The analytical program for a given biotherapeutic has a life-cycle analogous to that of a manufacturing process used to prepare material for clinical and commercial use. This two-part article discusses analytical activities associated with the progression of biotherapeutic candidates from the early stages of clinical development through their appearance as licensed drugs on the market. In Part One, we examined the stages of the analytical life-cycle. Here we conclude by going into more detail on challenges associated with method qualification,…
October 2008
Data Management in the Supply Chain
Adopting an effective strategy for data and knowledge management throughout the drug development and clinical manufacturing lifecycle is key to maintaining a competitive edge. Significant challenges face each organization seeking to improve efficiency in this area, and they can mostly be attributed to the complex nature of pharmaceutical drug development. Managing both data and knowledge is complicated by the different groups, sites, and partner organizations involved with developing and manufacturing a new drug product. To further compound the problem, a…
The Next Generation of Biologicals and Their Production Systems
Combined advances in molecular biology, cell biology, and genomics have led to a wealth of new information about cellular processes. A growing understanding of the fundamentals of cell biology is now being translated into products that use an approach to exert a biological effect that is different from that of most biologicals currently on the market. To date, most biological products consist of highly purified proteins with a specific activity that alleviates or stops the symptoms of a certain condition.…
Biomanufacturing Capacity Use Showed Solid Performance in 2007
It appears that it will take more than just the subprime mortgage crisis to put a dent in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Based on results of our latest annual report, capacity use in 2007 remained essentially steady for mammalian cell culture: at nearly two-thirds, 63.3% compared with 63.9% the year before (1). Capacity use represents the percentage of an industry’s production capacity that is actually in use. It measures how effectively manufacturers and industries are making use of their fixed assets. This…
Implementing Single-Use Technology in Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing
In biopharmaceutical manufacturing, single-use components and systems can offer distinct advantages over reusable, cleanable systems. Deciding whether to move to a single-use approach, however, depends on many factors. In a recent review of biomanufacturers and CMOs, the risk of leachable materials entering drug products was highest on a list of end-user concerns, as shown in Figure 1 (1). That’s not surprising in view of the high organic polymer content of disposable components, a general inexperience with such polymeric materials in…
The Emerging Generation of Chromatography Tools for Virus Purification
Chromatography media and methods have evolved continuously since their introduction a half century ago. Traditional methods use columns packed with porous particles. They still dominate chromatography applications in the field of virus purification, but the past 20 years have witnessed the ascendance of alternative supports, namely membranes and monoliths. These newer media exploit the familiar surface chemistries — ion exchange, hydrophobic interaction, and affinity — but they use unique architectures that offer compelling performance features. The Architecture of Chromatography Media…