Regulatory Oversight

Quality risk management plans provide identified actions to ensure a continuous supply of safe and effective drug products, says Susan J. Schniepp, executive vice-president of post-approval pharma and distinguished fellow, Regulatory Compliance Associates.

New tools and policies aim to support more complex manufacturing processes.

A risk-based approach to CMC enables drug sponsors to focus on clinical and manufacturing development paths.

Harmonization of regulatory guidelines not only reduces workloads for manufacturers and regulators but can potentially help to accelerate patient access to vital therapies.

European Union regulators have taken a significant step towards resolving some of the major supply-chain difficulties behind medicine shortages.

Machine vision systems have been an integral part of pharma manufacturing and packaging for many years and, with the introduction of stricter safety regulations, are set to become more vital.

Much has changed in the bio/pharma industry over three decades. In this special feature, the editors take a trip down memory lane, highlighting some of the major happenings of the past 30 years.

Europe has introduced a waiver for supplementary protection certificates, polarizing opinions throughout the industry. In this interview, the SPC waiver and its implications for European pharma are discussed.

Strong personnel training, detailed SOPs, commitment to data integrity, investigation and implementation of appropriate modern methods, and employing Lean and Six Sigma methodology initiatives are key best practices for the quality control microbiology lab.

Senior managers of OTC drug companies are on a learning curve, as FDA warning letters cite insufficient understanding of cGMPs and inadequate responses to prior 483s.

Performing a compliance gap assessment and focusing on six key factors in your facility’s process definition and controls can help your facility pass its next FDA inspection with flying colors.

CHMP and CMDh have recommended that all marketing authorization holders (MAHs) of medicines containing liposomal drug delivery systems change the medicine name to avoid medication errors.

EMA has issued a recommendation that the multiple sclerosis drug, Gilenya (fingolimod), not be used in women who are pregnant.

Jubilant Cadista Pharmaceuticals is voluntarily recalling one lot of Drospirenone and Ethinyl Estradiol Tablets because of concerns regarding product efficacy.

MHRA has launched a consultation to gain a greater understanding of the potential application of AQbD in pharmacopoeial standards and the future of medicines standards.

As drug supply chain security is of paramount importance, could radio-frequency identification solutions provide the optimal solution for pharma companies?

MHRA has issued a drug alert for the Emerade adrenaline auto-injector device, as a result of the device’s potential to fail in delivery of the dose due to blockage of the needle.

cGMP deficiencies prompted FDA to withdraw approval for 31 Apotex ANDAs

Altaire is voluntarily recalling ophthalmic products because of concerns regarding quality assurance controls in the manufacturing facility.

FDA sent a warning letter to Ecometics, Inc. after the agency found CGMP violations at the company’s Norwalk facility.

Slovakia becomes the final European Union country to be recognized by FDA, and the mutual recognition agreement for inspections of manufacturing sites between the US and the EU is now fully implemented.

The new guidance offers information for new drug application and biologics license application sponsors regarding population pharmacokinetic analysis.

Patient consent is potentially tricky for pharma R&D to navigate as a result of new data protection rules in Europe.

The FDA guidance defines changes to approved risk evaluation and mitigation strategies and clarifies submission guidelines.

The draft guidance provides industry with a guide for using the database to assist in the development of drug products.

FDA released draft guidance on using the USP pending monograph process in the drug application process.

The guidance document provides recommendations for developing content for Instructions-for-Use documents for human prescription drugs, biological products, and drug-device or biologic-device combination products.

FDA sent warning letters detailing violations of current good manufacturing practices to three companies that repack APIs.

CHMP of the European Medicines Agency has recommended a change to the European marketing authorization for AstraZeneca’s Forxiga (dapagliflozin) in patients with Type-2 diabetes.

AstraZeneca has revealed that the CHMP of the European Medicines Agency has given a positive opinion to adding a self-administration option for Fasenra (benralizumab).