Quality Systems

Many biologic drug manufacturers encounter similiar challenges; precompetitive collaboration can help resolve these issues. Representatives of the IQ Consortium’s Biologics CMC Leadership Group describe efforts to address the safe handling of biologic drugs in closed-system transfer devices in healthcare settings and the need for phase-appropriate specifications.

Extrapolating data from adult clinical trials to a pediatric population is a proven method to avoid unnecessary pediatric clinical trials. Representatives of the Pediatric Working Group of the IQ Consortium share case studies that demonstrate how adult clinical trial data can be used to support the dose selection and regimen—or waive the need for a placebo control arm—for pediatric studies.

Maintaining a quality culture across the diverse functions in a bio/pharmaceutical company is difficult. Representatives of the Quality Coordinating Committee of IQ Consortium report on collaborative efforts to address data integrity and the modernization of FDA’s good laboratory practice regulations.

The agency’s focus appears to be on generic drugs for the upcoming year.

Sagent Pharmaceuticals is voluntarily recalling three lots of Phenylephrine Hydrochloride Injection, USP (10 mg/mL) to the user level because of a customer complaint regarding potentially loose crimped vial overseals, which can result in a non-sterile product.

With no final nomination of FDA commissioner coming from the White House, concern has mounted among regulated industry and interested stakeholders that FDA operations and stature will suffer without a permanent commissioner able to articulate new policies and gain support for innovative programs.

USP is collaborating with Phlow to build a new lab that will develop test methods and standards to facilitate broader adoption of continuous manufacturing.

The European Medicines Agency has begun a rolling review based on laboratory and clinical studies of the Sputnik V (Gam-COVID-Vac).

The European Medicines Agency and Health Canada have published clinical data used to support the authorization of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine.

The agency is working to identify and obstruct scammers looking to profit from the pandemic.

The guidance document provides recommendations for reporting and implementing changes to container closure system components consisting of glass vials and stoppers for sterile drug products.

Integrated, paperless data systems can improve efficiency and quality.

The need for real-time monitoring and control has spurred the development of new analytical tools.

EMA has recommended that Evrysdi be granted marketing authorization in the EU for the treatment of patients with certain types of SMA.

The EC has launched a structured dialogue aimed at gaining a better understanding of global medicines supply chains and to identify potential causes and drivers of vulnerabilities.

Reviews of FDA initiatives and activities recapitulate efforts to assess and approve new drugs, generic drugs, and biologics and strategies for advancing new initiatives.

The UK government is taking advantage of the new regulatory flexibility, afforded by Brexit, to boost the country’s competitiveness in pharma.

Auditing distribution suppliers provides understanding and documentation of the services performed, says Siegfried Schmitt, vice president, Technical at Parexel.

To prevent future production delays of critical products, the Biden administration is examining supply chain vulnerabilities for pharmaceutical ingredients as part of a longer-range consideration of products important to public health.

EMA's CHMP has started a rolling review of regdanvimab (CT-P59), which is a monoclonal antibody being developed by Celltrion for the treatment of COVID-19.

NICE has issued guidance recommending the use of TheraSphere Y-90 Glass Microspheres, from Boston Scientific, as a treatment for patients with HCC.

The agency issued guidance for developers of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics to address variants of the COVID-19 virus.

FDA issued a public statement and press release, along with a sharp warning letter rebuking AcelRx Pharmaceuticals for its messaging on painkiller Dsuvia.

The European Medicines Agency announced it has started a review of drugs that contain amfepramone due to concerns that include heart problems and high blood pressure in the lungs.

FDA published recommendations on the use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma or investigational convalescent plasma during the pandemic.

The EC has granted marketing authorization to Celltrion Healthcare for its adalimumab biosimilar, Yuflyma (CT-P17).

Labeling, printing, and on-dose tagging technologies provide a multi-layered approach to anticounterfeiting for pharmaceuticals.

Scientists and policy makers are looking more sharply at the lag in identifying and producing medicines to moderate early infections and to treat seriously ill patients.