Particulate

Regulatory and market expectations constantly increase. Novel drug products such as cell and gene therapies have a very high value and therefore each dose is precious. With that, drug product manufacturers face increased pressure to minimize rejects of finished drug products. One aspect of this is controlling particulate matter. Particulate matter in finished drug products can come from a number of sources, including the ingredients in the drug product, manufacturing equipment and environment, or the components of the container closure system. This blog describes approaches to control and measure particulate matter.

Particles in an injectable drug product represent a huge risk not only to patient safety – but also to a drug company’s reputation and bottom line. Presence of visible or sub-visible particles has been one of the most common reasons for recalls. According to the FDA Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts database, 23 of 59 (39%) recalls, market withdrawals, and safety alerts between 2018 and 2020 were due to particulate contamination¹.

An enormous growth trend is being observed in the market for biologic drugs; they are being employed ever more frequently as treatments for chronic issues such as cancer and autoimmune diseases. This growth is reflected by the number of companies involved (established and emerging), and in the capital investment for manufacturing facilities for both biologics and biosimilars. Companies must apply a holistic approach to bringing a biologic drug to market. 

A parenteral drug product contaminated by particles is a potential health threat. In the bloodstream, particles can cause serious issues, such as capillary occlusion and immunogenic responses. In most cases, the observation of particles in a drug product leads to a recall.

Particulates in injectable drug products continue to be an area of great interest in the industry. The main reason is the potential clinical effects on patients, which can range from emboli to inflammations to infections. There are a series of clinical risk factors that should be considered in evaluating and mitigating these challenges. These factors are route of administration, patient population, and particulate composition (i.e., number, size, and shape). All are critical inputs to understanding risk and determining corrective and preventative actions.

Particles in parenteral drug products are a serious concern; they can cause issues such as product recalls, or worse, immunogenic responses. Sources of particles are varied; they can be from aggregates of biologic API’s, excipient contaminants, components, or silicone oil used to promote syringe function. With emphasis on safe and efficient delivery of drug products, West is focused on strategies to both measure particles, and mitigate their presence.