On 10 December 2020, BPI presented an “Ask the Expert†webinar with Jason Sterling, PhD (principal scientist and project director in analytical and formulation resources), and John Rockwell (group leader) of Catalent Pharma Solutions. Biophysical characterization is critical to understanding the makeup and behaviors of biologic therapies and vaccines both early in development and throughout scale-up for manufacturing. As biologics become more complex in structure and as scientists improve their understanding of the effects of structure on stability, efficacy, and…
March 2021
Ask the Expert: Developing Strategic Analytical Programs for Therapeutic Peptides
Ashleigh Wake began her 15 October 2020 “Ask the Expert†presentation by pointing out that peptide products are manufactured in a “regulatory vacuum.†Peptide-product developers must be strategic in designing characterization and quality control (QC) programs. Wake reviewed available methods and explored key considerations for developing phase-appropriate analytical controls. Wake’s Presentation Because peptides overlap small- and large-molecule drugs in size, regulatory expectations differ by product size and clinical indication. Thus, analytical programs should be designed around critical quality attributes (CQAs)…
COVID-19 As a Catalyst for Changing Orphan-Drug Regulations
A long-awaited (and for months withheld) evaluation of the European Union’s Orphan Drug Regulation (ODR) finally reached the interested public in August 2020 (1). Its publication during the public consultation of the European Commission’s “Pharmaceutical Strategy†was well planned because the latter discusses policies on access, availability, and affordability of new medicines. However, the ODR evaluation shows not only that the intentions behind the legislation have not been fulfilled, but also that its generous incentives (extension of market exclusivity and…