Comparator product issues for biowaiver implementation: the case of Fluconazole

The aim of this work was to assess if the commercially available Fluconazole drug products (Reference, Generic and Similar) would meet the biowaiver criteria from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Brazilian Agency for Health Surveillance (ANVISA) agencies. All formulations were evaluated considering the dissolution profile carried out in Simulated Gastric Fluid (SGF) pH 1.2, Acetate Buffer (AB) pH 4.5 and Simulated Intestinal Fluid (SIF) pH 6.8. The results demonstrated that all formulations fulfilled the 85% of drug dissolved at 30 min criterion in SGF pH 1.2. However, in AB pH 4.5 and SIF pH 6.8, some formulations, including the comparator, did not achieve this dissolution percentage. The discrepant dissolution profiles also failed the f2 similarity factor analysis, since none of the formulations showed values between 50 and 100 in the three dissolution media. Comparative dissolution profiles were not similar, considering that the main issues concerning the dissolution were evidenced for the comparator product. Hence, a revision in the regulatory norms in order to establish criteria to switch the comparator could result in an increased application of drugs based on biowaiver criteria.