Efficacy and safety of ipratropium bromide/salbutamol sulphate administered in a hydrofluoroalkane metered-dose inhaler for the treatment of COPD.

Background: The use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) has contributed to the depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer resulting in serious health concerns. Ipratropium bromide/salbutamol sulphate CFC-pressurized metered-dose inhalers (IB/SAL-CFC pMDI) have been in widespread use for many years without any apparent ill consequences. This combination has now been reformulated using the hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) propellant.

Regulatory Considerations for Approval of Generic Inhalation Drug Products in the US, EU, Brazil, China, and India.

This article describes regulatory approaches for approval of "generic" orally inhaled drug products (OIDPs) in the United States, European Union, Brazil, China and India. While registration of a generic OIDP in any given market may require some documentation of the formulation and device similarity to the "original" product as well as comparative testing of in vitro characteristics and in vivo performance, the specific documentation approaches, tests and acceptance criteria vary by the country. This divergence is due to several factors, including unique cultural, historical, legal and economic circumstances of each region; the diverse healthcare and regulatory systems; the different definitions of key terms such as "generic" and "reference" drug; the acknowledged absence of in vitro in vivo correlations for OIDPs; and the scientific and statistical issues related to OIDP testing (such as how best to account for the batch-to-batch variability of the Reference product, whether to use average bioequivalence or population bioequivalence in the statistical analysis of results, whether to use healthy volunteers or patients for pharmacokinetic studies, and which pharmacodynamic or clinical end-points should be used).

Comparison of pharmacokinetics and safety profiles of two capecitabine tablet formulations in patients with colon, colorectal or breast cancer.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare the pharmacokinetics and safety of two tablet formulations containing 500 mg of capecitabine (CAS number 154361-50-9) in patients with colon, colorectal or breast cancer.

Methods: The study was a multicentric, open label, randomized, two-treatment, two-period, two-sequence, single dose, crossover bioequivalence study in patients of either sex with colon, colorectal or breast cancer. Eligible patients received each treatment in a crossover manner under fed conditions according to the randomization schedule.

Comparative bioavailability of two hydrofluoroalkane formulations of formoterol fumarate both delivered by pressurised metered dose inhaler.

A randomised, open-label, single dose, four-period crossover study was performed in healthy male human subjects to compare the pharmacokinetics of formoterol fumarate (CAS 43229-80-7) after inhalation from two different hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) pressurised metered dose inhaler (pMDI) formulations at two dose levels, 12 and 24 microg. This is the first study which has evaluated two HFA formulations of formoterol. Fourteen subjects were randomised, of which 13 completed the study.

Bioequivalence evaluation of a fixed dose combination lamivudine + stavudine tablet with concurrent administration of lamivudine tablet and stavudine capsule in healthy volunteers.

The study was designed to compare the rate and extent of absorption of a fixed dose combination tablet of lamivudine (CAS 134678-17-4) and stavudine (CAS 3056-17-5) with the concurrent administration of lamivudine tablet and stavudine capsule in 24 healthy volunteers under fasting conditions. The volunteers were randomly assigned to the test or reference treatment, with the two treatment periods separated by a washout period of at least 7 days. Plasma samples were analyzed for both analytes lamivudine and stavudine by a validated analytical method.

Bioequivalence study of two fixed dose combination tablet formulations of lopinavir and ritonavir in healthy volunteers.

The study was designed to compare the rate and extent of absorption of two fixed dose combination tablet formulations of lopinavir (CAS 192725-17-0) and ritonavir (CAS 155213-67-5). This bioequivalence study was conducted using a standard preparation as reference and a generic alternative as test in 72 adult healthy volunteers within 18-45 years of age who received a single dose of the test or reference product under fasting conditions. A washout period of 10 d was maintained between period I and period II dosing.

Pharmacokinetic profiling and bioequivalence assessment of two marketed brands of nevirapine tablets in healthy Indian volunteers.

Nevirapine (CAS 129618-40-2), a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, has been effectively used for treatment of HIV-infected patients. A randomized, two-way, crossover study was conducted in 24 fasting, healthy, Indian male subjects to compare plasma pharmacokinetic profile and single-dose tolerability of a new nevirapine tablet formulation (test, T) with that of a reference (R) tablet. Each volunteer received T and R formulations separated by at least 19 days of drug free wash-out period.

Pharmacokinetic profiling and bioequivalence evaluation of 2 lamivudine tablet formulations after single oral administration in healthy human Indian volunteers.

The present study compared pharmacokinetic (PK) profile and single-dose tolerability of 2 marketed brands of lamivudine (3TC) 150-mg tablets, Lamivir (Cipla, Mumbai, India) and Epivir (GSK, Basingstoke, UK). The randomized, 2-treatment study was conducted in 24 fasting, healthy, Indian male subjects. Each subject received Epivir and Lamivir formulation separated by 7 days of drug-free washout period.

A combined-formulation tablet of lamivudine/nevirapine/stavudine: bioequivalence compared with concurrent administration of lamivudine, nevirapine, and stavudine in healthy Indian subjects.

Generic fixed-dose combinations of antiretrovirals are frequently prescribed for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection. A randomized, 2-way study was conducted in 24 fasting, healthy, Indian male subjects to assess bioequivalence between a single combination tablet containing lamivudine, stavudine, and nevirapine (treatment A) with respect to separate marketed tablets administered simultaneously (treatment B). Each subject received treatments A and B separated by 19 days of a drug-free washout period.

Bioequivalence evaluation of two marketed brands of stavudine 40 mg capsules in healthy human South African volunteers.

Stavudine (d4T), a thymidine nucleoside analogue has been effectively used for treatment of patients infected with HIV. A randomized, two-way, crossover study was conducted in 24 fasting, healthy, Caucasian male volunteers to compare plasma pharmacokinetic (PK) profile and single-dose tolerability of a new d4T formulation (Stavir, Cipla Ltd, India; 40 mg capsule, test, T) with that of reference (R) formulation (Zerit), Bristol-Myers Squib, NJ, USA; capsule, 40 mg). Each volunteer received T and R formulation separated by at least 10 days of drug free wash-out period.