Skip to main content Skip to search Skip to main navigation

FDA: Draft Guidance for Manufacturing Changes of Biosimilars

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a draft guidance detailing how manufacturers should report postapproval manufacturing changes for licensed biosimilar and interchangeable products.

Presented in a question-and-answer format, the draft addresses "commonly asked questions" regarding postapproval manufacturing changes. The Q&A outlines three postapproval reporting categories for manufacturing changes: major changes requiring a prior approval supplement (PAS), moderate changes needing a changes being effected-30 days supplement (CBE-30), and minor changes that only require an annual report.

The guidance recommends using a "well-qualified, in-house reference material" for comparability studies to evaluate changes' effects on biosimilars or interchangeable biosimilars. It also addresses introducing these products into multiproduct manufacturing facilities, emphasizing the need for risk assessment and control measures to maintain quality, including identity testing.

The FDA advises consulting three guidances on reporting manufacturing changes: the 1997 guidance on changes to approved applications, the December 2021 guidance on CMC postapproval changes, and the June 2021 guidance on Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls changes. Applicants should also follow the International Council for Harmonization’s (ICH) Q5E guidance on biotech comparability when making manufacturing changes.


Source:

FDA: Draft Guidance Postapproval Manufacturing Changes to Biosimilar and Interchangeable Biosimilar Products Questions and Answers Guidance for Industry

Meet the GMP Compliance Adviser

The GMP Compliance Adviser is the world's largest knowledge portal for quality management in the pharma business. 

The demo access is non-binding and ends automatically.

Test it now for free

You may also be interested in the following articles:

FDA: New Draft Guidance on Impurity Specifications for Antibiotics

FDA: New Draft Guidance on Impurity Specifications for Antibiotics

The US FDA has issued a new draft guidance (April 2026) on Impurity Specifications for Antibiotics.
Read more
EDQM: Guidance on Traceability of Medicines in Hospitals

EDQM: Guidance on Traceability of Medicines in Hospitals

The EDQM has published new guidance on the traceability of medicines in hospital settings. The aim is to improve traceability up to the point of administration and strengthen patient safety.
Read more
Which Measures are Crucial for Implementation and Monitoring of Data Integrity?

Which Measures are Crucial for Implementation and Monitoring of Data Integrity?

Here's the answer:
Read more
Contamination Control Strategy (CCS) – Not Just an Extended Site Master File

Contamination Control Strategy (CCS) – Not Just an Extended Site Master File

At the GMP-PharmaCongress in Wiesbaden, GMP inspector Frank Sielaff (Regional Authority in Darmstadt, Germany) shared practical insights from recent inspections, high-lighting deficiencies in CCS implementation.

Read more
EMA/HMA: Call for Regulatory Updates for Radiopharmaceuticals

EMA/HMA: Call for Regulatory Updates for Radiopharmaceuticals

In their „Horizon Scanning Report“, EMA and HMA have recommended updates to the regulatory framework to keep pace with developments in radiopharmaceuticals. Due to their unique characteristics these products require specific regulatory and scientific approaches.
Read more
How can the Specific Requirements for Sterile Products be Taken into Account in the Quality Management System?

How can the Specific Requirements for Sterile Products be Taken into Account in the Quality Management System?

Here's the answer:
Read more
Previous
Next