GMP News - Analytical Quality Control

The European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM) issued a press release indicating that public consultation on two Ph. Eur. chapters on pharmaceutical technology procedures has been started. These are the revised general chapter 2.9.3 "Dissolution of tablets and capsules" and the new general chapter 2.9.55 "Characterisation of powder behaviour during compression".

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published two Warning Letters to manufactures of hand sanitizer drug products. In both cases, acetaldehyde and acetal impurities at unacceptable levels were found in several lots. The agency is concerned, because acetaldehyde is considered to be genotoxic, and potentially carcinogenic.

The USP revised the general chapter <661.1> Plastic Materials of Construction. In particular the sections on Polycarbonate and PVC have been updated.

In December 2022, the U.S. FDA issued a Warning Letter to the Brazilian company "Nortec Quimica SA" after having inspected its site in Rio de Janeiro in July 2022. Significant violations of cGMP regulations for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) are listed and a long list of Data Integrity remedation activies is required.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a Warning Letter to a drug repackaging and relabeling facility located in Pennsylvania. The document summarizes significant deviations from current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). It also addresses Good Distribution Practice (GDP) aspects.

The EMA published an updated Q&A document regarding the new ICH M10 guideline on Bioanalytical Method Validation and Study Sample Analysis. The document became effective on 21 January 2023.

As recently reported, the "ICH guideline Q3C (R8) on impurities: guideline for residual solvents)" has been updated and can be consulted on the ICH website under the section "Quality Guidelines". As a result, the USP chapter "<467> Residual Solvents" has now been revised and published for comment on the USP Pharmacopeial Forum website.