In April 2013, biopharmaceutical company Pfenex (San Diego, CA) announced a joint venture with biologics manufacturer Stelis Biopharma, Inc. (“Stelis”), earlier known as Agila Biotech, (a wholly owned subsidiary of Strides Arcolab Limited (Bangalore, India) for the commercial development of six biosimilars. The companies will also leverage technology and global development expertise from GE Healthcare Life Sciences (Uppsala, Sweden) and Bio-XCell Malaysia (Nusajaya, Malaysia). Such international, multicompany collaboration strategies have become a growing trend in the highly competitive biosimilars industry.…
Manufacturing
A Sustainable, Single-Use Facility for Monoclonal Antibody Production
Pierre Fabre, the second largest independent pharmaceutical group in France, recently opened a new facility to expand its monoclonal antibody (MAb) production for clinical supply. The Antibody Biotechnology Unit (ABU) facility was designed to provide needed flexibility for adapting to various process and capacity changes, so it includes state-of-the-art single-use technologies. The facility was also built with sustainability in mind to minimize the company’s environmental footprint. The company integrated this plant into an existing antibody research and development (R&D) center,…
How to Hit a Moving Target
Although multiple factors can compromise the drug-like properties of biological molecules, we are still at a very early stage in learning how to assess them. This is despite — or perhaps more correctly, because of — the pharmaceutical industry’s accelerating drive to develop biological molecules as therapeutic agents. And I say “we” because this applies not only to the biopharmaceutical industry itself and the analytical instrument companies that serve it, but also those charged with regulating it. We are all…
Enabling Technologies
We hear a great deal lately about the maturation of the biopharmaceutical industry — and much advancement over the past decade or so has been in business models, financing, and product pipelines. Meanwhile, regulators around the world have become more well versed in the subject matter and have adjusted their approaches to and expectations from the industry. However, the practical side of developing, characterizing, and manufacturing biotherapeutic products cannot be overlooked — nor its importance overstated. Many technological…
An environmental life cycle assessment comparison of single-use and conventional bioprocessing technology
Single-use technologies offer an attractive option for biopharmaceutical manufacturing, but their environmental impact needs be considered. This paper documents the findings of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study comparing single-use and conventional bioprocessing technology for the production of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). The study examines the life cycle environmental impacts at 100 L, 500 L, and 2000 L. The results presented focus on the 2000 L production scale. This assessment was reviewed by a third-party review panel. The results demonstrate that…
Biosimilar Products
The Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) Strategy Forum held on 22 January 2012 in San Francisco, CA, focused on selected scientific and regulatory aspects in the development of biosimilar products. Such products are an increasingly important area of interest for both the biopharmaceutical industry and its regulatory agencies. Biosimilars are highly complex, so scientists have been unable to demonstrate identity to a level typically possible for small molecules. Consequently, specific scientific and regulatory approaches are required to ensure the high…
Enhancing Antibody Production
Increasing demand for monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) — useful as immunodiagnostic reagents in basic research applications and potential immunotherapeutics — has created a need to optimize protein production techniques. Many developers have attempted to increase MAb output from cell culture by addressing both equipment and consumables. For example, recent advances in improved bioreactor designs and bioreactor operation have increased antibody outputs by increasing cell densities and extending cell life in culture. Materials and Methods () Bioreactors can operate in batch, perfusion,…
Expansion of T-cells using the Xuri Cell Expansion System W25 and WAVE Bioreactor 2/10 System
Immunotherapeutics include drugs and biologics that render therapeutic benefit by harnessing the power of the immune system. The promise of immune-mediated therapies is to target specificity with a consequent reduction in off-therapeutic effects. Immunotherapeutic products can be classified broadly into (1) active immunotherapy (therapeutic vaccines), (2) adoptive cellular immunotherapy (transfer of immune cells, genetically modified T-cells or precursor cells) or (3) passive immunotherapy (antibody or receptor ligand administration). Recent scientific advances have led to clinical trials of both active and…
Anticipating Success: Meeting the Inherent Challenges of Complex Drug Substances
Realizing the full potential of a novel injectable drug compound is no small task. In the months and years that lead from the exciting discovery phase to the rigorous demands of a commercial launch, unexpected scientific and technical challenges can slow development to a halt, often at key stages. A careful, systematic approach to identifying where and why these roadblocks can occur is fundamental to staying on course. Just as important is a robust, repeatable process design focused on retaining…
Designing Quality into the Product: Early Developability Assessment in Biopharmaceutical Development
The ultimate objective in the development of any new therapeutic candidate is the validation of its mechanism of action and therapeutic efficacy in a clinical setting. Three important areas of product development critical to determining the success of a new drug candidate are: manufacturing, safety, and delivery of the product to patients. Early attrition observed during preclinical stages can often extend development timelines or require additional process optimization, therefore costing the developer more time and money. It is desirable to…