Reagents and devices
Good Manufacturing Process (GMP) grade PentixaFor and [69Ga]Ga-PentixaFor acetate were gracefully obtained from PentixaPharm GmbH (Würzburg, Germany).
The fluidic cassette for 68Ga labeling (sterile and single-use) and the reagents kit (including SCX and C18 cartridges, acetate buffer and HCl eluent solution, isotonic saline 0.9% solution, ethanol 60% and absolute ethanol solutions, water for injections, 0.22 µm filter and final vial – GMP grade) were purchased from ABX pharmaceuticals (Advanced Biochemical Compounds, Radeberg, Germany).
Gallium-68 was obtained by elution of a commercialized 68Ge/68Ga generator (GalliaPharm® 1850 MBq, Eckert & Ziegler radiopharma GmbH, Berlin, Germany) with a 0.1M HCl solution (Eckert & Ziegler). The automated radio synthesis of [68Ga]Ga-PentixaFor was conducted on the commercial labeling synthesis module Gaia/Luna (Elysia-Raytest, GmbH, Straubenhardt, Germany). A computerized program was controlling the module, including the valves and syringes on the cassette, in order to produce the desired radiopharmaceutical.
Description of the manufacturing process
Fifty micrograms of lyophilized precursor (PentixaFor) were dissolved with 2.2 mL of acetate buffer in a syringe, which was connected to the labeling cassette. The SCX and C18 cartridges were pre conditioned before elution with Water For injections (WFI), preceded for the C18 column by 5 mL of absolute ethanol, and dried. The peptide was then transferred into the reaction flask.
The elution of the generator was then carried out with 5 mL of 0.1 molar hydrochloric acid, and the 68Ga3+ was captured on the cation exchange cartridge (SCX) in order to concentrate the radioactivity, evacuating the HCl 0.1 M in waste. The SCX column was then eluted with 0.5 +/- 0.1 mL of eluent (WFI/NaCl 0.9%/HCl 32–35% mixture) directly in the reaction flask, with the peptide. This solution was heated at 97° Celsius during 4 min. The labeling was carried out at pH = 3.5.
At the end of the heating, the reaction mixture was injected into the C18, which retained the active substance ([68Ga]Ga-PentixaFor) as well as the colloidal forms (a radiochemical impurity that can occur during 68Ga labelling (14, 15)), and evacuated the rest of the reaction mixture as waste (with the free gallium). The reaction flask was rinsed with WFI, and this solution was also injected into the C18 column. The C18 column was then alternatively eluted with a mixture of 8.6 +/- 0.3 mL of isotonic saline solution and 1.5 mL +/- 0.1 mL of 60% ethanol, in order to elute the [68Ga]Ga-PentixaFor, the colloidal forms remaining retained on the column. The solution was finally injected into the final vial through a 0.22 µm sterilizing filter (Millex-GV, 0.22 µm, hydrophilic, PVDF, 13 mm, sterilized with ethylene oxide) to obtain a volume of 10.1 mL +/- 0.4 mL final solution (see Fig. 2).
Radiolabeling efficiency
The labelling efficiency was determinated using the formula below (decay corrected):
$$Efficiency= \frac{C18 activity-C18 Post Elution activity }{Initial activity measured in reactor} \times 100$$
C18, C18 post elution and initial reactor activities were automatically measured and saved in the final software reports.
Optimization of the synthesis settings
First tests were carried out to establish the command sequences of the synthesis module and find interesting ranges of temperatures and heating duration to investigate. Then, these different temperatures and heating times were tested in order to determine the optimal parameters for carrying out the radiolabeling, and to ensure the robustness of the process. A fixed quantity of precursor was used (50 µg). The ranges of settings tested were 95–98°Celsius and 4-6min heating time, in agreement with the elements supplied by the PentixaPharm laboratory, the literature (11, 13, 16) and our pre-tests, leading to the evaluation of 12 synthesis conditions.
For each setting, at least one synthesis was conducted and both labeling efficiency and radiochemical purity were determined. If several syntheses were carried out, averages of the efficiencies and of the radiochemical purities were used.
Validation and process controls of GMP-quality batches
We carried out several quality controls in order to check the accordance of the final product with the requirements for quality controls of radiopharmaceuticals (European Pharmacopeia).
Appearance and pH
We conducted a visual examination of each final product to verify the clearness and color of the solution: it had to be clear and colorless to comply the test. The pH-value of the solution was determined using pH strips. The expected pH was 5.0–8.0.
Chemical identity
We developed and validated a High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC, Shimadzu, Kyoto, Japan) method in accordance with ICH Q2 standards. Briefly, we filled out a vial with a sample of the final product. An injection of 20 µL was done in a mobile phase in gradient mode (see Table 1 below), with a fixed flow rate of 1.0 mL/min during 15 min in a Phenomenex Gemini 3m peptide NX-C188 110A LC 150 x 4.6 column (Torrance, USA). UV detection was performed at 220 nm with Diode Array Detector, and gamma detection was carried out with GABI Nova® radio flow monitor (NAI-Photomultiplier tube, Elysia-Raytest GmbH).
Table 1
Flow gradient used to perform HPLC analysis
HPLC analysis (flow = 1 mL/min) |
Time (min) | Mobile phase A (%) Water/TFA 1000/1 v/v | Mobile phase B (%) Acetonitrile/TFA 1000/1 v/v |
0 | 80 | 20 |
9 | 50 | 50 |
10 | 50 | 50 |
15 | 80 | 20 |
Retention time of the final solution had to comply with reference material, constituted by the non-radioactive precursor ([69Ga]Ga-PentixaFor acetate). The retention time of [68Ga]Ga-PentixaFor solution had to be between 90 and 110% of that of [69Ga]Ga-PentixaFor acetate, taking into account that the UV and the gamma detectors were connected in series, so there was a fixed differential time of 15 seconds between the two analysis devices.
Radionuclear identity
A gamma-spectrometry analysis was carried out on each batch with multi-channel-analyzer for gamma-spectroscopy MUCHA® (Elysia-Raytest GmbH) to measure the energy emitted. As 68Ga was the radionuclide of interest, we searched for the 511 keV (+/- 10%) main peak. Half-life was determined by automatized measuring of the final solution each seconds during 20 minutes. Result should be between 62 and 74 minutes (expected value of 67.71 min).
Radiochemical purity
Each batch of in-house prepared [68Ga]Ga-PentixaFor was tested to determine the RCP of the product, and part of impurities (free 68Ga and colloidal forms) due to the synthesis process.
We used an Instant Thin Layer Chromatography (ITLC) analysis to determine the part of free 68Ga and colloidal forms in the sample, using a sample taken directly from the final product, with two methods:
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A first migration with a mobile phase constituted with 1 mol/L ammonium acetate/methanol (1:1) and as solid phase an ITLC-SG strip (Varian iTLC-SG plates): Ga-68 colloidal forms were found with Rf = 0.0-0.2, and [68Ga]Ga-PentixaFor with free 68Ga at Rf = 0.8-1
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A second migration with a mobile phase constituted with citrate buffer (pH = 5.0) and as solid phase an ITLC-SG strip: [68Ga]Ga-PentixaFor was found with Rf = 0.0-0.2, and free 68Ga and Ga-68 colloidal forms at Rf = 0.8-1
A miniGITA® TLC scanning device (Elysia-Raytest GmbH) was used to achieve the ITLC analysis.
According to the European Pharmacopoeia, it is necessary to assess the radiochemical purity using HPLC. The method described in the chemical identity paragraph (Table 1) therefore allowed us to calculate the RCP by separating the [68Ga]Ga-PentixaFor from the free gallium (68Ga3+).
Radionucleidic purity
The 68-germanium breakthrough was determined for each batch using multi-channel-analyzer for gamma-spectroscopy MUCHA® (Elysia-Raytest GmbH). 48h after the synthesis (when all the presence of 68Ga is only due to the initial presence of 68Ge, as the half-life of 68Ga is 67.71 min), we measured the 511 keV peak emission due to the nuclear transformation of the 68-germanium into 68-gallium in a sample. Initial percentage of activity due to 68-germanium was calculated as below:
$$68\text{G}\text{e} \text{b}\text{r}\text{e}\text{a}\text{k}\text{t}\text{h}\text{r}\text{o}\text{u}\text{g}\text{h}= \frac{Activity 48h after synthesis \left(decay corrected\right) }{Activity measured in final vial just after synthesis} \times 100$$
Bacterial endotoxins
A LAL-test using Endosafe® (Charles River, Wilmington, USA) device was conducted on each production, diluted to 1/100 with WFI endotoxin-free. This dilution level was chosen after determination of the maximal dilution, in order to avoid product interference with the test. The test was considered valid if the samples contained less than 15 EU/mL, in accordance with European Pharmacopeia requirements.
Radiochemical stability
In order to assess the stability of the preparations, we carried out a measurement of the RCP each hour during four hours after the syntheses, which may allow us to prepare the syringe for patients in clinical use regarding the half-life of 68Ga. The measurement were conducted using both iTLC and HPLC methods for RCP determination as previously specified.