• Media type: E-Article
  • Title: CONTAMINATION OF ANTI-VEGF DRUGS FOR INTRAVITREAL INJECTION : How Do Repackaging and Newly Developed Syringes Affect the Amount of Silicone Oil Droplets and Protein Aggregates? : How Do Repackaging and Newly Developed Syringes Affect the Amount of Silicone Oil Droplets and Protein Aggregates?
  • Contributor: Schargus, Marc; Werner, Benjamin P.; Geerling, Gerd; Winter, Gerhard
  • imprint: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health), 2018
  • Published in: Retina
  • Language: English
  • DOI: 10.1097/iae.0000000000001809
  • ISSN: 0275-004X
  • Keywords: Ophthalmology ; General Medicine
  • Origination:
  • Footnote:
  • Description: <jats:sec> <jats:title>Purpose:</jats:title> <jats:p>The particle counts and the nature of particles of three different antivascular endothelial growth factor agents (VEGF) in different containers in a laboratory setting were compared.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Methods:</jats:title> <jats:p>Original prefilled ranibizumab glass syringes, original vials with aflibercept, and repacked ready-to-use plastic syringes with bevacizumab from a compounding pharmacy and a compounding company (CC) were analyzed. Particle counts and size distributions were quantified by different particle characterization methods (nephelometry, light obscuration, Micro-Flow Imaging, nanotracking analysis, resonant mass measurement). Using high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HP-SEC), levels of protein drug monomer and soluble aggregates were determined.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Results:</jats:title> <jats:p>Nearly all samples showed similar product quality. Light obscuration and Micro-Flow Imaging showed a 4-fold to 9-fold higher total particle count in compounding company bevacizumab (other samples up to 42,000 particles/mL). Nanotracking analysis revealed highest values for compounding company bevacizumab (6,375 million particles/mL). All containers showed similar amounts of silicone oil microdroplets. Ranibizumab showed lowest particle count of all tested agents with only one monomer peak in HP-SEC. Repackaged bevacizumab from different suppliers showed varying product quality.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Conclusion:</jats:title> <jats:p>All three tested agents are available in similar quality regarding particulate purity and silicone oil microdroplet count. Repackaging can have a major impact on the quality.</jats:p> </jats:sec>