254 Biotechnology courses

The regulation of biological medicinal products is governed by different laws from those that apply to small-molecule synthetic drugs. Producing faithful copies of therapeutic proteins is more challenging than producing generic drugs. The US legal framework for the licensure of follow-on biologics, and accompanying regulatory guidance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), have been established only in recent years.

This module outlines the legislative and regulatory context for the development of generic drugs and describes the essential role of the Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) in gaining marketing approval. The use of information in the ‘Orange Book’ is explained, as is the role of patent certification in the application. The importance of establishing bioequivalence between a generic and its reference product is emphasised. The module specifies the content and format requirements for an ANDA submission and describes the FDA’s review and approval process. An outline is given of the Generic Drug User Fee Amendments (GDUFA) and the law’s effects on industry players.

This module describes the requirements that must be met to obtain licensure of a biological product. Subjects covered include the regulatory context, the content and format of the BLA submission, the review process, and provisions for expedited development and review.

This module describes the design, development and installation phase, the validation phase, and the operation and maintenance phase of the validation of computerised systems in medicines and healthcare products manufacturing environments. It continues to follow the progress of a pharmaceutical company's project to validate a new dispensary control system.

In the medicines and healthcare products industries, computerised systems used in automated manufacturing or laboratory processes to which Good Manufacturing Practice requirements apply need to be validated. This module describes the planning of such validation. It follows the work of a pharmaceutical company's team as they validate the dispensary control system for a new production line.

Manufacturers of medicines and healthcare products must establish, validate and maintain an equipment cleaning programme. This is a regulatory requirement because validated cleaning procedures contribute to the assurance of product purity and safety. This module provides a comprehensive account of equipment cleaning validation requirements and procedures. It follows the work of a pharmaceutical company's validation team as they establish and validate the cleaning program for a new production line.

Having undergone Installation Qualification, before equipment can be used routinely in production, it needs to undergo Operational Qualification (OQ) and Performance Qualification (PQ). This module describes OQ and PQ requirements and procedures in the medicines and healthcare products industries. It follows the activities of a typical validation team as they carry out a project for a pharmaceutical company.

Before equipment can be used routinely in production, it must first be commissioned and, if necessary, undergo Installation Qualification (IQ). This module describes commissioning and IQ requirements and procedures in the medicines and healthcare products industries. It follows the activities of a typical validation team as they carry out a project for a pharmaceutical company.

Essential to validation is the provision of documented evidence verifying that manufacturing processes will consistently result in products meeting predetermined quality standards. This module describes the purpose, content and use of validation master plans, project validation plans, and other documentation for validation projects in the medicines and healthcare products industries. It describes the activities of a typical validation team as they carry out a project for a pharmaceutical company.

Validation of equipment, services, systems and processes is vitally important in the medicines and healthcare products industries. Regulatory authorities require documented evidence that manufacturing processes will consistently result in products meeting predetermined quality standards. This module provides an introduction to validation and to the regulations and guidance that apply to it. It describes the activities of a typical validation team as they carry out a project for a pharmaceutical company.