This paper has been written to address the compliance challenges of RTRT and the continued compliance with GMP standards.  To evaluate these challenges, we have reviewed the current quality guidelines that apply to RTRT and considered the areas and activities that will be impacted by an RTRT process.
This paper is the BioPhorum response to the recent ICH Q14 and Q2(R2) consultation. Overall, the first-draft guidelines seen by the team need to be less detailed in the main body of the documents but more specific to analytical methods. The documents must also be consistent throughout (across Q14 and Q2 and between the main body texts and examples). Further, detailed examples are needed for modalities other than small molecules (e.g., biologics, cell and gene therapies, etc.) as the small molecule examples are not relevant in some key respects. In the view of the BioPhorum team, the current documents will not drive a consistent understanding of regulatory expectations and the provision of information by industry to regulators.
A comprehensive response to ICH Continuous manufacturing of drug substances and drug products Q13 draft version. The BioPhorum team overall think the draft reads well and believes the concepts and ideas are aligned with BioPhorum thinking on continuous manufacturing for biologic drug substance and drug product.
This BioPhorum paper contains feedback on the USP bioreactivity monographs to plastics used for manufacturing, and the use of resources. It also comments on the potential in vitro tests that should be included, the removal of the implantation test and safety, the removal of Class I to VI, and the topics for omission or inclusion into the <1031> chapter outline. The expert feedback provided in these documents aims to support the USP and, ultimately, produce documents that improve patient safety – but with adequate use of finite analytical resources, which would not be the case with divergent expectations.
This paper contains feedback on the USP document Bacterial Endotoxin Test (BET): A USP Comparability Study of Recombinant Reagents (Recombinant Factor C and Recombinant Cascade) to Lysate Reagents (LAL). The paper comments on issues such as the feasibility of testing the recommended matrix using four different recombinant reagents and four different lysate reagents, and that water post-deionization (low-purity) but before distillation/ultra-filtration (high-purity) is not representative of samples typically tested for bacterial endotoxins. It also questions whether industry will be able to provide known contaminated samples as these would be difficult to obtain and then compare.
The aim of ICH Q12 is clearly stated as a framework to facilitate the management of post-approval CMC changes. This document in the industry response to an agency consultation on draft guidance on ICH Q12. The biopharmaceutical industry through these comments commends the agency on leading the way to the implementation of ICH Q12. The BioPhorum comments are heavily influenced by the principle of simplification, which is why our views sometimes differ from the draft guideline.
BioPhorum response to work being conducted by The Danish Medicines Agency (DKMA) to define criteria for the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) across GxP-regulated areas. The questions asked by the agency considered the requirements and quality of data used to build, test and validate an algorithm, and how it would respond to biases and deviations in results.
In this paper, a BioPhorum member team of experts in biologics and vaccines have summarized the current challenges linked to the registration of global products in Russian Federation. This paper describes some of the challenges faced by the industry in relation to current pharmacopoeial requirements for biologics and vaccines and presents a framework of options and activities that would lead to greater alignment with the ICH and the expectations of other regulatory agencies.
A dedicated task force, representing a collaboration between BioPhorum, the International Consortium for Innovation and Quality in Pharmaceutical Development (the IQ Consortium) and the Pharmaceutical Process Analytics Roundtable (PPAR) has come together to make an industry proposal to national regulatory authorities (NRAs) for standardizing the definition of models used in the manufacture and analytical testing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), drug
substances (DS) and drug products (DPs) for small and large molecules (pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals) and to put forward a strategy for regulatory submission and lifecycle management.
This paper provides an in-depth exploration of the characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus) and COVID-19 (the disease). It also discusses how likely these may impact current control strategies that maintain product quality, safety and efficacy in the biopharmaceutical industry. It covers the areas that need to be assessed by biomanufacturers regarding SARS-CoV-2 risks for their patients, employees and products. Mitigation actions for the risks and associated benefits are also proposed. Just as importantly, it also discusses the areas that do not need to be evaluated – as current control strategies for endogenous and exogenous viruses, standards of work and the GMP framework are appropriate to prevent SARS-CoV-2 impacting on product. This is the case when the characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 do not make it unique when compared to the existing controls in place.
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.
