Ensuring Product Quality, Consistency and Patient Supply over Time for a Large-Volume Biologic: Experience with Remicade(®)

Biologics are produced from living organisms in complex, multi-stage manufacturing processes and contain inherent variability, which must be understood and controlled during manufacturing to avoid unexpected changes in key quality attributes that may contribute to clinically meaningful differences. The process must also meet large commercial demand, while simultaneously being able to accommodate change without sacrificing product consistency. The four key components of successful biologics manufacturing are (1) a stable, well-defined proprietary cell line; (2) a good manufacturing practice (GMP)-compliant supply chain with a process control strategy defining acceptable levels of variability for target product/process attributes and capable of managing complex material flows; (3) a tightly controlled procedure for implementation of proposed process changes that ensures product consistency; and (4) built-in redundancy and flexibility providing the ability to adapt rapidly to unexpected developments. This report describes the requirements for the manufacturing and distribution of biologics, using Remicade(®) (infliximab, Janssen Biotech, Horsham, PA, USA) as an example of best practices. Since Remicade’s first marketing approval in 1998, Janssen has manufactured > 150 million vials used to treat > 2.6 million patients around the world for a variety of inflammatory diseases. Remicade displays a highly consistent quality attribute profile and meets all product/process specifications across multiple manufacturing sites and process scales. Janssen’s experience with Remicade demonstrates that deep product knowledge, extensive manufacturing experience, diligent product/process monitoring and a sustained commitment to compliance and research are required to ensure quality, consistency and uninterrupted patient supply for large-volume biologics over the long term.