Application of high-performance, thin-layer chromatography to quality control of antimetabolite analogue infusion bags

Abstract

A global postproduction quality program was developed to secure chemotherapy infusion at the Gustave Roussy Institute. Despite rigorous procedures and computerized prescriptions, an analytical check was necessary to improve the quality of ready-to-use solutions of cytotoxic drugs in our Centralized Antineoplastics Reconstitution Unit. High-performance, thin-layer chromatography was selected as the analytical tool to assay 12 anticancer drugs. One of the analytical methods can separate 4 antimetabolite substances, i.e., fludarabine (FDB), cytarabine (CTB), gemcitabine (GTB), and fluorouracil (5 FU). For all infusion bags manufactured, up to 26 samples could be assayed per series using a double standard calibration (GTB and 5 FU).