Guest Columns

11. Drug Delivery Systems: Measurement System Analysis Using Continuous Gage R&R Studies, Part 1 10/6/2023

    All drug delivery manufacturing systems undergoing quality improvement projects involve teams to gather many inputs and then to analyze the data. This article, the first in a 3-part series, provides an overview and theoretical understanding of measurement system analysis using continuous gage repeatability and reproducibility (R&R) studies.

12. Is ‘Human Error’ The Cause Or The Outcome Of GMP Deviations? 10/6/2023

    Painting mistakes with the broad human error brush ignores the underlying causes, which can be complex. Amnon Eylath, a veteran GMP consultant, presents a case study that illustrates why he encourages companies to adopt robust processes for uncovering true root causes and reducing deviations.

13. Here’s Why Outsourcing To CDMOs Doubled In 13 Years 10/4/2023

    It might surprise no one that BioPlan Associates' 20th annual survey on manufacturing found an increased dependence on contract manufacturing. The sheer rate at which demand has grown, however, is stunning, and the survey found CDMO capacity is only now starting to catch up with supply.

14. Preformulation Of Excipients In Biologics Development 9/28/2023

    Most of the instability problems of a drug product come from excipients, in particular, they come from impurities in excipients. Those issues are best cleaned up in the preformulation period to determine excipient compatability.

15. FDA Introduces Quality Management Maturity Program 9/26/2023

    The FDA program described in a new document, CDER’s Quality Management Maturity (QMM) Program: Practice Areas and Prototype Assessment Protocol Development, is a next logical step to drive better quality, more predictable outcomes, and supply chain assurance.

16. Understanding The FDA’s Current Focus On Risk Evaluation And Mitigation Strategies 9/21/2023

    The FDA recently asked for comments about how the government handles vendor change requests from drug sponsors with risk evaluation and mitigation strategies. So, we asked a REMS expert to help us understand why the agency is focusing on the broad-reaching program and what it could mean for drug manufacturers with REMS products in their portfolios.

17. Essential Elements Of Technology Transfer 9/19/2023

    The principles of an effective technology transfer can apply at every stage of the drug development lifecycle for biotech companies of every size. Tech transfer programs are usually bespoke, but they share common essential elements. This article breaks them down.

18. Risk Tool Selection With ICH Q9(R1) In Mind 9/19/2023

    This article focuses on the formality concept discussed in the revision of ICH Q9 Quality Risk Management released earlier in 2023. The authors provide a helpful overview of what risk tools are appropriate to use during certain types of scenarios, and what the team composition should look like.

19. Moving From Clinical Stage To Commercial? 4 Steps For An Outsourcing Strategy 9/18/2023

    If you're a pre-commercial bio/pharma looking ahead to commercial stage, evaluating partnerships are faced with making key decisions around which capabilities to outsource, the degree of data access and ownership, and which external partners are the right fit. Here are four key actions to consider.

20. Emerging Market Trends For APIs 9/15/2023

    The active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) market is estimated at $158 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $232 billion by 2028. This article shares new market research on APIs, including an analysis of innovative and generic APIs, synthetic and biotech APIs, and more.