Independent · non-commercial · publishes on a quarterly cycle|Current cycle 2026 Q3
Compound Evidence InstituteEvidence synthesis · established 2023Graded assessments of compounds, trials, methods and supply
Document set current to 30 July 2026
Methodological standard · Microbiological quality

CEI-MS-06 — Sterility testing of peptide preparations presented in sealed vials

Sterility testing of peptide preparations presented in sealed vials

Document identifier
CEI-MS-06
Series
Methodological standard
Version
1.0
Published
22 Apr 2023
Last reviewed
22 Oct 2023
Next review
22 Oct 2026
Identifier
10.71829/cei.meth.6
Certainty
High
Cycle
2023 Q2
Category
Microbiological quality

§1Scope

§1.1Scope

Applies to lyophilised or solution presentations intended for parenteral administration. The Institute records that no supplier in its assessment set reports a sterility determination for research-supply material.

§2Principle

A sample is transferred aseptically to growth media that support a wide range of bacteria and fungi, incubated, and examined for growth. Membrane filtration is preferred where the preparation is filterable, because it separates the analyte from the medium and removes any inherent antimicrobial activity of the peptide itself — a real consideration for host-defence peptides such as LL-37, which are antimicrobial by design and will produce a false negative in direct inoculation.[1,2]

§3Apparatus and reagents

§3.1Apparatus

  • Grade A unidirectional-airflow workstation within a Grade B background, or a validated isolator
  • Sterility-test canisters or a closed filtration system with 0.45 µm membranes
  • Incubators at 22.5 ± 2.5 °C and 32.5 ± 2.5 °C
  • Environmental monitoring plates and settle plates

§3.2Reagents and reference materials

  • Fluid thioglycollate medium
  • Soya-bean casein digest medium
  • Sterile rinsing fluid appropriate to the preparation
  • Growth-promotion challenge organisms per the pharmacopoeial list

References cited on this page

References are numbered in order of first citation in this document. Each superscript in the text links to its entry below.

  1. United States Pharmacopeial Convention. General Chapter ⟨71⟩ Sterility Tests. United States Pharmacopeia — National Formulary (USP–NF) 2024;USP 2024 Issue 1. identifier not held by the Institute
  2. United States Pharmacopeial Convention. General Chapter ⟨85⟩ Bacterial Endotoxins Test. United States Pharmacopeia — National Formulary (USP–NF) 2024;USP 2024 Issue 1. identifier not held by the Institute

Identifiers are reproduced only where the Institute holds them. Where a digital object identifier or PubMed identifier is not shown, the Institute has recorded the journal and year and has not constructed an identifier.

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