Manufacturing of bupivacaine multivesicular liposomes

A composition of bupivacaine encapsulated multivesicular liposomes (MVLs) prepared by a commercial scale process, the commercial scale process comprising:

• (a) mixing a first aqueous solution comprising phosphoric acid with a volatile water-immiscible solvent solution to form a water-in-oil first emulsion, wherein the volatile water-immiscible solvent solution comprises bupivacaine, 1, 2-dierucoylphosphatidylcholine (DEPC), 1, 2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3 phospho-rac-(1-glycerol) (DPPG), and at least one neutral lipid;
• (b) mixing the water-in-oil first emulsion with a second aqueous solution to form a water-in-oil-in-water second emulsion, wherein the second aqueous solution comprises lysine and dextrose;
• (c) removing the volatile water-immiscible solvent from the water-in-oil-in-water second emulsion to form a first aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs having a first volume;
• (d) reducing the first volume of the first aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs by microfiltration to provide a second aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs having a second volume;
• (e) exchanging the aqueous supernatant of the second aqueous suspension with a saline solution by diafiltration to provide a third aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs having a third volume;
• and
• (f) further reducing the third volume of the third aqueous suspension by microfiltration to provide a final aqueous suspension of bupivacaine encapsulated MVLs having a target concentration from about 12.6 mg/mL to about 17.0 mg/mL;
• wherein all steps are carried out under aseptic conditions;
• and
• wherein the erucic acid concentration in the composition is about 23 μg/mL or less after the composition is stored at 25° C. for one month.