Establishment of European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) Biological Reference Preparations (BRP) batch 2 for rDNA hepatitis B vaccine (method A and B).

A collaborative study was initiated by the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines (EDQM), to assign a potency value for candidate batch 2 of European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) Biological Reference Preparation (BRP) for Hepatitis B (rDNA) antigen in vitro assays, for both method A and method B by calibrating them against the Ph. Eur. BRPs, batch 1 for methods A and B respectively. The study was prompted by the observation that the first batch of BRP for method B appeared to have lost potency over time. BRP 1 for method A showed no loss in potency, however stocks of the material were nearing depletion. Eleven laboratories participated in the study and all reported results. Participants performed 3 independent assays using both method A and method B. Method A was used to assess BRPs for method A and method B was used to assess BRPs for method B. Since BRP 1B was suspected to have lost potency, an additional sample was included in the method B test in an attempt to clarify the situation. BRP 1B was also assayed in method A against BRP 1A in the hope of also attaining further information by comparing the results from this study to those obtained in the original study to establish the first batch of BRP [1]. Although it was not the primary aim of this study to correlate in vitro potency with the immunogenicity assay in mice, a number of interested parties also performed the mouse in vivo assay to obtain data on the behaviour of the candidate BRPs in this assay. For method A, potency estimates were satisfactory in terms of repeatability and reproducibility. The candidate material was therefore assigned a value of 16.6 micrograms/ml. For method B, it appeared that the observation of reduced in vitro potency of BRP1 was confirmed. Despite the attempt to clarify the situation with additional studies, it was not possible to assign a potency value with the results obtained. A small-scale collaborative study will be organised to determine an appropriate value for the candidate BRP for method B. The results from the in vivo study while highly variable showed no evidence of a shift in the in vivo potency for either BRP 1A or BRP 1B. It should be noted that the in vitro method for determination of hepatitis B vaccine potency is under revision due to the discontinuation of the Auszyme kit from Abbott, which is required to perform the current assays. Once an alternative assay has been established, the suitability of the reference preparations or establishment of new reference preparations will be required. The candidate material for method A BRP was adopted by the European Pharmacopoeia Commission at its session in November 2003, as the European Pharmacopoeia Hepatitis B vaccine (rDNA) method A, batch 2.