Single-use technology is being examined for implementation in an increasing number of steps in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing process. Some examples of currently available disposable components include filter capsules, tubing, connectors, and biocontainers (for storage, mixing, and bioreactors), as well as devices for chromatography and multipass tangential-flow filtration (1,2). This technology was first implemented in upstream and API downstream processes such as media and buffer preparation, followed by upstream bioreactors and mixers (3). The single-use trend has most recently…
Sunday, May 1, 2011 Daily Archives
Quality By Design and the New Process Validation Guidance
Where were you in 1987, and what were you doing? I’m not too embarrassed to say that I was beginning my last year of high school and paying far more attention to guitar lessons and writing my first novel than what I might eventually do for a career. Meanwhile, the US FDA was publishing a guidance document on process validation that the biopharmaceutical industry has relied on ever since. I’m willing to bet that quite a few readers…
Implementing a Single-Use Solution for Fill–Finish Manufacturing Operations
Fill–finish is the final operation in manufacture of sterile products (except for terminally sterilized products). This process requires sophisticated technology and machinery in a highly controlled, aseptic environment. Fill–finish assemblies must meet stringent requirements to ensure flow-path sterility and integrity, ensure operational safety and efficiency, and provide fill-volume accuracy to exacting requirements. Traditional fill–finish machinery comes as fixed systems comprising complex components that require assembly, cleaning and sterilization, disassembly, and material storage after filling is complete. Those operational…
Disposable Downstream Processing for Clinical Manufacturing
Although disposable parts and modules have been used in the biopharmaceutical industry since the 1970s, as detailed in the “History†box, total disposable manufacturing has become a viable option only very recently. Whereas liquid storage became disposable in the 1990s, processing operations such as depth filtration, tangential-flow filtration (TFF), and chromatography have still required skids with reusable flow paths that needed cleaning and sanitization. Important recent milestones in total disposable technology included introduction of stirred bioreactors by HyClone (Thermo Scientific)…
Improved Downstream Technologies Are Needed to Boost Single-Use Adoption
Greater adoption of single-use systems in biomanufacturing is going to require downstream device innovation. To get there, over a third of the biopharmaceutical industry is demanding that suppliers innovate and develop new single-use purification devices, according to BioPlan Associates, Inc.’s annual survey of biopharmaceutical manufacturing capacity (1). Such new products would create exceptional opportunities for innovators. However, calls for new, more fully integrated single-use technologies and processes will require more adventurous innovation on the part of biomanufacturers and their suppliers.…
From the Editor
Bonjour! I am writing this from Nice, France, on the last day of the eighth annual BPI European Conference and Exhibition organized by our London-based Informa Life Sciences colleagues. Despite the attraction of some exquisite spring weather (a welcome respite for me from the rain-drenched Pacific Northwest), sessions were well attended till the very end, and discussions were lively and productive. This event was organized into five tracks: manufacturing strategies, process optimization, economics and QbD; cell…
Navigating the Biopharmaceutical Regulatory Pathway: Replacing Undefined Raw Materials with Chemically-defined Substitutes
With market demands increasing, biopharmaceutical producers are constantly looking for ways to enhance product quality while reducing costs and risk. One way to meet these changing demands is to replace animal-derived supplements with chemically-defined substitutes. In this educational webcast, Dr. Michael Titus, Director of Quality Management and Regulatory Compliance with BD Biosciences, outlines the regulatory pathway involved in making such a switch. Dr. Titus will discuss:
• A background on the uses of supplements in the cell culture production process;
• Change control & risk management;
• And the regulatory path of making the switch to chemically-defined supplements.
Join Dr. Titus as he demonstrates how chemically-defined supplements can boost performance, reduce risk and increase consistency in commercially marketed biopharmaceutical products.
Blank Slate Biomanufacturing: Designing the Ideal Operation from a Blank Sheet of Paper
If you could start with a blank sheet of paper, what would your biomanufacturing operation look like? Robust, adaptable, cost-effective and efficient probably come to mind, but how do you get there? In this educational webcast, Parrish Galliher, Founder and CTO of Xcellerex, takes an in-depth look at the strategies involved in designing the ideal biomanufacturing facility from a blank slate. You’ll learn how to optimize your operation to:
• Increase Speed
• Enhance Flexibility
• Decrease Risk
• Improve Economics
View this webcast to discover the steps for maximizing your biomanufacturing process.
Key Aspects of Managing Early Phase Development Programs for Long Term Success
From selection of a cell line to release of the first clinical batch, product and process developers make decisions that have timeline, financial, and regulatory consequences. As contract manufacturing becomes the norm rather than the exception in our industry, it is important that a Sponsor and CMO make the best use of each other’s expertise for maximum benefit to product and patients. In this presentation, Dr. George Koch, Chief Scientific Officer for Contract Manufacturing and Director of Project Management with Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, provides insight into:
• Selecting a CMO
• Process and Method Development
• The First Tox Lots
• The First Clinical Lots
View this on-demand educational webcast to learn more about manufacturing best practices for preclinical activities.
Fill, Finish and Testing of Phase I/II Drug Products
Florida Biologix, a full service CMO for Phase I/II biologics, has significant experience with a variety of aseptic liquid fill projects. This presentation walks you through key considerations and decisions you will need to make when outsourcing a fill. This webcast discusses the major considerations involved in the process, such as:
• Timeline
• Component, Volume & Testing
• Documentation
• Execution
• Shipping, Handling and Storage
The presentation provides information that anyone looking to outsource a clinical batch liquid fill needs to know to help ensure a successful outcome.