Quality/GMPs

The European Union publishes long-awaited changes to Annex 1.

Addition of a testing lab to an existing testing site as a Post Approval Change (PAC) is considered low risk when there is no change to testing procedure, specifications, equipment, and the additional lab is already approved by health authorities for other testing activities. Such PACs should be managed in the Pharmaceutical Quality System (PQS) only rather than requiring prior approval.

The European Commission (EC) has approved Celltrion Healthcare's Vegzelma (CT-P16), a biosimilar to bevacizumab referencing Avastin.

Charles River has received approval to commercially produce allogeneic cell therapy products for distribution in Europe from EMA.

The UK’s MHRA has granted marketing authorization for Novartis’ radioligand therapy, Pluvicto, for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer in Great Britain.

A case study discussing why post-approval changes present a very low risk, and therefore can be downgraded from a prior-approval to a notification after implementation and managed in the PQS with immediate implementation effect.

The United Kingdom has approved Moderna’s bivalent COVID-19 vaccine, which targets the original variant and Omicron.

Moderna and the European Commission have amended their agreement to convert contractually agreed doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine to the company’s Omicron-containing bivalent vaccines for supply in 2022.

Roche announced that FDA has approved Roche’s Xofluza (baloxavir marboxil) to treat influenza in children aged five years and older.

Daiichi Sankyo’s Enhertu (fam-trastuzumab-deruxtecan-nxki) is the first targeted therapy for HER2-low breast cancer.

Guest contributor B.S. Sathya Durga discusses the importance of modernizing India's pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.

FDA has approved Coherus’ Cimerli (ranibizumab-eqrn) as an interchangeable biosimilar for all five indications of Lucentis.

Democrats approve curbs for Medicare plans, but not for commercial drug coverage.

Better clinical data are needed, as well as strategies for tackling opioid abuse, tobacco use, and food safety.

FDA’s hybrid inspection model will remain a regular means for supplementing onsite inspections and will be further integrated into the agency’s oversight operations.

A strong digital backbone is foundational in driving innovation.

The European Commission has granted marketing authorization to Upstaza (eladocagene exuparvovec) for treatment of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency.

FDA and the USPTO hope to promote competition by challenging strategies designed to block timely approval of generics and biosimilars.

Susan J. Schniepp, distinguished fellow at Regulatory Compliance Associates, answers some commonly asked questions about biologics license applications.

How can we fix the quality manufacturing issues that come with product shortages?

Scrutiny of accelerated approvals has generated a range of reform proposals to accelerate the conduct of confirmatory studies.

The agency’s human medicines committee recommended drugs to treat breast cancer, lupus nephritis, type 2 diabetes and more.

A joint statement calling for international collaboration on the creation and use of real-world evidence has been published by the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities.

Hospira has issued a voluntary nationwide recall for one lot of Propofol Injectable Emulsion, USP (containing benzyl alcohol), due to the potential presence of visible particulate.

Health Canada has authorized Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for use in young children aged six months to five years.