of the container, which are caused by external factors such as the temperature, humidity, oxygen, ultraviolet rays and the like of the small amount of G-CSF present in the preparation. Thus, the present invention provides a liquid formulation that reduces complexity and cost in the production process and remains stable over a long period of time.

Claims (14)

1. A stable granulocyte colony stimulating factor-containing preparation comprising granulocyte colony stimulating factor having a sugar chain and at least one pharmaceutically acceptable surfactant in an amount of 1 part by weight or less per 1 part by weight of the granulocyte colony stimulating factor and having a pH of 6 to 6.8, which does not contain a protein as a stabilizer.

2. The granulocyte colony stimulating factor-containing preparation of claim 1, wherein the surfactant is contained in an amount of 0.2 to 1 part by weight per 1 part by weight of the granulocyte colony stimulating factor.

3. The granulocyte colony stimulating factor-containing preparation of claim 2, wherein the surfactant is contained in an amount of 0.2 to 0.8 parts by weight per 1 part by weight of the granulocyte colony stimulating factor.

4. The granulocyte colony stimulating factor-containing preparation of claim 2, wherein the surfactant is contained in an amount of 0.4 to 0.8 parts by weight per 1 part by weight of the granulocyte colony stimulating factor.

5. The granulocyte colony stimulating factor-containing preparation of claim 2, wherein the surfactant is contained in an amount of 0.4 or 0.8 parts by weight per 1 part by weight of the granulocyte colony stimulating factor.

6. The granulocyte colony stimulating factor-containing preparation of claim 1, wherein the surfactant is at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of: nonionic surfactants, cationic surfactants, and natural surfactants.

7. The granulocyte colony stimulating factor-containing preparation of claim 6, wherein the nonionic surfactant is a sorbitan fatty acid ester, a glycerin fatty acid ester, a polyglycerin fatty acid ester, a polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester, a polyoxyethylene sorbitol fatty acid ester, a polyoxyethylene glycerin fatty acid ester, a polyethylene glycol fatty acid ester, a polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, a polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene alkyl ether, a polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ether, a polyoxyethylene hardened castor oil, a polyoxyethylene beeswax derivative, a polyoxyethylene lanolin derivative, a polyoxyethylene fatty acid amide.

8. The granulocyte colony stimulating factor-containing preparation of claim 6, wherein the cationic surfactant is an alkyl sulfate, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether sulfate, alkyl sulfosuccinate.

9. The granulocyte colony stimulating factor-containing preparation of claim 6, wherein the natural surfactant is lecithin, glycerophospholipid, sphingosine phosphate, sucrose fatty acid ester.

10. The granulocyte colony stimulating factor-containing preparation of claim 1, wherein the surfactant is a polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of polysorbate 20 and polysorbate 80.

11. The granulocyte colony stimulating factor-containing preparation of claim 1, which has a pH of 6.2 to 6.8.

12. The granulocyte colony stimulating factor-containing formulation of claim 1, wherein the formulation is packaged in a vial, ampoule or prefilled syringe.

13. A method for stabilizing a granulocyte colony stimulating factor-containing preparation which comprises adding at least one pharmaceutically acceptable surfactant in an amount of 1 part by weight or less per 1 part by weight of the granulocyte colony stimulating factor, wherein the granulocyte colony stimulating factor is a granulocyte colony stimulating factor having a sugar chain, and the preparation has a pH of 6 to 6.8, and does not contain a protein as a stabilizer.

14. The granulocyte colony stimulating factor-containing preparation of claim 1, wherein the granulocyte colony stimulating factor has one or two terminal sialic acids.