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Deviation Management (DMS): Guide to implementing a risk based deviation management system

Sep 2020 | ,

BioPhorum has developed a risk-based deviation management system (DMS). 13 member companies have implemented this approach, and summary data from these companies shows improved quality performance plus an average time saving of 22,200 work hours per site per year, which is equivalent to a $888k cost saving.

This guide outlines the work of the BioPhorum DMS Workstream in defining and creating a simplified and effective risk-based deviation management system with advanced RCA methodologies, and a track-and-trending process of low-risk events. It includes everything required to build a risk-based approach to DMS, including the business case for change, the new process, risk-based tools, and a detailed sharing of post-implementation benefit.

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Development Group trends and new hot topics

Jul 2020 | , ,

Driven by the ever-increasing need to reduce product development lead times and the opportunities to exploit new technologies in development, BioPhorum Development Group (DG) has taken a detailed look at its portfolio of work and the work of its sponsors. This allowed it to reflect on where and how member companies are engaged. This was an important task and a very successful one and the Phorum is already seeing the impact in everything from...

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How to make single-use systems supply chain proof?

Jun 2020 | ,

In the second half of 2020, BioPhorum Drug Substance  will publish a comprehensive set of tools and guidance to help the industry foolproof the transportation, deployment and use of single-use systems.  Inspired by the work of Bayer's Berkeley facility, who over many years reduced leak rates from totally unsustainable 40% to a phenomenal 0.04%, the industry package takes the position that single-use systems are complex delicate...

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Making and moving operational cell banks

Jun 2020 | ,

Moving the site of manufacture for commercial cell banks, microbial or mammalian, the renewal of working cell banks for commercial products, or making minor changes to cell banking processes is becoming more onerous from a regulatory perspective and does not have a consistent harmonized approach even within a single regulatory body such as the FDA. In the past analytical comparability of cell banks was acceptable and this changed to requiring...

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Extractables testing of polymeric single-use components used in biopharmaceutical manufacturing

Apr 2020 | , , ,

This revised extractables protocol for polymeric single-use components in biopharmaceutical manufacturing is based on an extensive scientific review and represents the combined opinion of the biopharmaceutical manufacturers and, crucially, the supply chain. It will reduce costs and focus people on the important data points. The protocol provides guidance on the suggested methods for extractables studies, including sample preparation, extraction conditions, recording test-article sampling conditions, and reporting data from the analysis of extracts. Flexibility is built-in, allowing suppliers to alter many study parameters due to restrictions based on the use of SUS, physical form factor, chemical compatibilities, etc.

The new protocol includes significant changes to the 2014 version, including the removal of 5M sodium chloride and 1% Polysorbate 80 as extraction solvents, the elimination of the time-point zero interval, and the elimination of elemental analysis of 50% Ethanol extracts.

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Environmental monitoring (EM): Continuous microbiological EM for process understanding and reduced interventions in aseptic manufacturing

Mar 2019 | ,

This paper provides recommendations for quality oversight, manufacturing operations, and industry perspective of regulatory expectations to enable aseptic facilities to move toward real-time and continuous microbiological environmental monitoring, thereby reducing interventions and future replacement of Grade A settle plates and nonremote active air sampling. The replacement of traditional monitoring with biofluorescent particle-counting systems provides an improvement in process understanding and product safety and reduces operator manipulations, assuring product quality and real-time process verification. The future state pharmaceutical technology roadmaps include gloveless isolators with real-time and continuous monitoring for aseptic manufacturing.

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Continued process verification (CPV) and the validation of informatics systems

Nov 2018 | ,

Continued process verification (CPV) provides ongoing verification of the performance of a manufacturing process and as such entails the processing of large amounts of data. This paper draws on the experiences of multiple biopharmaceutical manufacturing companies in validating the informatics components of their CPV programs. It sheds light on common issues and provides recommendations and best practices. Computer systems validation is relevant across the lifecycle of a CPV informatics solution. As such the papers scope includes the initial and ongoing activities and deliverables to determine that the solution meets its intended uses and other requirements, for example, data integrity and performance requirements. 

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Elastomer stoppers: Improving quality standards for elastomer stoppers In parenteral drug manufacturing

Apr 2018 |

Stoppers are a known source of particulate contamination. This is, in part, due to various physical and technological limitations inherent to the stopper manufacturing process. As a quantitative control measure, stopper manufacturers perform a battery of release tests to determine lot acceptability against established quality standards. Among the universally required release tests is particulate load of a representative sample. Elastomer stoppers are commonly tested under guidance provided through ISO 8871-3. During BioPhorum engagement with several stopper suppliers, it became apparent that multiple elements of this particle count method — including, but not limited to, equipment, environment, and particle classification — varied across the different suppliers. Consequently, the BioPhorum Stopper Quality team determined a need to undertake a comparative analysis of the test methods and constituent variables that are currently utilized by stopper manufacturers. This paper is intended to highlight testing inconsistencies and drive the collaborative development of a more sensitive, harmonized particle count method.

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Forecasting and supply planning: A best practice guide for the biopharmaceutical supply industry and assessment tool

Apr 2018 | , ,

Forecasting and demand planning are not well develop or effective integrated between biopharma manufacturers and suppliers in comparison with other industries with complex supply chains. This inhibits the ability of the sector to develop effective and agile supply chains to support rapid growth of products and is a major cause of shortages and the remedial work needed to keep supply chains functioning and products available. Leading end users and suppliers have undertaken considerable work to find solutions to enable biomanufacturers and their suppliers to plan commercial biologic drug manufacturing more effectively. This Forecasting and supply planning: a best practice industry guide, and the companion assessment tool defines the participating biomanufacturers’ and suppliers’ perspectives of the current state of the industry, the roadblocks to success and takes a ‘blue sky vision’ of best practices and the business case for changing the current situation.

In order to define, prioritize and measure improvement opportunities across the industry, the Forecasting and Supply Planning maturity assessment enables organizations to assess their status in relation to industry norms and best practice. More importantly, an assessment’s results provide a blueprint for the strengths and weaknesses that an organization needs to address to elevate its forecasting and supply planning processes.

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Deviation management system (DMS): Transforming deviation management, a paper

Sep 2017 | ,

Conventional methodologies which conduct check-the-box “investigations” for every minor deviation, can lead to companies unintentionally instilling an over reliance on basic tools and running the risk of losing the point as to why deviation management is performed — to find and fix problems. They do little to help companies understand minor slips/lapses, nor do they enhance product quality or assure patient safety.

This article published in the BioProcess International, proposed this risk based approach and provides guidance on how to make track and trend work in away that is consistent with other companies involved in the program.

This risk based approach is based on dropping the investigation of each minor, low-risk events but effectively track and trending them, to free up significant resources to work on prevention, and driving improvement of quality at source.

This has been implemented successfully by early adopters and they have had successful inspections from multiple authorities.

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