Diaspirin Crosslinked Hemoglobin (DCLHb^TM): Characterization of the Process and the Product Manufactured Under GMP Requirements for Clinical Studies

Abstract

Initiation of Clinical Trials in 1992 necessitated product manufacture under FDA Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) requirements. To this end, all product components used were characterized to meet established requirements and processes and analytical methods were validated to confirm and document their utility and reproductibility. Manufacture of multiple 50+ liter lots of 10%g DCLHb under GMP requirements resulted in a pure and homogeneous product which reproducibly met a rigorous and complete set of product specifications. Final release testing of five consecutive GMP lots showed hemoglobin concentrations of 10.2 +/- 0.2g%, pH of 7.33 +/- 0.02 (37 degrees C), methemoglobin concentrations of 3.2 +/- 0.6%, degree of crosslinking of 99.8 +/- 0.1% and a P50 of 32.4 +/- 1.0 mmHg (37 degrees C). The mean overall yield for production of these five lots was 55 +/- 2%. Products were all endotoxin free as indicated by rabbit, cytokine and LAL testing (< 0.06 EU/mL); a critical characteristic for a molecule which may bind endotoxin. All lots were sterile as indicated by compendial testing.