A Strategy to Assess Quality Consistency of Drug Products

A strategy for population pharmaceutical quality assessment based on quality by design

From a regulatory perspective, drug quality consistency evaluation must concern different processes used for the same drug. In this study, an assessment strategy based on quality by design (QbD) was developed for population pharmaceutical quality evaluation. A descriptive analysis method based on QbD concept was first established to characterize the process by critical evaluation attributes (CEAs). Then quantitative analysis method based on an improved statistical process control (SPC) method was established to investigate the process indicators (PIs) in the process population, such as mean distribution, batch-to-batch difference and abnormal quality probability. After that rules for risk assessment were established based on the SPC limitations and parameters. Both the SPC parameters of the CEAs and the risk of PIs were visualized according to the interaction test results to obtain a better understanding of the population pharmaceutical quality. Finally, an assessment strategy was built and applied to generic drug consistency assessment, process risk assessment and quality trend tracking. The strategy demonstrated in this study could help reveal quality consistency from the perspective of process control and process risk, and further show the recent development status of domestic pharmaceutical production processes. In addition, a process risk assessment and population quality trend tracking provide data-based information for approval. Not only can this information serve as a further basis for decision-making by the regulatory authority regarding early warnings, but it can also reduce some avoidable adverse reactions. With continuous addition of data, dynamic population pharmaceutical quality is meaningful for emergencies and decision-making regarding drug regulation.

Recent advances of novel technologies for quality consistency assessment of natural herbal medicines and preparations

Quality consistency is one of the basic attributes of medicines, but it is also a difficult problem that natural medicines and their preparations must face. The complex chemical composition and comprehensive pharmacological action of natural medicines make it difficult to simply apply the commonly used evaluation methods in chemical drugs. It is thus urgent to explore the novel evaluation methods suitable for the characteristics of natural medicines. With the rapid development of analytical techniques and the deepening understanding of the quality of natural herbs, increasing numbers of researchers have proposed many new ideas and technologies. This review mainly focuses on the basic principles, technical characteristics and application examples of the chemical evaluation, biological evaluation methods and their combination in quality consistency evaluation of natural herbs. On the bases of chemical evaluation and clinical efficacy, new methods reflecting their pharmacodynamic mechanism and safety characteristics will be developed, and gradually towards accurate quality control, to achieve the goal of quality consistency. We hope that this manuscript can provide new ideas and technical references for the quality consistency of natural drugs and their preparations, thus better guarantee their clinical efficacy and safety, and better promote industrial development.