US interchangeability designation: are we ready to cut the Gordian knot?

Author byline as per print journal: Joseph P Park1, PhD; Gillian R Woollett2, MA, DPhil Abstract: US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) current thinking on interchangeability has evolved since the legal designation was first created in 2010. Based on experience, FDA now acknowledges that clinical switching studies are not generally needed for the interchangeability designation […]


Advances in analytical characterization of biosimilars

Abstract: The substantial improvement in the power of analytical methods to compare different versions of a given protein molecule should be taken into account when considering the value of clinical studies for designation of biosimilarity. Arguably, demonstration of comparative pharmacokinetic, allied to post-registration monitoring, will provide more discriminatory clinical evidence than large pre-approval therapeutic equivalence […]


Maximizing quality in the manufacture of biologicals

Abstract: Biological product quality is susceptible to unexpected manufacturing issues, and the resulting variation may impact the safety or efficacy of these medicines and increase risks to patients. These risks can be managed more effectively by manufacturers’ adoption of the culture and practices of high reliability organizations and by their sharing of quality risk management […]


New CHMP guideline on immunogenicity of monoclonal antibodies

Author byline as per print journal: Robin Thorpe, PhD, FRCPath; Meenu Wadhwa, PhD Abstract: The importance of monoclonal antibodies as a product class and the challenge of assessing unwanted immunogenicity for these products have prompted the drafting of a new CHMP (Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use) guideline. The ‘Guideline on immunogenicity assessment of […]


Terminology for biosimilars–a confusing minefield

Author byline as per print journal: Robin Thorpe, PhD, FRCPath; Meenu Wadhwa, PhD Abstract:  Biosimilars are firmly established in the EU as copy biologicals with a clear and effective regulatory route for approval. Unfortunately, inconsistency in nomenclature for biosimilars has caused confusion. This problem of terminology has been the subject of a recent publication. The confusion is […]