U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Food and Drug Administration
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER)
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) 

January 2009

ICH

Guidance for Industry
Q4B Evaluation and Recommendation of Pharmacopoeial Texts for Use in the
ICH Regions

Annex 3

Test for Particulate Contamination: Subvisible Particles General Chapter  

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 http://www.fda.gov/cber/guidelines.htm. 

 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Food and Drug Administration
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER)
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER)

 January 2009

ICH

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

1. INTRODUCTION (1)
2. Q4B OUTCOME (2)
   1. Analytical Procedures (2.1)
   2. Acceptance Criteria (2.2)
3. TIMING OF ANNEX IMPLEMENTATION (3)
4. CONSIDERATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION (4)
   1. General Consideration (4.1)
   2. FDA Consideration (4.2)
   3. EU Consideration (4.3)
   4. MHLW Consideration (4.4)
5. REFERENCES USED FOR THE Q4B EVALUATION (5)

ATTACHMENT

Guidance for Industry^[1]
Q4B Evaluation and Recommendation of Pharmacopoeial Texts
for Use in the ICH Regions

Annex 3

Test for Particulate Contamination:  Subvisible Particles
General Chapter

I.          Introduction (1)^[2]

This annex is one in a series of guidance documents that describe the evaluations and recommendations by the Q4B Expert Working Group (EWG) of selected pharmacopoeial texts to facilitate their recognition by regulatory authorities for use as interchangeable in the ICH regions. Implementation of the Q4B annexes is intended to avoid redundant testing by industry.  For general information on the Q4B process, the reader is referred to the core guidance Q4B Evaluation and Recommendation of Pharmacopoeial Texts for Use in the ICH Regions.^[3]

This annex is the result of the Q4B process for the Test for Particulate Contamination: Subvisible Particles General Chapter.  The proposed texts were submitted by the Pharmacopoeial Discussion Group (PDG).

FDA's guidance documents, including this guidance, do not establish legally enforceable responsibilities.  Instead, guidances describe the Agency's current thinking on a topic and should be viewed only as recommendations, unless specific regulatory or statutory requirements are cited.  The use of the word should in Agency guidances means that something is suggested or recommended, but not required.

II.        Q4B OUTCOME(2)

A.                Analytical Procedures(2.1)

The ICH Steering Committee, based on the evaluation by the Q4B Expert Working Group (EWG), recommends that the official pharmacopoeial texts, Ph. Eur. 2.9.19. Particulate Contamination: Sub-visible Particles, JP 6.07 Insoluble Particulate Matter Test for Injections, and USP <788> Particulate Matter in Injections, can be used as interchangeable in the ICH regions subject to the following condition:

·         Condition (2.1.1): Instrument calibration and system suitability measurements should follow regional good manufacturing practice (GMP) requirements.   

B.                 Acceptance Criteria (2.2)

Except for nominal 100-milliliter (mL) parenteral products, the acceptance criteria are interchangeable.  At the 100-mL nominal volume, the criteria specified in JP are more stringent than those in the Ph. Eur. and the USP pharmacopoeias; therefore, the criteria are not interchangeable in all three regions at that volume. 

III.       TIMING OF ANNEX IMPLEMENTATION(3)

When this annex has been implemented (incorporated into the regulatory process at ICH Step 5) in a region, it can be used in that region.  Timing might differ for each region.

IV.       CONSIDERATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION(4)

A.        General Consideration(4.1)

When sponsors or manufacturers change their existing methods to the implemented Q4B-evaluated pharmacopoeial texts that are referenced in section II.A (2.1) of this annex, any change notification, variation, and/or prior approval procedures should be handled in accordance with established regional regulatory mechanisms pertaining to compendial changes.

B.        FDA Consideration(4.2) 

Based on the recommendation above, and with reference to the conditions set forth in this annex, the pharmacopoeial texts referenced in section II.A (2.1) of this annex can be considered interchangeable.  However, FDA might request that a company demonstrate that the chosen method is acceptable and suitable for a specific material or product, irrespective of the origin of the method.  For nominal 100-mL parenteral products, the FDA considers testing criteria from all three pharmacopoeias as interchangeable.

C.        EU Consideration (4.3)

For the European Union, the monographs of the Ph. Eur. have mandatory applicability. Regulatory authorities can accept the reference in a marketing authorization application, renewal or variation application citing the use of the corresponding text from another pharmacopoeia as referenced in section II.A (2.1), in accordance with the conditions set out in this annex, as fulfilling the requirements for compliance with the Ph. Eur. Chapter, Particulate Contamination: Sub-visible Particles: 2.9.19., on the basis of the declaration of interchangeability made above.  For nominal 100-mL parenteral products, the EU considers testing criteria from all three pharmacopoeias as interchangeable.

D.        MHLW Consideration (4.4)

The pharmacopoeial texts referenced in section II.A (2.1) of this annex can be used as interchangeable in accordance with the conditions set out in this annex.  Details of implementation requirements will be provided in the notification by MHLW when this annex is implemented.

V.        REFERENCES USED FOR THE Q4B EVALUATION (5)

A.  The PDG Stage 5B sign-off document:  Japanese Pharmacopoeial Forum, Volume 13, Number 3 (August 2004). 

B.   The pharmacopoeial references for Particulate Matter for this annex are:

1. (5.2.1)  European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.):  5th Edition (official on January 2005), Particulate Contamination: Sub-visible Particles (reference 01/2005:20919). 

2. (5.2.2)  Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP):  6.07 Insoluble Particulate Matter Test for Injections as it appears in the JP Fifteenth Edition (March 31, 2006, The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Ministerial Notification No. 285). The method was changed in September 2007 to correct a sentence in the introduction as underlined in the text that is provided by MHLW which is attached.

3. (5.2.3)  United States Pharmacopeia (USP):  <788> Particulate Matter in Injections, Revision Bulletin, April 4, 2007.

 

ATTACHMMENT

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