The aim of any company making protein-based therapeutics is to get to the clinic quickly with a product formulation that has the best chance of success. Any number of specific formulation development and manufacturing issues can keep such drugs from advancing expeditiously to the clinic. To be successful organizations must balance the strengths and weaknesses of each individual molecule against timelines, budgets, and priorities. Ultimately, it’s not just about deploying the best methodologies and processes, but of applying them appropriately…
Sunday, November 1, 2009 Daily Archives
A Modular Approach to Facility Validation
Biopharmaceutical manufacturers are striving to maintain productivity and profits while controlling increasing costs. Historically, validation has been seen as an expensive, non–value-added necessity to gaining regulatory approval to manufacture. Less often is it seen as a key element of an overall quality management system (QMS) that supports the safety, quality, and efficacy of end products for patients while also providing invaluable knowledge and experience for enhanced process control and management. When fully integrated with a QMS, a modular validation platform…
Strategies for Implementing a BPC in Commercial Biologics Manufacturing
Biopharmaceutical manufacturers use a range of bioprocess containers (BPCs) during the production and storage of biopharmaceuticals. Plastic bags, bottles, flasks, and carboys are all types commonly used in bioprocessing (1). A suitable BPC must be able to maintain aseptic integrity and be constructed of materials that will not harm product efficacy and/or purity. The trend of “single-use” or “disposable” BPC technologies in the biopharmaceutical industry enables greater flexibility and better use of production facilities that are increasingly designed for multiple…
Large-Scale Freezing of Biologics
Production of biologics is expensive. To optimize capacity use, bulk protein solution produced in manufacturing campaigns is often converted into drug product based on market demand, so it may be stored for relatively long periods. To decouple production of bulk solution from that of a final drug product, the bulk is often stored frozen. Transport of frozen bulk between sites offers several practical advantages over bulk transport in the liquid state (2–8 °C). Maintaining 2–8 °C requires accurate systems control…
Nutrient Supplementation Strategies for Biopharmaceutical Production
Cell-culture–related in vitro recombinant protein production is currently a $70-billion/year business. In 2007, biotech drug sales grew by 12.5%, twice as fast as standard pharmaceuticals (1). Current ongoing efforts to maximize productivity in both time and volume directly affect the scale and capital investment required for a bioreactor suite. As cells reach higher concentrations more quickly while each cell pumps out more product than ever before, the number and scale of bioreactors can be reduced. To that end, not only…
Rapid Assessment of Vaccine Potency
The global vaccine market is growing annually by 16% and is expected to reach $21 billion by 2010 (1). Much of the predicted growth of this market is expected to come from the introduction of new vaccines, either against diseases for which no vaccine currently exists or as second-generation products to replace existing ones. Much research is still centered on developing vaccines to prevent infectious diseases caused by microbial and viral pathogens. This segment is being fueled by a number…
Fifth Annual Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing and Development Summit
According to a recent industry survey published in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, the top three goals of most biopharmaceutical manufacturing companies are to improve in these areas: manufacturing agility, capacity use, and internal quality management. Close on the heels of those top three are improved alignment of internal goals with those of business partners, improved on-time delivery, and reduced inventory. The BMD Summit is the best forum to gain the data and consultation you need to enable you and your interdisciplinary team…
Global Marketplace
Disposable Component ID Product: Single-use tubing and molding components Applications: Biopharmaceutical manufacturing Features: The industry wants reliable identification of components in single-use products. AdvantaPure addresses that with identification solutions that include the AdvantaLabel molded silicone labeling system, PET process-equipment tracking, and GammaTag gamma-irradiation–sterilizable RFID tags. The new DocuLink identification product (patent pending) will soon be launched to provide users a way to reference batch, lot, and validation documentation after installation of a molded-silicone manifold. Contact AdvantaPure www.advantapure.com Hydrophobic Interaction Product:…
Questioning the Downstream Bottleneck
In preparing for our October supplement on bioprocess design, BPI’s contributing editor Lorna D. McLeod spoke with Bayer Healthcare’s Harald Dinter (vice president of global biological development) and Jens Vogel (CMC development team leader and head of isolation and purification in global biological development) about the downstream bottleneck. Is it or isn’t it a real problem? Does the answer depend on your point of view? BPI: “Does a company’s downstream capacity place practical constraints on increasing production titers? Is that…
Approach to Validation & Implementation of Single-Use Systems
While many of the reasons to move to single-use systems have been well defined over the last few years, there are still concerns with the lack of information regarding validation and implementation of the systems. In this on-demand educational webcast, Christopher Mach of Pall Life Sciences details the step-by-step approach to validation and implementation of single-use systems in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. You’ll learn about:
• A Summary of the Regulatory Position Regarding Validation
• Validation Program Key Points
• Pall Approach to Organizing and Operating an Appropriate Validation Program
• Pall Validation Capabilities
Join Mach as he utilizes a core study of extractables/leachables using the Pall AllegroTM Single-Use System to address industry concerns and help illustrate the necessary components of a successful validation program.