Jane Zhang of ETCH Sourcing explains why geopolitics, transparency, and partnership now weigh as heavily as cost and quality when companies choose suppliers, in this episode of Ask the Expert, moderated by Susan J. Schniepp of Nelson Labs.

Ravi Kiran Kaja, PhD, USP, explains what harmonization of extractables and leachables standards looks like in practice.

AI accountability, faster FDA pathways, rare disease CMC review, and next-gen GLP-1 formulation lead this week’s PharmTech roundup.

Boyang Wang, Immortal Dragons, discusses how the FDA’s Expedited IND Pilot must prove efficiency as sponsors chase the fastest route to valid first-in-human data.

Boyang Wang, Immortal Dragons, explains how FDA’s Expedited IND Pilot and research partners could speed serial steps to first-in-human trials compared to China’s 818 Decree.

Susan J. Schniepp, distinguished fellow with Nelson Labs, and Siegfried Schmitt, PhD, vice president, Technical, with Parexel, clear up some of the confusion about what does and does not need to be complied with regarding standards set by international pharmacopoeias.

FDA grants ravulizumab accelerated approval in IgA nephropathy after a 43.4% proteinuria cut, signaling new IV biologic demand for drug manufacturers.

FDA approves GSK's bepirovirsen for chronic hepatitis B after a 19% functional cure rate, raising oligonucleotide scale-up stakes for manufacturers.