This paper gives a best practice recommendation for fingerprinting cell culture media. It includes a standardized analytical test method suite, a three-tier testing approach and flowcharts that guide the reader to choose a suitable media fingerprinting method based on their goals and the raw material properties.Â
This document communicates a strategic framework for solving technical problems relating to managing raw materials in the biopharmaceutical industry and encourages biopharmaceutical end-users and suppliers to work together to address specific raw material and end-user process needs. It highlights the importance of implementing industry solutions and sign-posts a range BioPhorum raw materials publications. These establish standard definitions, a common understanding of raw material requirements, and the importance of regulatory, quality, and supply chain links.
This paper shares industry feedback after the publication of two BioPhorum papers that complement ongoing efforts in the wider CGT field. It supplements these publications by delving into identity testing and cross-contamination for plasmid master cell banks and plasmid DNA, and other plasmid DNA release tests (including DNA homogeneity, residual DNA and host RNA, and sterility or bioburden).
This paper discusses the issues around trace elements and gives a suggested approach for developing a method for analyzing trace elements in cell culture media and hydrolysates. The approach is based on a ground breaking BioPhorum collaboration that shared blinded data and compared analytical methods between biopharmaceutical and media manufacturers.
A proactive risk-based approach to understanding key factors that can introduce product variability is necessary to avoid delays. One such factor identified is elemental impurity variability introduced by cell culture media. Though the impact of the variability will differ, it is important
that both manufacturers and supply partners understand the sources of elemental impurities and perform risk assessments to identify mitigation strategies. Such assessments will allow an understanding of the level of risk, and what steps may be taken to dissipate it. This paper is an effort to drive regulatory bodies, drug manufacturers, supply partners and N-1 suppliers toward a common understanding of the problem and possible solutions that can be taken towards risk mitigation. Though there may not be a single or ideal solution for this issue, a common rational approach can be taken by all parties to understand the impact on their processes and products, to drive identification of mitigation strategies.
This paper proposes a solution, applicable to all innovative and complex raw materials, to the challenges the biopharmaceutical industry faces with the registration of complex and innovative raw materials in Europe. The biopharmaceutical industry has designed a direct solution to the issue and identified a way to higher quality regulatory submissions, enhanced knowledge, understanding, control and robustness of its products and processes.
This guidance document identifies the relevant change areas, and for each area, exemplifies the type of changes which the biopharmaceutical industry needs to be informed about. It also lists the required information, in terms of supporting data and documentation, to support notification of changes. This guidance is relevant to all raw materials used to produce biopharmaceutical products, including but not limited to cell culture media, fermentation broth components, column resin, buffers, solvents, and excipients. By highlighting the changes biopharmaceutical industry end-users need to know about and specifying the information required, the intention of this industry-aligned guidance is to reduce the quantity of rework required and the time taken to process change requests. In turn, this will reduce variability in demand patterns as end-users refrain from building extensive inventories to mitigate against the perceived risks which arise from proposed changes. While complete alignment and standardization on the information which should be provided for changes is not possible, a more robust alignment on the typical information required, as set on in this guidance, will significantly improve the current state.
The purpose of this best practice guide is to provide key information and best practices for media supplier partners and companies in the biopharmaceutical industry on the design, development and controls for manufacturing of media and medium solutions to minimize potential variation that may impact product quality, process performance and operational efficiency and costs. It is intended that it can be used to support a proactive approach to evaluation and self-audit of internal processes.
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.
