Virus Safety - Best Practices and Emerging Trends

18/19 February 2025, Vienna, Austria

Course No. 21881

header-image

Speakers

Dr. Michael Ruffing

Dr. Michael Ruffing

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma

Dr. Johannes Blümel

Dr. Johannes Blümel

Paul-Ehrlich-Institut

Dr. Albrecht Gröner

Dr. Albrecht Gröner

PathoGuard Consult

Michael Schiffer

Michael Schiffer

CSL Behring

Objectives

The course aims to explain the complex nature of viruses that move between the concepts of life and death. It provides participants with a fundamental understanding of viral and pathogen safety in the pharmaceutical industry. Participants will acquire basic knowledge of virology, including the physiology of viruses, their replication cycles, transmission routes and resistance mechanisms. This knowledge is essential for risk assessment and the development of safety strategies.

In addition, the programme teaches advanced safety strategies for dealing with viruses and testing methods, including NGS (next generation sequencing) and other modern diagnostic methods. Participants will learn best practices for viral inactivation and validation to ensure products meet industry requirements and global regulatory frameworks such as ICH Q5A, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Pharmacopoeia.

The course also provides practical insights into the control of viral contamination, including risk mitigation strategies through facility segregation, risk analysis and contamination risk management. Finally, advanced virus detection methods, including NGS, and safety-related aspects of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP), such as gene and cell-based therapies, will be highlighted.

Background

The past has shown us that the development and production of vaccines can also attract enormous public attention. This makes it all the more important, especially when it comes to approval and production under time pressure, that the quality standards of good manufacturing practice are observed.

Virus safety is one of the major concerns in the development and production of biopharmaceuticals and biologics. Huge efforts are undertaken to prevent viral contamination. A series of guidelines was dedicated to that topic exclusively.

For many people who are involved in the development and production of biopharmaceuticals and biologics the world of viruses is a “black box”.

Target Group

This Education Course is directed to responsible personnel involved in the development and production of biopharmaceuticals and biologics
  • Research & Development
  • Quality Assurance
  • Regulatory Affairs
  • Production
  • Engineering
  • Quality Control
It is also useful for service providers, such as contract research organisations and contract manufacturers.

Presentations / Certificate

The presentations for this event will be available for you to download and print before and after the event. Please note that no printed materials will be handed out on site and that there will not be any opportunity to print the presentations on site.

After the event, you will automatically receive your certificate of participation.

Programme

Virus Safety - Best Practices and Emerging Trends

Seminar Programme as PDF

Elemental (basic) Virology
  • Physiology (if you can use such a word)
  • Replication cycles
  • Vectors
  • Resistance properties
Virus Safety Strategy: Approaches and Test Procedures
  • Viral safety approach: Regulations and principles
  • Virus testing concept
  • Methods for detection of exogenous & endogenous virus
Virus Management: Methods for Inactivation and Validation Studies in Adventitious Virus Management
  • Virus contamination of starting material for biologicals
  • Dedicated virus reduction steps vs. manufacturing steps for protein purification and concentration
  • Down scaling of manufacturing steps for virus clearance studies
  • Virus clearance studies
    • Virus spike preparation
    • Controls as cytotoxicity / interference / balance /inctivation kinetic
    • Virus detection methods – infectivity vs. NAT
    • Robustness of virus reduction methods / DoE studies
Virus Safety: Regulatory Background
  • ICH Guidelines (ICH Q5A)
  • European Guidelines (EMEA)
  • European Pharmacopoeia
  • Risk assessment
  • Clinical trials in Europe
Virus Contamination Control in pharmaceutical Production
  • Adventitious agents contamination control strategies
  • Facility segregation & risk Analysis
  • Methods of risk assessment and minimization
  • Case studies
Pathogen Safety Risk Management
  • Strategies for ensuring product quality and safety
  • What to consider and how to perform risk assessments regarding pathogen safety
  • Deviations and change management
  • Case studies
Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) - a powerful Technology for Virus Detection
  • Technology & applications
  • Regulations, e.g., in ICH Q5A & Ph. Eur.
Virus-based Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs)
  • Applications
  • Oncolytic viruses: Mode of action & adventitious virus safety approach
  • AAV - efficient gene therapy vector
    • Production of AAV for gene therapy
    • Quality Control of AAV
    • Clinical applications of AAV
Virus Safety Aspects of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP)
  • Regulatory background/certification
  • Gene therapy medicinal products
  • Cell based medicinal products
Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE) – Biology & Regulatory
  • Nature and transmission of TSE Agent
  • TSE agent detection Methods
  • Prion reduction Methods
  • EU legislation / EMA note for guidance / reflection paper
  • EDQM TSE Certification

stop

This course is part of the GMP Certification Programme "ECA Certified Microbiological Laboratory Manager" Learn more

ECA-Member*: € 1690,-
Non ECA Member*: € 1890,-
EU/GMP Inspectorates*: € 945,-
APIC Member Discount*: € 1790,-

(All prices excl. VAT). Important notes on sales tax.

* also payable by credit card
American Express Visa Mastercard

icon
Further dates on-site
Further dates on-site
Not available
icon
Further dates online
Further dates online
Not available
icon
Recording
Not available

Do you have any questions?

Please contact us:
Tel.: +49 6221 8444-0
E-Mail: info@gmp-compliance.org

Woman with headset

Go back

Testimonials about our courses and conferences

"Great material and speakers" and "Great speakers a lot of experience and sharing"

Felipe Gonzalez, Mucos Emulsionsgesellschaft mbH
Live Online Training - Granulation & Tableting, September 2024

"Very good balance between general and detailed information"

Dr Ralf Albrecht, Tillotts Pharma AG
Live Online Training - Granulation & Tableting
September 2024

"Nice presentations: easy understanding, quite visual"

Susana Manrique, Boehringer Ingelheim España, S.A,
Live Online Training - Granulation & Tableting, September 2024

“Fantastic course – I really enjoyed the interactive structure & greatly appreciate social activity.”

Anthony Cummins, Sebela Pharmaceuticals, Ireland
GMP Auditor Practice, September 2023

 

“Very well organized, information on point without being overwhelming.”

Eleni Kallinikou, Pharmathen
Live Online Trainng - Pharmaceutical Contracts - Febuary 2024

 

“Good overview of different types of agreements, good to see both the GMP and the legal angle”

Ann Michiels, Johnson&Johnson
Live Online Trainng - Pharmaceutical Contracts, Febuary 2024

 

 

“Well prepared presentations and good presenters. I also like the way of asking questions.”

Alexandra Weidler, Hookipa Biotech GmbH, Austria
Live Online Training – QP Education Course Module A, November 2023