Regulatory/GMP Compliance

The guidance document provides recommendations regarding data needed for the manufacturing, development, and approval of a COVID-19 vaccine.

FDA is placing emphasis on developing guidance documents more quickly and efficiently, and agency officials expect that such approaches may continue in the future.

Emer Cooke, currently the director of the Regulation and Prequalification Department at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, has been nominated by EMA’s management board to be the new executive director of EMA.

The European Medicines Agency’s (EMA’s) Committee for Human and Medicinal Products (CHMP) has recommended Veklury (remdesivir) be granted conditional marketing authorization in the European Union for the treatment of COVID-19.

Members of the European Commission, EMA, and FDA met in a virtual two-day meeting to discuss ongoing joint initiatives and upcoming priorities.

The agency will be waiving fees for scientific advice for academia developing orphan drugs.

The guidance document provides recommendations for CGMP expectations to prevent contamination of drugs and exclude sick workers from participating in drug manufacturing.

The European Commission has granted marketing authorization to the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson for Darzalex (daratumumab) subcutaneous formulation to treat adults with multiple myeloma.

Products must be manufactured in accordance with appropriate regulatory requirements, even during a pandemic, says Susan J. Schniepp, executive vice-president of post-approval pharma and distinguished fellow, Regulatory Compliance Associates.

The complexity of biologics and the use of new technologies present challenges for complying with CGMPs.

Tools such as manufacturing execution systems, artificial intelligence, and software innovations are useful for enhancing data integrity protection.

Bioanalytical studies are an important aspect of biologic drug development that may necessitate partnering with bioanalysis experts.

FDA and the US Congress support innovation and access to cheaper medicines.

The Trump Administration has awarded a hefty contract to a new pharmaceutical manufacturing consortium to produce in the United States all components of certain critical medicines needed to combat COVID-19.

Biopharmaceutical companies and federal agencies have been working overtime and assuming considerable risk to be able to supply billions of doses of any safe and effective preventive.

The International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities held a virtual meeting of regulators from around the world to discuss policy issues and regulatory requirements to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The European Medicines Agency is emphasizing the need for the research community to pool resources to determine which COVID-19 treatments and preventions are safe and effective.

A temporary restraining order was entered against Xephyr LLC, doing business as N-Ergetics requiring the company to immediately stop distributing colloidal silver products.

The CHMP has issued a recommendation that the compassionate use of remdesivir be expanded in the treatment of more patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms.

Risk aversion is impeding the use of closed aseptic systems, and adding unnecessary cost and complexity to aseptic operations in the pharma industry.

The agency is responding to companies promoting and selling medical products that claim, but are unproven, to prevent or treat COVID-19.

A high-level meeting on COVID-19 policies, organized by EMA under the auspice of the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA), has brought together global regulators to ensure a coordinated pandemic response.

A rolling review of data on the use of remdesivir, an investigational antiviral medicine, for the treatment of COVID-19 has been started by EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use.

Congressional leaders are developing the next version of the 21st Century Cures Act, including provisions to advance research related to the COVID-19 crisis as part of initiatives for bringing innovative therapies to market faster.

Policy makers seek to ensure supplies of new therapies and to limit shortages.