This poster recently presented at CASSS Bioassay and BEPA describes selected results of an industry collaboration to encourage discussion on common approaches to ready to use (RtU) for bioassays cell manufacturing, testing and implementation across the industry.
A comprehensive benchmarking survey aimed at collating data on the technical practices involved in therapeutic protein production and evaluation of if/how this has changed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The slides that support the webinar presentation ‘An industry perspective on common practise in forced degradation studies of biopharmaceuticals’, presented on 15 June 2021.
Small-scale models (SSMs) are widely used in the biopharmaceutical industry. These models are used for process development and optimization, scale-up, technology transfer, process characterization, process validation, virus clearance studies, and resolution of deviations encountered during manufacturing throughout a product’s lifecycle. SSMs are also referred to as ‘scale-down models’ or ‘scaled-down models’. Demonstration that an SSM is representative of the large-scale manufacturing system is called ‘small-scale model qualification’ (SSMQ), which is sometimes also referred to as ‘assessment’, ‘evaluation’, or ‘verification’. The demonstration is an important task that supports process validation and is required by regulatory authorities. However, design, execution and analysis of SSMQ studies can be challenging due to the lack of clear guidance on current best practices. This white paper provides options and tools for design, execution, and data analysis of SSMQs together with illustrative case studies.
The interplay, engagement and interactions between Sponsor and C(D)MO are frequently considered, presented and discussed at the BioPhorum Development Group, a gathering of more than 20 global biopharmaceutical companies, representing both Sponsor and C(D)MO organizations, with a focus on chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC)-related clinical biopharmaceutical development, testing and manufacture. This self-survey was aimed at understanding outsourcing approaches and governance and focused on analytical development and testing, process development and manufacturing, project management and governance and quality system and regulatory support. From the aggregate survey responses in each area, key trends were identified, providing insights to potential best practices
In the manufacture of biologics produced in mammalian cells, one recommendation by regulatory agencies to help ensure product consistency, safety, and efficacy is to produce the material from a monoclonal cell line derived from a single, progenitor cell. The process by which monoclonality is assured can be supplemented with single-well plate images of the progenitor cell. In this paper the BioPhorum Monoclonality team highlight the utility of that imaging technology, describe approaches to verify the validity of those images, and discuss how to analyze that information to support a biologic filing application. This approach serves as an industry perspective to increased regulatory interest within the scope of monoclonality for mammalian cell culture–derived biologics
Host cell protein (HCP) constitutes a significant class of process-related impurities in biological drugs. The complexity and diversity of residual HCP composition in biologics and the incomplete understanding of their potential impact also pose unknown risks besides some of the well-known risks from certain problematic HCPs. This can make the HCP risk assessment and management an industry-wide challenge.
Although attempts have been made to address these challenges in the biopharmaceutical industry, gaps still remain in terms of how to manage the risks associated with HCP during bioprocess development. To this end, a BioPhorum Development Group (BPDG) HCP working team consisting of several companies initiated a collaboration among its members to align industry best practices and generated a generic risk assessment tool to manage HCP-related risks identified during biologics development from both an assay development and process development perspective.
Distinct from individual HCP identity-based safety risk assessment, this tool focuses on the manufacturing process through process development. The tool will help companies to tackle the risks associated with HCP within the development lifecycle. The intent the tool is to provide a template in order to guide process development teams using a scientific knowledge-based risk control strategy, where process or assay changes may be deemed necessary to reduce the risks caused by inadequate removal of HCP upon experimental studies to assess impact of HCPs on product safety, efficacy, and stability.
Companies implementing this risk management model can apply their own unique set of circumstances, products and experience to perform a more comprehensive and robust assessment of risk, identify the priority in which risk reduction steps should be applied.
This poster summarizes thoughts of the CMC Considerations for Expedited Development Point Share team on opportunities and challenges of CMC development under accelerated registration pathways and includes some proposes for unconventional approaches for accelerated development. With a focus on breakthrough therapy and based on a benchmarking survey, discussions around the tiered requirements for CMC sections by eCTD subchapters, as well as risks associated with the acceleration options. The results of this industry collaboration reveal several key common approaches such as risk-based approach and leveraging platform knowledge.
To gain a better understanding of current industry approaches for establishing biopharmaceutical drug product (DP) robustness, the BPDG-Formulation Workstream conducted an intercompany collaboration exercise, which included a benchmarking survey and extensive group discussions around the scope, design, and execution of robustness studies. The results of this industry collaboration revealed several key common themes: (1) overall DP robustness is defined by both the formulation and the manufacturing process robustness; (2) robustness integrates the principles of quality by design (QbD); (3) DP robustness is an important factor in setting critical quality attribute control strategies and commercial specifications; (4) most companies employ robustness studies, along with prior knowledge, risk assessments, and statistics, to develop the DP design space; (5) studies are tailored to commercial development needs and the practices of each company. Three case studies further illustrate how a robustness study design for a biopharmaceutical DP balances experimental complexity, statistical power, scientific understanding, and risk assessment to provide the desired product and process knowledge. The team discusses identified industry challenges with regard to biopharmaceutical DP robustness and presents some recommendations for best practices.
Maximizing the impact of the many advanced therapies under development requires that the industry comes together to improve understanding of how to develop, control and manufacture these life changing therapies.
We connect strategic thinkers in drug development and contract manufacturing organizations with the aim of ensuring harmonization and alignment around issues such as potency assays, phase-appropriate guidance for critical quality attributes, operator safety, regulatory guidelines, and C>-specific validation issues, as well as working toward resolving the current challenges to commercializing C> products. Discover more and learn about the outputs here.
The ever-increasing need to reduce product development lead times and the opportunities to exploit innovative technologies in development are two key industry themes that remain at the forefront of our work. The Phorum successfully connects process development organizations and provides a space where subject matter experts can work on issues such as quality by design and process characterization, cell line technologies, and molecule selection. Read some of the outputs and discover how you could benefit by getting involved.
Accelerating improvement, exploiting opportunities offered by innovation, and identifying best practice approaches across all aspects of the manufacturing process – these are the essential objectives
Data and digital capabilities are at the core of many of these industry challenges. Work in BioPhorum Drug Substance is informed by BioPhorum Technology Strategy, which has summarized our industry’s market drivers and trends. Capacity, flexibility, sustainability and pace all feature as requirements to succeed in a rapidly changing environment.
Find out more about what our members are currently discussing and learn about some of the successful implementations of our output.
Quality and demonstrating compliance are two priorities of BioPhorum Fill Finish. Representatives of the world’s top sterile filling operations come together to develop solutions to some of the most intractable technical and regulatory challenges. To address these challenges in drug product aseptic filling (‘fill’) and secondary packaging (‘finish’) operations, our community of industry experts is working relentlessly to continually improve the pharmaceutical quality system (PQS). Together they continue to strive towards developing and implementing safe, predictable, lean, and agile processes in drug product operations. Find out more about the Phorum output here.Â
IT and digital advances are crucial in responding to the pharmaceutical industry’s challenges around speed, cost, quality, flexibility, and sustainability. Unlocking and realizing the value in the industry’s IT opportunities is the core mission of the IT Phorum.Â
The digital manufacturing facility of the future needs to consider technology advances alongside organizational perspectives while maintaining foundational security requirements. All elements must be considered in the long term to deliver systemic change toward the digital factory vision. Our members collaborate in a format that stimulates and supports industry innovation and implementation.Â
BioPhorum Regulatory CMC is affording professionals the opportunity to shape their own collaboration program focused on challenges and opportunities across strategy, science, operations, submissions and compliance. Following a discovery program of work with Heads of Regulatory CMC, in which we identified some key topics of collaboration, we are giving you the opportunity to participate and help us to shape the final collaboration program. This will focus on, Filing and Review, Interactions with Health Authorities, and Harmonization. Our mission is not just to discuss, but to deliver applicable outputs and publications that will have an impact – learn more about how you can get involved.
The pharmaceutical outbound supply chain was built on a blockbuster model and doesn’t fit the needs of the changing pipeline and new modalities currently being developed. The geopolitical challenges of recent years have shown that the outbound supply chain needs to evolve to become more agile, and resilient, and address a more expectant end-user bying on patient-centricity. Industry collaboration can accelerate improvements and transform performance in a way not possible when working independently. This Phorum is founded on the belief that learning from each other and challenging current thinking to re-imagine the supply chain can reduce costs and increase efficiency.
BioPhorum SP members want the inbound supply chain for the biomanufacturing industry to be recognized as one of the best-understood and managed global supply chains. They intend to be not only a trusted advisory group but also the engine that drives change for the industry. Working together, we aim to achieve supply chain transformation that provides:
There’s an extensive list of Phorum successes and tangible benefits that have been delivered to define industry best practise.
The BioPhorum Sustainability program is jointly designed, governed, and delivered by a membership drawn from licence holders, contract manufacturers, major suppliers and niche suppliers. This dynamic partnership means that we can quickly focus on the areas that have the greatest industry impact, and we can leverage learning from each other and other sectors – the chemical industry and the built environment for example.
BioPhorum’s unique ability to build a strong coalition for change for an entire industry is now being applied to the greatest challenge of our generation. Driven by evident industry needs, Phorum members are working to develop agreed industry benchmarks, establish the ROI of sustainability investments and to increase the efficacy of implementation of members’ sustainability strategies.
With a mission to define strategies to accelerate technology transformation and support the adoption of innovative technologies, BioPhorum Technology Strategy evolved from BioPhorum Technology Roadmapping, strives to realize the technology roadmap vision 2.0.
This is being achieved through a multi-stakeholder team of member companies with collective capability and influence who are committed to driving forth industry goals associated with: Speed to market, Quality, Value, Agility and On-Demand Supply and Sustainability.
The medical technology (MedTech) industry is a critical and complex sector. As highlighted during the Covid-19 pandemic, the MedTech industry provides a wide array of products and technologies that are vital to the safe and effective provision of care to many. Also, as seen over recent years, there is often the requirement for flexibility in supply, rapid development, and the introduction of new products to keep pace with global public health demands.
Advanced wound care (AWC) is the medical treatment for wounds that have not healed properly using conventional wound care products such as gauze, bandages, plasters, and wadding.
AWC involves treating chronic or complex wounds using products that are not as easily obtained over the counter. AWC can be divided into three main categories: wound healing, infection prevention, and restoration.
Drug delivery products are therapeutic and diagnostic products combining drugs, devices, and/or biological products, which enable safer and more efficient treatment due to careful and precise drug targeting, local administration, and tailored treatment.
