Combination Products

The environment for developing an injectable drug device combination product (CP) is dynamic from a regulatory and technical perspective. At the center of it all are the patients and their needs. West is pleased to announce the publication of its review manuscript that provides a detailed overview of best practices for this kind of development program. It considers technical and regulatory aspects and can be used as a foundational document for drug formulators, scientists and engineers working in this area.

Combination products open up new vistas when it comes to delivering innovative therapies to patients in need, but teams bringing these products to the market face a number of significant hurdles. Recent surveys conducted by West at workshops held in PA and AZ revealed some of our customers’ biggest challenges. This is the final of our three blogs focused on these challenges — and how West can help Simplify the Journey™ when it comes to developing a combination product.

Part 1 of this two part blog series, gave a high-level overview of the new ICH guideline Q12 Technical and Regulatory Considerations for Pharmaceutical Product Lifecycle Management.  In part 2 of this blog series, some of the key takeaways will be discussed in more detail.  Q12 is intended to help companies demonstrate increased product and process knowledge, and understand which post-approval changes will require a regulatory submission, as well as the level of reporting for each category.

Combination products open up new vistas when it comes to delivering innovative therapies to patients in need, but teams bringing these products to the market face a number of significant hurdles. Recent surveys conducted by West at workshops held in PA and AZ have revealed some of our customers’ biggest challenges. This is the second of three blogs focused on these challenges — and how West can help Simplify the Journey™ when it comes to developing a combination product.

Standing front and foremost in biologic drug formulation is the optimization of safety and efficacy while ensuring quality and stability during manufacturing. Biologic manufacturing subjects the formulation to different stresses and conditions that may compromise quality and stability. Recently, the requirement for the development of subcutaneous formulations for high dose drugs, such as monoclonal antibodies, at high protein concentrations has created additional challenges, including degradation.

On March 26, the Delaware Valley Chapter of PDA and West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. co-sponsored a workshop: Defining a Strategy for Combination Products, at West’s headquarters in Exton, PA. More than 150 people from 45 companies that provide drug products and combination products attended. In prior PDA events, combination product regulatory challenges have been cited often as an area both of interest and confusion. This workshop aimed to address them.