PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Guillaume Le Guyader
AU  - Victoire Vieillard
AU  - Karine Andrieux
AU  - Mylène Rollo
AU  - Olivier Thirion
AU  - Pierre Wolkenstein
AU  - Muriel Paul
TI  - Long-term stability of 0.1% rapamycin hydrophilic gel in the treatment of facial angiofibromas
AID  - 10.1136/ejhpharm-2018-001695
DP  - 2018 Nov 10
TA  - European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy
PG  - ejhpharm-2018-001695
4099  - http://ejhp.bmj.com/content/early/2018/11/10/ejhpharm-2018-001695.short
4100  - http://ejhp.bmj.com/content/early/2018/11/10/ejhpharm-2018-001695.full
AB  - Objectives In recent years, various formulations containing rapamycin, mainly petrolatum-based, have been tested on facial angiofibromas in tuberous sclerosis. They are often poorly tolerated due to irritation and bleeding. In addition, their effectiveness was insufficient in young adults. The objective of this study was to develop and characterise a hydro-alcoholic gel containing solubilised rapamycin. The stability of the product stored at 4°C was evaluated over 1 year.Methods Two different 0.1% rapamycin gels were formulated with or without α-tocopherol and urea. Different methods were used to characterise the gels: HPLC, gas chromatography, pH, visual observation and optical microscopy. A physico-chemical and microbiological stability study was also conducted for 1 year at 4°C.Results Gels were physically and microbiologically stable after 1 year at 4°C: organoleptic characteristics and pH unchanged, no significant decrease in rapamycin was observed, tocopherol droplet size was constant and rheological behaviour was not altered.Conclusions This study describes a new gel formulation to improve skin penetration using various excipients to promote skin tolerance. This study provides, for the first time, detailed stability data for a hydro-alcoholic rapamycin gel.