Trends In Next-Generation Delivery Technologies

Learn how lipid nanoparticles are enabling a new generation of engineered cell therapies with a push toward more complex cell engineering and gene editing for allogeneic therapies.

Legal And IP Protection For New Biotechs

Want to ensure you've got your biotech legal, IP, and patent bases covered? Join Business of Biotech host Matt Pillar and BlueSphere Bio CEO and biotech legal expert Keir LoIacono on 11/13 for the live, interactive, and FREE digital event Legal And IP Protection For New Biotechs. 

FDA Sets Recommendations For Predicting Dangerous Nitrosamine Impurities

The FDA recently published a final guidance that sets a recommended framework for predicting the potential of nitrosamine drug substance-related impurities.

FDA Warning Letters Dipped, But Don’t Get Cozy

Between October last year and March this year, FDA inspectors showed a heightened level of discretion for OAI inspections, choosing to withhold enforcement action. This isn't an invitation to breathe easy; there's a reasonable explanation for less enforcement action.

Quality Management Evolves From Function To Culture Of Bio/Pharmaceutical Businesses

Quality management maturity is an important new trend in the bio/pharmaceutical industry, lauded as the latest evolution in quality management systems and, as recently as September 2023, enshrined in the FDA’s regulatory documents as a defined assessment protocol.

Best Practices For Use Of Risk Registers In Bio/Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Operations

Risk registers can be a valuable risk management tool, and having a risk register is increasingly becoming a regulatory expectation. It can be structured as a database or spreadsheet and ensures decision makers have key information about risks. Discussion also includes pitfalls to avoid.

FDA Introduces Quality Management Maturity Program

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.

Understanding The FDA’s Current Focus On Risk Evaluation And Mitigation Strategies

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.

Risk Tool Selection With ICH Q9(R1) In Mind

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.

Your Best Chance At Regulatory Compliance For Combination Products: Integrated Development

The FDA now defines a prefilled syringe, a product that was at one point considered “packaging” for a drug, as a constituent part of a combination product. The ultimate combination of the drug, its package, and its delivery device means that during development and manufacturing you need to combine both drug and device current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs) and quality approaches.

RFID-Based Unit-Level Traceability: Could It Be The Key To Operational Excellence For Fill-Finish Lines?

Radio frequency identification (RFID)-based unit-level tracking solutions for prefilled syringes are poised to help pharma manufacturers address key risks and costly bottlenecks related to the fill-finish process.

5 Best Practices For Responding To FDA Form 483 Inspection Observations

How you respond to FDA Form 483 observations will determine if they escalate into more serious consequences, such as a warning letter or enforcement action. You don't want that. Follow this 5-step action plan to make sure the findings are properly addressed.

Sterile Filtration And Quality Risk Management

Process control is essential for manufacturing sterile products. Explore the role of filtration for bioburden control in quality risk management and contamination control strategies.

Recommendations For Successful IND Approval Of RNA-LNP Drugs

The existing regulatory system is ambiguous for RNA therapeutics. Leverage this Investigational New Drug (IND) guide to help accelerate and strengthen the process IND filing of novel nanomedicines.

Vendor/Supplier Management To Maintain A Drug’s Safety Profile In End-To-End Supply Chain Planning

FDA 21 CFR 211 requires vendor qualification as a part of the validation process and EU GxP requirements expect robust vendor management, and we expect regulators to issue firmer guidance sooner rather than later. Don't let your pharma/biotech fall short.

FDA Issues Second DSCSA Warning Letter — What Does This Mean?

In June 2023, shortly before final requirements of the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) must be met come November, the FDA issued a warning letter to Safe Chain Solutions, LLC addressing DSCSA violations related to repeated instances of distributing costly counterfeit antiviral drugs that Safe Chain had sourced from unauthorized trading partners. Let's look more closely at the emerging themes so that you can avoid a similar warning letter.

CGMP Requirements For Automated Facility Monitoring Systems

To assess facility control, most organizations use facility monitoring systems to monitor the manufacturing workspaces continuously. Let's take a deeper look at current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) requirements for the design and operation of such automated systems, including a look at total particle counting.

What The ICH Q5A Virus Safety Guidelines Mean For Your Cell & Gene Therapy Product

Explore Cell & Gene therapy (CGT) products now within scope of the ICH Q5A guidance, technologies that can replace traditional testing strategies, viral clearance studies expected for vector products, and more.

Agile Software Development In Bio/Pharma & Medical Devices, Part 3

Computer software/systems validation testing are used to validate software under GxP environments. Parts 1 and 2 of this article series shared Agile methodology with regard to the phases of planning, team structure and collaboration, software architecture, and more. In this final installment, the author discusses software release, configuration and change management, CAPA, and more.

6 Ways To Achieve Manufacturing Audit And Inspection Readiness

Achieving audit readiness is not a snapshot in time but an ongoing commitment to maintaining day-to-day compliance and quality standards. Let's explore how your manufacturing and quality teams can align efforts with these six practices to maintain audit and inspection readiness at all times.

Agile Software Development In Bio/Pharma & Medical Devices, Part 2

Part 1 of this article series dived into the use of Agile methodology with a focus on the planning phase of a software development plan. This article dives further and discusses the phases of team structure and collaboration, defining requirements and product definition, software architecture, and more.

Combination Product QMS Requirements For The EU Market

Pharma companies are now building the capability to manufacture combination products in-house to increase flexibility and reduce dependency on third parties. This article shares key considerations for companies implementing a medical device QMS with regard to EU requirements.

Practical — And Crucial — Actions To Take Now For DSCSA Compliance

Serialized data exchange, enhanced verification, and tracing, oh my! Many companies are still unprepared for full DSCSA implementation in November. Is your company one of them? Here are the important actions to take now.

Key Post-Pandemic Trends In Global FDA Observations For Drug Facilities

These authors undertook a meticulous analysis of FDA drug facility inspection data spanning from July 2021 through May 2023. The resultant trend insights provide powerful resources for understanding areas of regulatory focus and a benchmark for evaluating potential vulnerabilities.

ICH Q12 Post-Approval Change Management Protocol

The ICH Q12 guideline includes information about the post-approval change management protocol, which aims to simplify the process of registering site changes under certain criteria through an emphasis on gaining accelerated up-front feedback from the regulator before compiling submissions. Following this protocol reduces the approval cycle by up to six months.

Agile Software Development In Bio/Pharma & Medical Devices, Part 1

Under the FDA and other regulatory bodies, the bio/pharma and medical device industries have been using computer software/systems validation testing methodologies to validate software within the GxP environment. Let's dive into the use of Agile methodology in the planning phase of a software development plan.

The Digital Future Of CMC Regulatory Affairs

This article discusses recent initiatives from the FDA, such as KASA, PQ/CMC, and the ICH SPQS. Let's look at how they could be the early birds of the paradigm shift from electronic CTDs to digital CTDs. The article also addresses what steps the industry should be taking in parallel with the authorities in preparation for this (very near) digital future.

Navigating Regulatory Guidelines For Effective Tech Transfer

The authors discusses important aspects of tech transfer (the project management plan, gap analysis, risk assessment, and more) and share the notable FDA and WHO guidelines related to each area.

An Agile Approach To Regulatory Information Management System Transformation

Life sciences industry regulators have become increasingly focused on data-driven processes as a means of managing marketing authorization submissions. But this requires that your regulatory information management system (RIMS) upgrades are in a state of continuous evolution and are approached holistically. 

FDA Seeks Input On AI Adoption In Drug Development And Manufacture

The FDA released two discussion papers for consideration: Using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in the Development of Drug and Biological Products and Artificial Intelligence in Drug Manufacturing. The papers identify current and potential areas for AI adoption.