1 Drug Quality in the 21 st Century Janet Woodcock, M.D. Director, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research May 11, 2010.

1

Drug Quality in the 21st Century

Janet Woodcock, M.D.Director, Center for Drug Evaluation and

ResearchMay 11, 2010

Background of FDA’s “Pharmaceutical Quality for the

21st Century Initiative• In 2002, FDA identified a series of ongoing problems

and issues in pharmaceutical manufacturing that traditional approaches had not solved

• FDA undertook an internal and external assessment of the causes

• As a result, the agency started a major change initiative that is continuing

• Stimulating more use of PAT was an early component of initiative

State of Regulation circa 2002

• Pharmaceutical manufacturing HIGHLY regulated (e.g., compared to foods, fine chemicals)

• Cost of cGMP compliance very high• Despite this: process efficiency and

effectiveness low (high wastage and rework); and level of technology not comparable to other industries

Functional Consequences

• Inability to predict effects of scale-up

• Lack of agility – usually takes years to bring up a new production site

• Operations fragmented around globe

• Inability to understand reasons for manufacturing failures

Result: for Regulators

• Extensive oversight of manufacturing resource-intensive (in era of cost reductions and increased mandates)

• Expensive and time-consuming litigation and legal actions in cGMP area

• Need to deal with recalls and shortages of medically necessary drugs

Result: for Industry

• Culture: antithesis of “continuous improvement”• Less focus on quality, more on compliance• Regulatory burden high and costly, but not viewed

as contributing to better science• Consequences of noncompliance: potentially

catastrophic• Lack of innovation: “test but don’t tell”

Outcomes

• High cost of production for products due to– Low efficiencies in manufacturing – Waste– Long manufacturing cycle times based on

testing requirements during production• Drug shortages due to inability to

manufacture• Lack of improvements based on new

technologies• Slowed development/access for

investigational drugs• Need for intensive regulatory oversight

• More than 40 years ago, Congress required that all drugs must be produced in accordance with Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP).

• Requirement was intended to address significant concerns about substandard drug manufacturing practices by applying quality assurance and quality control principles to drug manufacturing.

• Last comprehensive revisions to the regulations implementing cGMP requirements occurred over 25 years ago.

• The initiative was started in August 2002 as the Pharmaceutical cGMPs for the 21st Century - A Risk-Based Approach initiative to enhance and modernize the regulation of pharmaceutical manufacturing and product quality — to bring a 21st century focus to this critical FDA responsibility.

FDA needed to Modernize Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Regulation

Initiative Included CBER, CDER, CVM and ORA

• Outreach and collaboration with industry• Revise regulations• Implement a “pharmaceutical inspectorate”• Change the CMC review process• Implement quality systems internally• Introduce new manufacturing science into the

regulatory paradigm• Harmonize these concepts internationally

The Desired State: A Mutual Goal of Industry, Society and the Regulators

A maximally efficient, agile, flexible pharmaceutical manufacturing sector that reliably produces high quality drug products without extensive regulatory oversight

Changing the CMC Review Process

• Multiple CMC review cycles and large number of postmarket manufacturing supplements filed to FDA—leads to delays in approval, slow incorporation of new technology, and high agency workload—thousands of supplements

• Cause: inconsistencies in application quality combined with lack of adequate pharmaceutical development information

Quality by Design

• Move from empirical assessment based on performance of clinical lots to concept of “building quality in” based on critical attributes

• Definition of pharmaceutical quality: a contamination-free product that will reproducibly deliver the performance described in the drug label

• Pursued formal and operational definitions of QbD in international context

Regulatory Changes and Manufacturing Science: Implementation of QbD in FDA

• Intensive implementation efforts across review, compliance and inspection programs:– Integration of Review and Inspection– Pharmaceutical Inspectorate (PI) Program – PAT Guidance (2004)– Public meetings, workshops and training programs– Withdrawal of FDA guidances that are not aligned with QbD vision

• CMC Pilot Program – ONDQA• Implementation of QbD for biotech products• Question-based review (QbR) for generic products

Guidance for Industry: Quality Systems Approach to Pharmaceutical CGMP Regulations

• Help manufacturers bridge between 1978 regulations and modern quality systems and risk management approaches

• Extends beyond CGMP expectations; however, does not create requirements on manufacturers. Implementation of this model should ensure compliance and encourage use of science, risk management and other principles of the 21st Century Initiative.

• Describes a comprehensive quality system model and how CGMP regulations link to QS elements

“When fully developed and effectively managed, a quality system will lead to consistent, predictable processes that ensure that

pharmaceuticals are safe, effective, and available for the consumer.”

Quality Systems : Implementation and International Development as the PQS

• Manufacturers with a robust quality system and appropriate process knowledge can implement many types of improvements and take responsibility for quality– Eliminate most of the burden of CMC post approval regulatory

submissions– Allow for more focused and fewer FDA inspections– Adoption by industry is starting to take hold – fewer deviations, cost

savings in manufacturing• ICH adopted this concept as Q 10 Pharmaceutical Quality

System (PQS) to fulfill the ICH Quality Vision – Covers the product lifecycle from pharmaceutical development, tech

transfer, commercial manufacturing, to discontinuation– Focuses on the commercial manufacturing process, predicted by

development and utilizes knowledge for process improvement and future development

International Harmonization

• In addition to Q10, Quality Systems:• Q8 Pharmaceutical Development• Q9 Quality Risk Management

This Was the State of Development in January 2008

Heparin was a Wakeup Call

• Up to 30% contamination of finished product• Present worldwide in various APIs: many

countries affected• Undetected by acceptance and release testing• Persisted in drug supply until serious adverse

events triggered investigation• Brought home the need for vigilance

throughout supply chain and in all global settings

Globalization of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Poses Significant

Threats to US Drug Supply

• Safety and quality of US drug supply long taken for granted

• FDA not organized to oversee a global enterprise

• Shift to developing nations means shift away from regions with strong regulatory presence

• Sheer volume of new players challenging• New opportunities for criminal activity

Drug Postmarket Manufacturing Surveillance Circa 1990’s

• Domestic focus of inspectorate—FDA field – Organized around US districts– Obtaining foreign inspection rather difficult– FD&C Act required biennial inspection of domestic firms but silent on

foreign sites• Start of international harmonization efforts

– ICH-International Conference on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals

– Spurred by multi-national Pharma– Successful but manufacturing not prominent– Exception “Q7A”—GMPs for APIs guidance

• Beginning of movement of production outside traditional regions—began with APIs

Oversight of Non-US Production

• No unique identifiers for foreign establishments

• Little regulatory focus on supply chain• Minimal Congressional/Administration

interest in the problem• “Porous” borders--FDA required to

demonstrate a problem to stop a drug entry

22

Circa 1990s: Screening at Border

• Much burden on FDA

• Relies on paperwork accompanying shipments

• Little information known about most raw materials presented at borders– Presumes articles presented for importation can be traced back to

the source– API firms must register with FDA and provide drug/site information

(no analogous registration requirement for excipient manufacturers)

• Number of line items/day (food & drug) growing continuously– Which shipments should be scrutinized?– Which shipments contain drug ingredients?

• Limited assurance of traceability back to manufacturer

23

International Mail Branches (14 total) Express Consignment Facilities (29 total)Number of Ports in State (312 total)

(Virgin Islands)2

3

11

8 1

13 11 1DE

16

3

4

3

42

1

1 1

6

19

3MD

MA98

11

4

5

14

12

1

NJ3

4

15

7

19

6

2

4

6

5

(Puerto Rico)

2 RI

44

22

7VT

3

5

24

61

1

1(Guam)

4 CT

Globalization: Significant Challenges for Maintaining Pharmaceutical

Quality• Increased complexity of supply chains; extensive

outsourcing• Greater potential for exploitation (e.g., counterfeits,

terrorism)• Global regulatory system fragmented• (US) Erosion of inspectional coverage over last

several decades• (US) Lack of modern IT (e.g., registration and listing

systems, inspection tracking, imports)

25

““Data from FDA suggest that the agency may inspect Data from FDA suggest that the agency may inspect about 7 percent of foreign [drug] establishments in a about 7 percent of foreign [drug] establishments in a given year. At this rate, it would take FDA more than 13 given year. At this rate, it would take FDA more than 13 years to inspect each foreign establishment once . . . .” years to inspect each foreign establishment once . . . .” November 2007 GAO report on drug safetyNovember 2007 GAO report on drug safety

Mission v. Challenges Mission v. Challenges Manufacturing of Many FDA-Regulated Drug Products Manufacturing of Many FDA-Regulated Drug Products

Has Moved OverseasHas Moved Overseas

The Current State of Globalized Manufacturing

• Dispersed drug production: “world travelers”– APIs– Excipients/packaging/container-closures– Finished pharmaceuticals

• Weak/absent regulatory oversight in developing countries

• Lack of local tradition of quality management• Economically motivated fraud/counterfeits– Diffusion of science and scientific personnel enables

Trajectory of Globalization

• Expect ever increasing proportion of APIs to be from developing world

• Rapid increase in finished pharmaceuticals, especially generics

• Rise of innovator industries in Asia particularly• FDA not able to inspect all these sites on a

regular basis

28

17,558

20,249

23,099

26,917

31,530

37,256

42,983

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

45,000

50,000

CY01 CY02 CY03 CY04 CY05 CY06 CY07

Calendar Year

Nu

mb

er

of

Acti

ve P

rod

ucts

Cumulative Listings Expon. (Cumulative Listings)

Data Source: FDA/CDER Drug Registration and Listing System* Finished drugs, intermediates and APIs; Products active on 3/18/2007

29

1,252

1,452

1,729

1,973

2,253

2,534

2,782

249 211 189260 255 212

325

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Fiscal Year

Nu

mb

er

of

Ac

tiv

e S

ite

s

Foreign Facilities Foreign Facilities

* Data Source: FDA Drug Registration and Listing. Sites active on 3/18/2008

Number of Inspections Has Increased but Inspection Rate has Declined by 41 Percent

30

Different Facilities Pose Different Product Quality Risks

• CDER using risk-based approach to determine inspection priorities

• We also factor in the information received from other countries’ regulators

• Factors Determining Risk include (examples):– Manufacturer’s technical expertise – knowledge of FDA regulatory requirements, e.g. Good Manufacturing

Practices (GMPs)– Maturity of regulatory system in foreign “home” country– Complexity/ contamination risk of product– Level of exposure of US population

Corporate Responsibility

• Qualify and oversee component suppliers• Ensure security of supply chain• Have adequate testing methods and controls to

guard against substitutions/poor quality ingredients

• Consider total costs/liabilities to firm when choosing suppliers and sites—be prepared to provide level of support needed

Significant Challenges for Both Manufacturers and FDA

• Explosion of globalized manufacturing• Increased complexity of supply chains• Greater potential for exploitation (e.g.,

counterfeits, terrorism)• Global regulatory system still fragmented• (US) Erosion of inspectional coverage over last

several decades• (US) Lack of modern IT (e.g., registration and

listing systems, inspection tracking, imports)

Where We Need to Go

• Seamless, effective global regulatory collaboration– World wide safety net– Increase effectiveness of inspectorates in developing

countries• Fully harmonized quality standards (ICH and non-ICH

regions)• Manufacturing modernization• Harmonized pharmacopeial standards• Agreed-upon methods for supply chain security/integrity• IT: Better automation/standardization of global

inventory

Improvements Started in 21st Century Initiative are Critical

• Global harmonization of manufacturing standards

• Continuous improvement in manufacturing science

• Application of quality risk management• Quality by design

Quality by Design

• Requires strong quality management system• Requires monitoring and good change

control by manufacturer• Allows innovation• Frees up FDA inspectional resources to focus

on those at greater risk of problems

36

Quality by Design and 21st Century Pharmaceutical Quality Initiative

• Quality by design continues to be a major goal

• Implementation is moving forward in all three product Offices of OPS

• Implementation of a Quality Management System within CDER will further support this initiative

Role of This PAT Workshop

• Gathering of academics, pharmaceutical industry, FDA, PAT equipment manufacturers

• Goal: update on use of the technology, present case studies, understand barriers to more widespread adoption

• Understanding of how PAT fits into the future of quality by design

37

Role of This Workshop• FDA has been working intensively on QbD, quality

management systems, and our own internal processes

• PAT was a stimulating concept for the 21st Century Initiative: we want to continue our emphasis on the use of modern analytical technology

• Can help address many of the challenges discussed above

38

FDA’s Internal Initiatives

• Reorganization within ONDQA to reflect multidisciplinary team approach to QbD submission review. OBP and OGD also addressing QbD in review

• Development of a quality management system for CDER: OPS in forefront

• Better coordination across OPS, CDER Office of Compliance and ORA

39

Design of Workshop

• Hear from experts in the field who have successfully implemented PAT applications

• Hear from FDA—inspectors, compliance staff and reviewers—about how we work with PAT in submissions

• Case histories to illustrate practical aspects and (hopefully) decrease regulatory concerns

40

Summary• The public expects their drugs to be of reliable high

quality• Tradition of empirical development of formulation and

manufacturing process makes reliability a challenge• Globalization introduces more risks of quality problems• FDA introduced “Pharmaceutical Quality for 21st Century”

to address these challenges

41

Summary• Improved manufacturing science (QbD), when paired with

a robust quality system, is the key to reliable drug quality• Technologies such as PAT are crucial to implementing the

knowledge gained from QbD in a meaningful and efficient way

• FDA encourages adoption of these technologies, and is modifying its own processes in order to facilitate this change

42