Publications by authors named "Jose B Farina"

Background/objectives: Paediatric eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) treatment is challenging due to the limited number of age-appropriate formulations. This study aims to develop and evaluate oral viscous suspensions and solid formulations of budesonide (BUD), focusing on their in vitro mucoadhesive properties, to enhance drug delivery and therapeutic outcomes in paediatric EoE.

Methods: This study encompasses the development of oral viscous suspensions and orodispersible solid formulations (moulded tablets and 3D-printed dosage forms) containing BUD.

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Malaria and Human Immunodeficiency Virus infections are among the top 10 causes of death in low income countries. Furthermore, many medicines used in these treatment areas are substandard, which contributes to the high death rate. Using a monitoring system to identify substandard and falsified medicines, the study aims to evaluate the quality of antimalarial and antiretroviral medicines in Sahel countries, assessing site conditions, compliance of medicines with pharmacopoeia tests, formulation equivalence with a reference medicine, and the influence of climate on quality attributes.

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Three-dimensional printing in the field of additive manufacturing shows potential for customized medicines and solving gaps in paediatric formulations. Despite successful clinical trials, 3D printing use in pharmaceutical point-of-care is limited by regulatory loopholes and a lack of Pharmacopoeia guidelines to ensure quality. Semi-solid extrusion is a 3D printing technology that stands out for its versatility, but understanding the fluid dynamics of the semi-solid mass is critical.

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3D printing technology can be used to develop individualized medicines in hospitals and pharmacies, allowing a high degree of personalization and the possibility to adjust the dose of the API based on the quantity of material extruded. The main goal of incorporating this technology is to have a stock of API-load print cartridges that could be used at different storage times and for different patients. However, it is necessary to study the extrudability, stability, and buildability of these print cartridges during storage time.

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The quality of drug products may be affected from manufacture to dispensing, particularly at high temperature and humidity as in Mauritania. This country is not included in the World Health Organization reports on poor quality products due to the lack of a qualified laboratory and monitoring system. Ensuring the quality of medicine is even more relevant in the case of diseases such as Tuberculosis, due to its high prevalence, complex treatment and continuous bacterial resistance.

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Semi-solid extrusion (SSE) is a three-dimensional printing (3DP) process that involves the extrusion of a gel or paste-like material via a syringe-based printhead to create the desired object. In pharmaceuticals, SSE 3DP has already been used to manufacture formulations for human clinical studies. To further support its clinical adoption, the use of a pressure sensor may provide information on the printability of the feedstock material in situ and under the exact printing conditions for quality control purposes.

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Drug products used for treating tuberculosis are one of the most widely reported medicines to be classified as falsified or substandard in low- and middle-income countries, representing a major hazard to health. The aim of this study was, firstly, to develop an ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) method which is able to analyze fixed combination tablets with up to four active pharmaceutical ingredients, including isoniazid, pyrazinamide, rifampicin, and ethambutol. Secondly, we aimed to optimize it through the design of experiments and multi-linear regression based on a central composite design and to validate it according to the guidelines of the International Conference on Harmonization.

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3D printed pharmaceuticals offers the potential to manufacture personalized medicines for patients. Such technology is of particular benefit to pediatric populations from the offer of increased patient compliance and dose flexibility. With a bench-to-patient approach, this study established and optimized the critical parameters of the semi-solid micro-extrusion 3D printing process to guarantee the quality attributes of the final dosage form.

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Sterilization is a quite challenging step in the development of novel polymeric scaffolds for regenerative medicine since conventional sterilization techniques may significantly alter their morphological and physicochemical properties. Supercritical (sc) sterilization, i.e.

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(1) Background: First-line antituberculosis treatment in paediatrics entails the administration of Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, and Rifampicin. This study examines the possibility of developing a combined dose liquid formulation for oral use that would facilitate dose adjustment and adherence to treatment for younger children. (2) Methods: The active pharmaceutical ingredients stability under in vitro paediatric digestive pH conditions have been checked.

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Develop a child-friendly Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) water-dispersible tablet for Tuberculosis (TB) treatment, with 50, 150, and 75 mg of isoniazid, pyrazinamide and rifampicin respectively. This new formulation must contain the lowest number of excipients accepted for pediatrics and fulfill all the pharmacopeia requirements. At present, there is no adequate market dosage form available for children.

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Individualized medicines for pediatrics are a useful alternative if there is no correct dosage marketed for this segment (easy to swallow, adequate volume and content, correct composition for pediatrics, good organoleptic properties, etc.). Its validation process must ensure quality testing: its content uniformity, physical (homogeneity after shaking), chemical, and microbiological stability.

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Objectives: Extemporaneous or magistral formulation of active pharmaceutical ingredients using traditional compounding techniques is a common practice when no commercial form is available for pediatrics. For this vulnerable group of patients, the formulation must be prepared with the minimum quantity and lowest proportion of excipients approved for pediatrics, avoiding the use of preservatives. Often the vehicles used for these preparations are dilutions of simple syrup with water.

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PLGA (poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid)-PEG (polyethylene glycol)-PLGA synthesis conditions have an impact on the physicochemical features of the copolymer and its usefulness as biomaterial. This study reports on an analysis of the composition and structural properties of PLGA-PEG-PLGA copolymers applying a variety of analytical techniques. Viscoelastic properties and particularly the temperature-responsive behavior of PLGA-PEG-PLGA showed a marked dependence on copolymer structural features.

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There is as yet no commercialized preparation for oral administration of flecainide acetate (FA) to children. In such cases, manipulation of commercial tablets is the usual practice in pharmacy services of hospitals and compounding pharmacies, to provide a suitable dosage form for this vulnerable pediatric population group. In this study, we have formulated FA as an oral solution, as an alternative to the suspension elaborated from commercial tablets.

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An ultra high performance liquid chromatography method was developed and validated for the quantitation of triamcinolone acetonide in an injectable ophthalmic hydrogel to determine the contribution of analytical method error in the content uniformity measurement. During the development phase, the design of experiments/design space strategy was used. For this, the free R-program was used as a commercial software alternative, a fast efficient tool for data analysis.

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Context: The formulation of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) as oral solution or suspension in pediatrics is a habitual practice, due to the non-existence of many commercialized medicines in pediatric doses. It is also the simplest way to prepare and administer them to this vulnerable population. The design of a formulation that assures the dose and the system stability depends on the physico-chemical properties of the API.

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Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) with different detection modes was assessed as a means to characterize the type of bevacizumab aggregate that forms under thermal stress, quantitatively monitoring the aggregation kinetics. The combination of SEC with light-scattering (SEC/LS) detection was validated using in-study validation process. This was performed by applying a strategy based on a control chart to monitor the process parameters and by inserting quality control samples in routine runs.

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Size exclusion chromatography with light scattering detection (SEC-MALLS) was assessed as a means to characterize the type of bevacizumab aggregates that form under mechanical and thermal stress, quantitatively monitoring the aggregation kinetics. The analytical method was monitored and verified during routine use at two levels: (1) the "pre-study" validation shows that the method is specific, linear, accurate, precise, robust and stability indicating; (2) the "in-study" validation was verified by inserting quality control samples and the use of control charts, indicating that the analytical method is in statistical control and stable. The aggregation kinetics data were interpreted using a modified Lumry-Eyring model, but the quality of the fit can be considered poor (R(2)>0.

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In this study, we investigated if the size-exclusion chromatography coupled with light-scattering and refractive index detection (SEC/LS/RI) method is fitted for its intended purpose and checked if the analytical method is able to provide enough conforming results. For this, the process capability indices Cp, Cpk, and Cpm were computed. The traditional X-chart and moving range (MR) chart were used by the same analyst to monitor the equipment in the laboratory over a 1-year period.

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A simple and reproducible UPLC method was developed and validated for the quantitative analysis of finasteride in low-dose drug products. Method validation demonstrated the reliability and consistency of analytical results. Due to the regulatory requirements of pharmaceutical analysis in particular, evaluation of robustness is vital to predict how small variations in operating conditions affect the responses.

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Although the basic science behind current methods for studying biopharmaceutical drug stability has not changed significantly, the techniques available for predicting stability have evolved over the years. This paper therefore describes and discusses various options of data analysis for accelerated degradation studies of peptide and protein drugs based on the Arrhenius equation. Both linear and non-linear regression analyses are also discussed.

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Women with ovarian cancer have a low survival rate and develop resistance to chemotherapy, so new approaches to treatment are needed. We unexpectedly found administration of a replication-deficient adenovirus containing human growth hormone sequences (AdXGH) was beneficial in a mouse model of human ovarian cancer. Intraperitoneal injections of AdXGH prolonged median survival from a mean of 31 ± 1.

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A stability-indicating reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed and validated as per the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines to evaluate the reproducibility of batches of synthetic peptides included in a stability program, in particular cholecystokinin (CCK-4) peptide. Both isothermal and nonisothermal approaches were used to determine stability under experimental conditions and the resulting degradation products were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The principal degradation product was the cyclic dimer, although another two products derived from it were also detected, due to the loss of one or two Phe-NH(2) residues.

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This paper presents the pharmacokinetic of human growth hormone (hGH) implantable tablets tested on a human ovarian cancer mouse model. In order to obtain a sustained release device which permits to administer a high dose of the hormone that keeps its integrity and stability, three different formulations of hGH-poly (d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) were elaborated by direct compression method varying hormone load, PLGA content and compactation time. In vitro studies showed that drug release was mainly controlled by hormone load.

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