Tag: Combination Product

Click to watch Regulatory Compliance Associates medical device consultant, Dr. Stephen Coulter, discuss the common tools & processes used during product development. Early stages of new product development include analyzing user needs & translating design benefits into long-term patient efficacy.

 

 

Developing an original product idea is difficult but many common tools & processes are consistently used. The early stages of product development include analyzing user needs and how those translate into design inputs.

 

Product Development Strategy

 

Ideation and product development life cycle research can help you identify user needs. Additionally, increasing the quality of an existing product is often a successful new product development strategy. Your solution doesn’t have to be a radically new idea.

 

Does it have a substitute product that can take market share? Or, can you combine the features of multiple products during the product design process to make a combination product that patients prefer more? Could a product design consultant help answer these questions & provide knowledge transfer?

 

Product Development Cycle

 

Start by asking your cross-functional team an initial question: “What do we need to change to achieve success during the product development cycle?”. Product development strategy includes modifying existing systems & processes to accelerate efficiency. Refine your model or process based on the unique types of product solutions in your pipeline.

 

Product Research

 

Being able to understand & explain why your solution addresses a user needs statement is inherent to launch sales success.  Interactive activities can be useful for improving creative conversation during market development strategy sessions. Further, voice of the customer (VOC) research consistently helps target the patient population in mind. 

 

Finally, using VOC to identify early adopter audiences & the audience’s most important needs can increase early interest in your solution. Begin the sales process by determining core messaging ahead of the launch ramp-up based on device claims & if the regulatory submission is approved.

 

Market Development Strategy

 

User needs are the foundation of any successful market development strategy. Yet, being able to commercialize a new solution based on user needs using a team experiencing process problems is never an easy task. It requires the Engineering Team & Operations Team at the listening table earlier in the process than later. 

 

Product Design and Development

 

A critical to quality objective early in the new product development process is removing everything but the essentials. Research your users needs to create design inputs for a product that patients both need & generates revenue.

 

Product Planning Process

 

After a business case is determined in the waterfall method, the product planning process begins cross functionally to validate product ideas via new product development research. What user needs will accelerate a successful product launch the fastest?

 

Innovative product design means addressing honest opinions from your target audience to validate your medical device solves a problem. The product development management team must be convinced the product can win in the commercial marketplace sooner rather than later.

 

Software Product Design

 

Success during the launch of a software as a medical device is often found at the heart of the product development plan. Any new product design must incorporate value added for the audience in one way, shape or form. This can include lean product design as some of the most effective software in the industry is not complicated.

 

Software as a Medical Device

 

Consider the regulatory differences between a tangible product and a technology product very carefully. For example, Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) has changed the marketplace by increasing both clinical research success & primary care delivery. Include process improvement sessions during internal meetings where a collective group deciphers what the user need statements mean to their team. 

 

Agile Product Development

 

The vision for development begins with a minimum viable product, or MVP, during early software conceptualization & development; what is the business case of commercialization? How do we learn faster while making real time efficiency changes?  

 

Digital Product Development

 

Product development teams must answer several questions before undertaking product design. Further, one focal ask is are successful processes already in place for medical product development.

 

Do you have a RACI chart to show who is responsible, accountable, considered, and informed? Finally, a clear cross-functional understanding of timelines & milestones can help guide expectations during MVP product development, which can be stressful based on the speed of common work.

 

MVP Agile

 

MVP (Minimum Viable Product) a widely accepted concept in software development in digital product development. However, our medical product design discussion will take a different direction – what is the regulatory affairs process?

 

A project management software development team should deliver a safe, efficacious solution with the objective of delivering patient value. Define your value through a regulatory strategy based on device claims, clinical evidence, and how both help the patient population.

 

Regulatory Compliance

 

Software as a medical device involves regulatory compliance based on multiple, widely accepted global standards.

 

  • This includes:
    • ISO 13485
    • IEC 62304
    • IEC 62366
    • ISO 14791

 

The product development engineering team is responsible for the software process. Any prototype development assistance should begin with a regulatory compliance perspective of claims and predicate devices.

 

Prototype predicate concepts begin with identifying the current risk class & why use cases help validate your proposed risk class during regulatory submission. Finally, consider younger product developers who may have never been through regulatory approval in their career. FDA readiness training can be a powerful tool that increases marketing approval & how to carefully identify and isolate risk hazards.

 

Regulatory Pathway 

 

Planning the build for a product requires a regulatory pathway that includes risk management considerations based on the risk class. Create as much detail as possible during this prototyping and design inputs phase of NPD.

 

Product development companies, like Regulatory Compliance Associates, can help identify the correct predicate device based on a risk gap analysis.  Diagrams should include material ingredients that need to be sourced to create the product. This can help you determine the risk category of the product (e.g. patient daily use, HCP specialty use, etc.) and corresponding patient hazards.

 

About RCA’s Medical Device Consulting Services

 

The regulatory compliance process surrounding the medical device industry involves a strict adherence to pre/post market information throughout a device’s life cycle. Even a single compliance issue you have can turn into a significant effect on your business. Regulatory Compliance Associates can help guide you through any stage of the medical device consulting process, with capabilities during product development through the regulatory clearance/approval of your product.

 

Our team of over 500 medical device consulting Experts — including former FDA officials and regulatory compliance leaders in the field of medical device regulation — will work with your company to create a quality assurance and regulatory compliance approach tailored to your products and regulatory needs. Regulatory Compliance Associates works with international Fortune 100 companies, venture capital start ups, and companies of all sizes and shapes. Our regulatory compliance solutions for law firms include remediation for warning letters, FDA 483’s, import bans or consent decrees. Very few regulatory compliance services have the same regulatory compliance expertise in a variety of medical fields.

 

Medical Device Cybersecurity

 

For medical device manufacturers, technology can be a double-edged sword. The innovative technologies that elevate the quality of life for patients can also be used to potentially undermine the organization using the device. The consequences can affect the device itself if Regulatory Compliance Associates medtech consultants do not implement good IoT cybersecurity and FDA cybersecurity protocols.

 

At Regulatory Compliance Associates, we offer a wide variety of services for medical devices security to help ensure that your product is protected from cyber-attacks. With a well-planned design, along with full visibility of product development and the supply chain, Regulatory Compliance Associates medical device consultant Experts can help strengthen your device’s cybersecurity. We partner with medical device companies in each phase of the design cycle. The RCA medical device consulting team understands protecting inputs from threat exposure and hardening outputs for regulatory compliance & FDA submission approval.

 

  • SaMD Consulting
  • Threat Modeling
  • Proof of Concept
  • Quality Assurance Services
  • TIR 57 & TIR 97
  • ISO 62304
  • ISO 27001

 

Regulatory Affairs

 

Regulatory affairs is Regulatory Compliance Associates® backbone. We handle more regulatory consulting submissions in a month than many manufacturers do in a lifetime. Our regulatory compliance consulting Experts have experience working with the FDA, global regulatory bodies and / or agencies, and notified bodies worldwide. Therefore, you can count on us for in-depth and up-to-date insights which increase speed-to-market.

 

As a trusted regulatory affairs consultant, our FDA veterans and regulatory consulting team represents Regulatory Compliance Associates® as one of the top medical device consulting firms. We’lll help you navigate the medical device consulting difficulties associated with new product submissions. Regulatory Compliance Associates® medical device consulting company has expertise in both the approval process and post-approval support. 

 

  • New Product Approval
  • Post-Approval Support
  • Outsourced Staffing
  • EU MDR
  • Combination Products

 

Compliance Assurance

 

Increasingly, life science companies are feeling the pressure of greater scrutiny by regulators, and responding by developing sustainable compliance strategies. Whether it’s preparing for an audit, developing a response to an FDA finding, or remediation to an adverse event, Regulatory Compliance Associates® can help.

 

Our network of over 500 medical device consultant & FDA, MHRA & EMA veterans are industry professionals offers a unique blend of expertise. This allows Regulatory Compliance Associates® to handle both simple and complex regulatory compliance challenges within medical device consulting companies.

 

  • Gap Assessments
  • Internal Audits
  • Employee Training
  • Notified Body Response
  • Data Integrity

 

Quality Assurance

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates® is globally reknown for quality assurance services, including quality system assessments, strategy, implementations, and quality metrics to ensure continuous improvement. Each Regulatory Compliance Associates® medical device consultant is a quality expert with experience spanning major corporations and start-ups. RCA’s quality assurance services experts know firsthand how to achieve, maintain, and improve quality, and we excel in transferring this knowledge to your organization.

 

In the medical devices field, quality assurance (QA) is more than merely ensuring the quality of a finished product. You need the tools to monitor and regulate every process from the design of a new product to continued quality compliance as the device is sent to market. At Regulatory Compliance Associates®, we offer you the quality assurance services you need to monitor these processes and ensure quality compliance every step of the way.

 

With more than 20 years experience working with medical device consulting companies, Regulatory Compliance Associates® trusted medical device quality assurance consultant team is fully equipped to handle your unique QA needs.

 

  • ISO13485 
  • 21 CFR 210
  • 21 CFR 211
  • Outsourced Staffing
  • MDSAP
  • Facility Validation
  • Equipment Validation
  • Quality Metrics

 

Remediation Services

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates® is widely recognized within medical device consulting companies & the life science industry for our remediation services & support. Regulatory Compliance Associates® ability to help companies successfully resolve complex regulatory challenges have a proven track record of success. Our medical device consulting services include significant experience with the development of responses to 483 Observations, Warning Letters, Untitled Letters and Consent Decrees.

 

  • Regulatory Action
  • Regulatory Compliance
  • Regulatory Enforcement
  • Warning Letter
  • 483 Observation
  • Oversight Services

 

Our value goes beyond the initial response by helping companies successfully execute their action plans, develop an improved compliance culture tailored to the needs of their business, and ultimately move beyond the regulatory action to emerge as a stronger business. We negotiate difficult demands of remediation with insight and the clear advantage of our medical device consultant expertise and experience that makes partnering with Regulatory Compliance Associates®  a competitive differentiator in the remediation space.

 

  • Quality System
  • Technical File
  • Design History File
  • Data Integrity
  • cGMP

 

Strategic Consulting

 

Whether it’s a strategy, a technical plan, or project, Regulatory Compliance Associates® medical device consultancy can help ensure a successful project. Regulatory Compliance Associates® due diligence consulting can deliver your project on time, on budget, and you’re never embroiled in a costly mistake. 

 

Our medical device consultant Experts are industry Experts are here to provide the unique insight you need before an M&A deal, through a staffing crisis and in every area of your product’s development and life cycle. As the trusted medical device manufacturing consultants of thousands of companies around the world, we have the knowledge and expertise needed to deliver exceptional results to your business — no matter your size or unique needs.

 

  • Manufacturing Optimization
  • Product Lifecycle Management
  • Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
  • Due Diligence
  • Device Vigilance
  • Risk Management Plan
  • Product Complaints
  • Medical Information

 

About Regulatory Compliance Associates

 

product developmentRegulatory Compliance Associates® (RCA) provides medical device consulting to the following industries for resolution of life science challenges:

 

 

We understand the complexities of running a life science business and possess areas of expertise that include every facet of R&D, operations, regulatory affairs, quality, and manufacturing. We are used to working on the front lines and thriving in the scrutiny of FDA, Health Canada, MHRA and globally-regulated companies.

 

As your partners, Regulatory Compliance Associates can negotiate the potential minefield of regulatory compliance and regulatory due diligence with insight, hindsight, and the clear advantage of our unique expertise and experience.

 

  • Founded in 2000
  • Headquartered in Wisconsin (USA)
  • Expertise backed by over 500 industry subject matter experts
  • Acquired by Sotera Health in 2021

 

About Sotera Health

 

The name Sotera Health was inspired by Soteria, the Greek goddess of safety, and reflects the Company’s unwavering commitment to its mission, Safeguarding Global Health®.

 

Sotera Health Company, along with its three best-in-class businesses – Sterigenics®Nordion® and Nelson Labs®, is a leading global provider of mission-critical end-to-end sterilization solutions and lab testing and advisory services for the healthcare industry. With a combined tenure across our businesses of nearly 200 years and our industry-recognized scientific and technological expertise, we help to ensure the safety of over 190 million patients and healthcare practitioners around the world every year.

 

We are a trusted partner to more than 5,800 customers in over 50 countries, including 40 of the top 50 medical device companies and 8 of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies.

 

Commitment to Quality

 

Our Certificate of Registration demonstrates that our Quality Management System meets the requirements of ISO 9001:2015, an internationally recognized standard of quality.

 

To begin the Regulatory Compliance Associates® scoping process today, please enter your information in the blue form below and click the submit button at the bottom of the webpage. 

 

 

Among the emerging topics of interest to the life science industry, quality culture, quality metrics, and data integrity are in the spotlight due to changes from the COVID-19 pandemic. Regulatory authorities strive to stay on top of the latest challenges in quality assurance and compliance facing medical device and pharmaceutical firms.

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates® understands that data integrity is important for keeping and maintaining accurate data to protect your data’s trustworthiness. This ensures everything else built on that data is trustworthy as well. We’ll explore why quality culture and data integrity are important and what permanent changes have occurred in the wake of the pandemic.

 


Need help improving your Quality Culture? Contact Us Now →


 

How Quality Culture Is Linked to Data Integrity 

 

It’s essential to understand the ways quality culture is linked to data integrity. Regulators have delineated a clear link between the veracity of data generated by a company and its culture. Future regulatory audits to determine an organization’s health may focus on obtaining information about the company’s quality culture and subsequent data. It’s vital to for companies to acknowledge this relationship so they can identify vulnerabilities, perform necessary risk assessments and remediate risks before an inspection. 

 

An Increased Emphasis on Data Integrity

 

It’s easier to keep a vigilant eye on data when everyone works from the same locations. However, with more people working from home, maintaining quality culture practices to control data integrity is imperative and challenging.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is  drawing parallels between compliance with data integrity regulations and an organization’s overall culture.

 

 The FDA wants companies to maintain a quality culture that is integrated throughout the organization. The more developed and established an organization’s quality culture, the more reliable the data.

 

Ensuring data integrity compliance can benefit a company in the following ways:

 

  • Fewer supply chain interruptions
  • Less rework needed
  • Reduced financial risk
  • Increased compliance
  • Improved operational performance and productivity

 

Transitions to Electronic Systems

 

As a result of the pandemic, more companies are switching from paper-based to electronic systems. This migration to electronic data systems poses certain challenges to any organization.

 

Companies need to have the necessary resources and technical expertise to make sure the electronic systems maintain data integrity concepts. Organizations must be able to provide proof of their compliance supported by an audit trail of their work.

 

Auditing Process Changes Resulting from the COVID-19 Pandemic 

 

The auditing process may change in many ways as a result of the pandemic:

 

  • Virtual audits are likely to become more common.
  • Companies will need to ensure systems are secure and files are organized.
  • Companies will have to maintain data integrity in their electronic systems so they can use those systems to transfer data to regulatory auditors.

 

About RCA’s Pharmaceutical Consulting Services 

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates (RCA) has helped thousands of pharmaceutical companies meet regulatory, compliance, quality assurance, and remediation challenges. With more than 20 years of experience with FDA, Health Canada, EU and global regulatory agencies worldwide, Regulatory Compliance Associates® offers leading pharmaceutical consultants. We’re one of the few pharma consulting companies that can help you navigate the challenges associated with industry regulations.

 

Our pharmaceutical consulting firm includes over 500 seasoned FDA, Health Canada & EU compliance consultants and regulatory affairs experts who understand industry complexities. It’s a pharma consultancy founded by regulatory compliance executives from the pharmaceutical industry. Every pharmaceutical industry consultant on the Regulatory Compliance Associates team knows the unique inner workings of the regulatory process. 

 

Client Solutions

 

Whether you’re in the product planning, development or pharmaceutical lifecycle management stage or need a remediation strategy for a compliance crisis, Regulatory Compliance Associates will guide you through every pharmaceutical consulting step of the regulatory process and create a customized approach depending on your product and your pharma company’s individual needs. Our regulatory compliance clients include:

 

  • Companies new to FDA, Health Canada or EU regulations and regulatory compliance
  • Start-up organizations with novel submissions to 510(k) submissions from multi-national corporations
  • Investment firms seeking private equity due diligence for pre-acquisition and post-deal research
  • Law firms seeking pharmaceutical consulting firm expertise in the remediation of warning letters, consent decrees, 483’s or import bans

 

Regulatory Affairs

 

Regulatory affairs is Regulatory Compliance Associates backbone. We exceed other pharma consulting companies with industry experts experienced in complexities of the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. Our pharma consulting expertise spans all facets and levels of Regulatory Affairs, from Regulatory Support for New Products to Life Cycle Management, to other services like Outsourced Regulatory Affairs, Submissions, Training, and more.

 

As your partner, we can negotiate the potential assessment minefield of regulatory compliance services with insight, hindsight, and the clear advantage of our breadth and depth of knowledge and regulatory compliance consulting. We offer the following pharma consulting regulatory affairs services for pharmaceutical companies.

 

  • New Product Support
  • Product Lifecycle
  • Other Regulatory Services
  • Combination Products

 

Compliance Assurance

 

The regulations process surrounding pharmaceutical companies can be tricky for even the most experienced industry veteran to understand. Just one misstep could mean significant and lasting consequences for your business. At Regulatory Compliance Associates, we offer the pharma consulting experience and pharma consultants necessary to guide you through the quality compliance process.

 

  • Assessments
  • Audits
  • Regulatory Agency Response
  • Preparation and Training
  • Inspection Readiness
  • Data Integrity

 

Quality Assurance

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates Quality consulting includes assessments, strategy, implementations, staff augmentations, and identification of quality metrics to ensure continuous improvement. Our pharma consultants understand the strategic thinking needed to align your business needs and goals. Regulatory Compliance Associates quality assurance services include quality experts with experience spanning major corporations and start-ups. Our pharmaceutical consulting firm knows firsthand how to achieve, maintain, and improve quality, and we excel in transferring pharma consulting knowledge to your organization.

 

  • 21 CFR Part 11
  • Data Integrity
  • Manufacturing Support
  • Facility Support
  • Quality Metrics

 

Remediation Services 

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates has a proven remediation services approach to managing FDA Warning Letters, Consent Decrees, Remediation and other serious regulatory situations. Our pharma consultants know how to partner with executive, legal, and communication teams. Each RCA pharma consulting Expert will develop a response that will be accepted by the regulatory agency and be realistic to execute.

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates pharma regulatory consultants will develop a comprehensive proof book of documented evidence demonstrating the corrective action taken to remediate non-compliant issues. In addition, each Regulatory Compliance Associates pharma consulting Expert understands compliance enforcement. We’ll prepare a comprehensive pharma consulting strategy to assist in your remediation efforts, drive continuous improvement, and maintain regulatory compliance with the regulations.

 

  • Regulatory Action
  • Regulatory Compliance
  • Regulatory Enforcement
  • Warning Letter
  • 483 Observation
  • Oversight Services
  • Risk Management Plan

 

About Regulatory Compliance Associates

 

pharmaceutical consultantsRegulatory Compliance Associates® (RCA) provides pharmaceutical consulting to the following industries for resolution of life science challenges:

 

 

We understand the complexities of running a life science business and possess areas of expertise that include every facet of R&D, operations, regulatory affairs, quality, and manufacturing. We are used to working on the front lines and thriving in the scrutiny of FDA, Health Canada, MHRA and globally-regulated companies.

 

As your partners, we can negotiate the potential minefield of regulatory compliance and regulatory due diligence with insight, hindsight, and the clear advantage of our unique expertise and experience.

 

  • Founded in 2000
  • Headquartered in Wisconsin (USA)
  • Expertise backed by over 500 industry subject matter experts
  • Acquired by Sotera Health in 2021

 

About Sotera Health

 

The name Sotera Health was inspired by Soteria, the Greek goddess of safety, and reflects the Company’s unwavering commitment to its mission, Safeguarding Global Health®.

 

Sotera Health Company, along with its three best-in-class businesses – Sterigenics®Nordion® and Nelson Labs®, is a leading global provider of mission-critical end-to-end sterilization solutions and lab testing and advisory services for the healthcare industry. With a combined tenure across our businesses of nearly 200 years and our industry-recognized scientific and technological expertise, we help to ensure the safety of over 190 million patients and healthcare practitioners around the world every year.

 

We are a trusted partner to 5,800+ customers in over 50 countries, including 40 of the top 50 medical device companies and 9 of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies.

 

Commitment to Quality

 

Our Certificate of Registration demonstrates that our Quality Management System meets the requirements of ISO 9001:2015, an internationally recognized standard of quality.

 

To begin the Regulatory Compliance Associates scoping process today, please enter your information in the blue form below and click the submit button at the bottom of the webpage. 

 

About Regulatory Compliance Associaties

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates (RCA® ) provides pharmaceutical supply chain consulting to the following industries for resolution of life science challenges:

 

 

We understand the complexities of running a life science business and possess areas of expertise that include every facet of R&D, operations, supply chain, regulatory affairs, quality, and manufacturing. We are used to working on the front lines and thriving in the scrutiny of FDA, Health Canada, MHRA and globally-regulated companies.

 

As your partners, we can negotiate the potential minefield of regulatory compliance and regulatory due diligence with insight, hindsight, and the clear advantage of our unique expertise and experience.

 

  • Founded in 2000
  • Headquartered in Wisconsin (USA)
  • Expertise backed by over 500 industry subject matter experts
  • Acquired by Sotera Health in 2021

 

About Sotera Health

 

The name Sotera Health was inspired by Soteria, the Greek goddess of safety, and reflects the Company’s unwavering commitment to its mission, Safeguarding Global Health®.

 

Sotera Health Company, along with its three best-in-class businesses – Sterigenics®Nordion® and Nelson Labs®, is a leading global provider of mission-critical end-to-end sterilization solutions and lab testing and advisory services for the healthcare industry. With a combined tenure across our businesses of nearly 200 years and our industry-recognized scientific and technological expertise, we help to ensure the safety of over 190 million patients and healthcare practitioners around the world every year.

 

We are a trusted partner to more than 5,800 customers in over 50 countries, including 40 of the top 50 medical device companies and 8 of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies.

 

RCA Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Consulting Services

 

The best way to maintain healthy business practices and get ready for an FDA audit is through training and preparation. Training employees and executives throughout your organization can lead to improved data storage and a better understanding of why proper storage is so essential for your business. Our services can help you maintain quality compliance within all aspects of your business, from design and manufacturing to packaging and distribution. These services include:

 

Assessments 

 

The best thing you can do to avoid a compliance crisis is to take preventive measures that will locate and remedy any outstanding issues. At RCA® Inc., our pharmaceutical supply chain consulting experts have decades of experience in both regulatory compliance program strategy and execution. RCA’s healthcare consulting Experts will help you measure your quality system based on global regulatory markets to assess any process weaknesses and opportunities to improve.

 

Our range of compliance consulting services includes:

 

  • cGMP & Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
  • Quality Infrastructure
  • PAI, Validation
  • Facilities and Maintenance
  • Laboratory (GLP)
  • Process Assessments to Streamline and Optimize New and Existing Systems.

 

Audits 

 

Periodic regulatory audits are necessary to ensure the continued compliance of your organization. An internal audit from a pharmaceutical supply chain consulting 3rd party can help your perspective when it comes to a regulatory audit. Our experienced team of ASQ-CQA and RABQSA-certified auditors is available to perform a range of internal audit services, including:

 

  • Supplier
  • API
  • Contact Manufactures (CMO)
  • Internal
  • Quality Systems
  • Baseline
  • Verification
  • Clinical (CRO) and Clinical Manufacturing
  • Data Integrity
  • 503A & 503B
  • Combination Products

 

Regulatory Agency Response 

 

Unfortunately, compliance crises do happen, and they can have a lasting impact on your business if you are unintentionally caught off guard. Regulatory Compliance Associates pharmaceutical supply chain consulting Experts can assist you in developing a customized response & plan of action to help remediate the effects of a regulatory warning letter. Our compliance and regulatory services team is here to provide the technical consultant guidance you need most during this time, with response solutions for:

 

  • FDA Form 483
  • Warning Letter
  • Consent Decree
  • Import Bans

 

Preparation, Training, and Inspection Readiness 

 

Sitting back and hoping for your next regulatory inspection to go well isn’t an option — you need to comply with regulations and actively prepare. RCA® will help you thoroughly prepare for inspections with an extensive range of business consulting services, mock inspections, and other medical consulting readiness solutions:

 

  • Mock Inspections
    • Back Room/ Front Room set-up and process
    • Inspection Analysis & Report
  • Response Letter Assistance
  • Proof Book Development
  • Business Relations (Leadership Development Training)
    • Corporate Regulation Examples
      • Regulatory Law
      • Regulatory Board
      • Legal Compliance
  • Industry Relations (Leadership Development Training)
    • Types of Regulation
      • Medical Regulations
      • Security Regulations
      • Cybersecurity Regulations
      • Data Compliance Regulations

 

Data Integrity

 

Training:

 

  • Good Documentation Practices (GDP) Centered on How the Data is Recorded, How to Correct an Error, and How to Document the Reason(s) for the Error
  • Annual Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
  • Investigations
  • Corrective Action and Preventive Action (CAPA)

 

Consulting:

 

  • Comprehensive Audits
  • Development of a Remediation Plan to Address any Risks and Weaknesses Identified During the Audit
  • Assistance with Execution of the Remediation Plan

 

In the event of an audit, the information gathered during the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals—from its raw stages through launch and everything in between—will be used to defend the product’s use once it’s been released for patient use.

 

cGMP Consulting

 

Maintaining data integrity is an important part of ensuring the manufacturing quality of your pharmaceutical. It is crucial in current good manufacturing practices (cGMP), and employees should have the experience and knowledge to properly record and handle data—in order to eliminate any data integrity issues.

 

In a time when compromised data has become a common concern among businesses in the life science field, it’s become more critical than ever to maintain healthy practices concerning data storage and release. Medical device companies of all sizes and types need to trust their data’s integrity, which is why thousands of businesses have turned to Regulatory Compliance Associates® for GMP quality compliance services.

 

With a team of more than 500 industry experts and seasoned veterans of the FDA, we know what it takes to adhere to the standards of global regulatory bodies. We offer the expertise needed to help your business stay within cGMP and preserve your data’s integrity. Our array of training and consulting services will ensure that your customers’ trust in your brand is well-placed.

 

GMP Quality Compliance Services

 

Training

 

  • Good Documentation Practices (GDP) Centered on How the Data is Recorded, How to Correct an Error, and How to Document the Reason(s) for the Error
  • Annual Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
  • Investigations
  • Corrective Action and Preventive Action (CAPA)

 

Consulting

 

  • cGMP Consulting
  • Comprehensive Audits
  • Development of a Remediation Plan to Address any Risks and Weaknesses Identified During the Audit
  • Assistance with the execution of Remediation Plan

 

In the event of an audit, the information gathered during the manufacturing of your medical device—from its raw stages through launch and everything in between—will be used to defend the product’s use once it’s been released for patient use.

 

Manufacturing Processes

 

Our comprehensive evaluations will identify GMP pharmaceutical practices that consistently yield a sustainable return on investment. We will help you identify opportunities for:

 

  • Reducing Set-Up Times
  • Increasing Throughput
  • Reducing Inventory Levels
  • Lab Efficiency Improvements
  • Scrap and Waste Reduction
  • Cycle Time Compression
  • Capacity Creation
  • Process Automation
  • Cost Reduction

 

Manufacturing Optimization

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates provides the following manufacturing optimization services:

 

  • Program Analysis
  • Process Optimization through Engineering Studies
  • Statistical Process Control
  • Lean Innovative Product / Process Solutions
  • Value Stream Mapping
  • Kaizen Events
  • Design for Six Sigma
  • Inventive Problem Solving

 

Automated Industrial Services

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates  provides manufacturing automation consultants with deep industry experience including:

 

  • Validation Master Plan
  • Development of Validation Documentation
  • Validation Services
  • Risk Assessments

 

Factory Automation

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates helps clients develop innovative factory automation via design strategy and hands-on validation support. We ensure that updating manufacturing facilities will continue to meet all regulatory and client requirements, without an adverse impact on the finished product.

 

  • HVAC Systems and Associated Controllers
  • Medical Gas Systems
  • Plant and Pure Steam Systems
  • Water Systems including USP, RO / DI, and WFI
  • Compressed Air Systems
  • Controlled Environments

 

Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing

 

When you choose Regulatory Compliance Associates as your pharmaceutical manufacturing consultant, you’ll have the support of validating every contract manufacturer. RCA provides the combined skills and knowledge of more than 500 pharmaceutical and medical device experts who are experienced at working on the front lines of regulatory requirements. RCA clients benefit as these solutions move suppliers toward a culture of quality, from startups to Fortune 100 international enterprises.

 

Quality Management System

 

To create a positive change in the lives of patients counting on the availability of your product, you need to recognize the regulatory pathways of drug manufacturing companies that are ahead of you. Further, this includes the evolving technical development of your quality management system. When you work with us, you get a team that tailors its services to the comprehensive needs of your company. And that’s how you can be assured you’ll always receive the support you need to implement corrective action wherever it may be needed.

 

To begin the Regulatory Compliance Associates scoping process today, please enter your information in the blue form below and click the submit button at the bottom of the webpage. 

 

 

The FDA recently updated guidance for clinical trials & trial design. This update stems from an objective of the 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act). It includes recommendations for how industry sponsors of pharmaceuticals or biologics should design and conduct clinical trials. The guidance provides a greater explanation of how biologic and oncology trial design can simultaneously evaluate more than one investigational drug.

 

FDA Guidance

 

The guidance goes into depth about the clinical research milestones of master protocol design. Data integrity considerations are also mentioned for biomarker co-development and trial statistical analysis. Traditionally, oncology clinical trials are designed to assess multiple investigational drugs at the same time. Clinical data in this type of design is analyzed across multiple cancer types during the same trial to find all sources of patient efficacy and commercial value.

 

Another primary driver is the CDMO race due to testing multiple drugs and sub-populations under the same protocol. Pharmaceutical consultants like RCA Inc. have witnessed a shortening of client commercialization timelines across the life sciences industry. This directly adds incremental pressure on project sponsors. Clinical teams are being tasked to discover late-stage drug success faster than ever before. Every trial must simultaneously ensure patient safety while producing data that satisfies the regulatory safety and effectiveness.

 


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Investigational Drugs (IND FDA)

 

The FDA concisely describes this unique protocol design and clinical trial planning for IND filings and multiple sub-studies. Sub-studies may have separate goals and require aligned efforts across the data science team. For example, collaboration is needed in order to appropriately value multiple investigational drugs. Consideration should be given that therapeutic value may be in one or more disease sub-types in the clinical trial.

 

With these considerations in mind, the FDA goes on to describe the benefits of a master protocol across the study design. This provides the project sponsor design flexibility via electronic data capture (EDC) in an EDC system (e.g. shared control arm, adaptive designs, centralized data capture).

 

Clinical Trial Design

 

This new FDA guidance also provides insights on potential challenges the industry should consider when using master protocols. These unintended consequences can include greater difficulty when assigning detailed adverse events to an investigational drug if numerous products are being investigated across the clinical study.

 

Any lack of adverse event reporting clarity can impact the safety profile of an investigational drug. This directly makes the clinical analysis for FDA approval more complicated for the regulatory body. Multiple study groups can also increase the overinterpretation of study findings. For example, signs of positive product efficacy for cardiac biomarkers could be different than from cancer biomarkers. Biomarker discovery for one subpopulation could also be identified as false if based a different ad hoc patient group.

 

Basket Trials

 

Basket trial design includes assessing an investigational drug blend by including a dose-finding or safety lead-in component. The goal is to identify safe quantities of the combination early in the clinical trial before progressing with an efficacy activity-estimating factor. The FDA proposes therapeutic efficacy for sub-studies within basket trials are constructed as single-arm, activity-estimating trial. The primary endpoint would be recorded as total response rate.

 

The guidance goes on to elaborate on sub-study objectives, including study rationale for each population. A comprehensive statistical analysis plan (SAP) with reasoning for sample size and unique stopping rules based on ineffectuality should also be included in the program documentation.

 

Umbrella Trials

 

A master protocol designed to evaluate multiple drugs is commonly referred to as an umbrella trial. These umbrella trials are often administered as a single drug or as a combination product. Umbrella trials are often a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the mechanism of action of the investigational drug/drugs with a common control arm. Study design for an umbrella trial can include sub-studies based on a patient biomarker or to a separate therapeutic sub-study inside the trial.

 

Clinical Study Design

 

As the clinical study focus, the FDA provides a clear understanding of how project sponsors improve the efficiency of master protocols. For example, using a common control arm during an Umbrella Trial has proven to help evaluate multiple drugs simultaneously for a single disease state.

 

Control Arm

 

For clinical trials, the FDA now recommends a project sponsor use a common control arm when numerous drugs are evaluated simultaneously in a single illness (e.g. umbrella trials). The FDA guidance elaborates in the use of a control arm be the current standard of care (SOC) so trial results are understandable from the perspective of the biologic and oncology medical community.

 

Changes in SOC can also take place during the trial because of an FDA approval or the latest scientific data. The Statistical Analysis Plan (SAP) would need to be revised before any data analysis occurs if this is the case.

 

Novel Drugs

 

When a project sponsor uses sub-studies to assess two or more investigational drugs, the FDA advocates for providing a thorough scientific motivation for the combination. This includes the clinical trial sponsor defining the Recommended Phase 2 Dose (RP2D). Analysis should include each novel drug and ensuring the appropriate dosage has been identified for each individual drug.

 

Targeting Biomarkers

 

The FDA goes on to elaborate on digital biomarkers to help validate the patient selection and recruiting for clinical trials. Biomarkers should be clearly identified based on the intended therapeutic response.

 

For example, an oncology biomarker for tumor size can help predict the response to the investigational drug. This type of study biomarker might demonstrate how the mechanism of action succeeded or failed. There needs to be a consensus among the clinical study team on how biomarkers are justified. Understanding study measures for showing marker positivity before patients enter the trial is critical.

 

Data Monitoring

 

One final important note about the master protocol in the updated FDA guidance describes the independent radiologic review committee. This committee medical research should include blinded tumor-based assessments to provide a charter for the independent data monitoring committee (IDMC).

 

The IDMC charter would guide the committee through ad hoc trials, such as patient efficacy and drug futility. The IDMC can also recommend clinical trial protocol actions. This often includes changes in sample size or modification of a sub-study based on overwhelming futility or efficacy evidence.

 

About RCA’s Pharmaceutical Consulting Services 

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates (RCA) has helped thousands of pharmaceutical companies meet regulatory, compliance, quality assurance, and remediation challenges. With more than 20 years of experience with FDA, Health Canada, EU and global regulatory agencies worldwide, Regulatory Compliance Associates® offers leading pharmaceutical consultants. We’re one of the few pharma consulting companies that can help you navigate the challenges associated with industry regulations.

 

Our pharmaceutical consulting firm includes over 500 seasoned FDA, Health Canada & EU compliance consultants and regulatory affairs experts who understand industry complexities. It’s a pharma consultancy founded by regulatory compliance executives from the pharmaceutical industry. Every pharmaceutical industry consultant on the Regulatory Compliance Associates team knows the unique inner workings of the regulatory process. 

 

Client Solutions

 

Whether you’re in the product planning, development or pharmaceutical lifecycle management stage or need a remediation strategy for a compliance crisis, Regulatory Compliance Associates will guide you through every pharmaceutical consulting step of the regulatory process. Our pharmaceutical consulting Experts will create a customized approach depending on your product and company’s individual needs. Our regulatory compliance clients include:

 

  • Companies new to FDA, Health Canada or EU regulations and regulatory compliance
  • Start-up organizations with novel submissions to 510(k) submissions from multi-national corporations
  • Investment firms seeking private equity due diligence for pre-acquisition and post-deal research
  • Law firms seeking pharmaceutical consulting firm expertise in the remediation of warning letters, consent decrees, 483’s or import bans

 

Regulatory Affairs

 

Regulatory affairs is Regulatory Compliance Associates backbone. We exceed other pharma consulting companies with industry experts experienced in complexities of the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. Our pharma consulting expertise spans all facets and levels of Regulatory Affairs. Additionally, we specialize in Regulatory Support for New Products to Life Cycle Management, Outsourced Regulatory Affairs, Submissions, Training, and more.

 

As your partner, we can negotiate the potential assessment minefield of regulatory compliance services with insight, hindsight, and the clear advantage of our breadth and depth of knowledge and regulatory compliance consulting. We offer the following pharma consulting regulatory affairs services for pharmaceutical companies.

 

  • New Product Support
  • Product Lifecycle
  • Other Regulatory Services
  • Combination Products

 

Compliance Assurance

 

The regulations process surrounding pharmaceutical companies can be tricky for even the most experienced industry veteran to understand. Just one misstep could mean significant and lasting consequences for your business. At Regulatory Compliance Associates, we offer the pharma consulting experience and pharma consultants necessary to guide you through the quality compliance process.

 

  • Assessments
  • Audits
  • Regulatory Agency Response
  • Preparation and Training
  • Inspection Readiness
  • Data Integrity

 

Quality Assurance

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates Quality consulting includes assessments, strategy, implementations, staff augmentations, and identification of quality metrics to ensure continuous improvement. Our pharma consultants understand the strategic thinking needed to align your business needs and goals. Regulatory Compliance Associates quality assurance services include quality experts with experience spanning major corporations and start-ups. Our pharmaceutical consulting firm knows firsthand how to achieve, maintain, and improve quality. Finally, our regulatory compliance services team excels in transferring continuous improvement knowledge to your organization.

 

  • 21 CFR Part 11
  • Data Integrity
  • Manufacturing Support
  • Facility Support
  • Quality Metrics

 

Remediation Services 

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates has a proven remediation services approach to managing FDA Warning Letters, Consent Decrees, Remediation and other serious regulatory situations. Our pharma consultants know how to partner with executive, legal, and communication teams. Each RCA pharma consulting Expert will develop a response that will be accepted by the regulatory agency and be realistic to execute.

 

Regulatory Compliance Associates pharma regulatory consultants will develop a comprehensive proof book of documented evidence demonstrating the corrective action taken to remediate non-compliant issues. In addition, each Regulatory Compliance Associates pharma consulting Expert understands compliance enforcement. We’ll prepare a comprehensive pharma consulting strategy to assist in your remediation efforts, drive continuous improvement, and maintain regulatory compliance with the regulations.

 

  • Regulatory Action
  • Regulatory Compliance
  • Regulatory Enforcement
  • Warning Letter
  • 483 Observation
  • Oversight Services
  • Risk Management Plan

 

About Regulatory Compliance Associates

 

Clinical TrialsRegulatory Compliance Associates® (RCA) provides pharmaceutical consulting to the following industries for resolution of life science challenges:

 

 

We understand the complexities of running a life science business and possess areas of expertise that include every facet of R&D, operations, regulatory affairs, quality, and manufacturing. We are used to working on the front lines and thriving in the scrutiny of FDA, Health Canada, MHRA and globally-regulated companies.

 

As your partners, Regulatory Compliance Associates can negotiate the potential minefield of regulatory compliance and regulatory due diligence with insight, hindsight, and the clear advantage of our unique expertise and experience.

 

  • Founded in 2000
  • Headquartered in Wisconsin (USA)
  • Expertise backed by over 500 industry subject matter experts
  • Acquired by Sotera Health in 2021

 

About Sotera Health

 

The name Sotera Health was inspired by Soteria, the Greek goddess of safety, and reflects the Company’s unwavering commitment to its mission, Safeguarding Global Health®.

 

Sotera Health Company, along with its three best-in-class businesses – Sterigenics®Nordion® and Nelson Labs®, is a leading global provider of mission-critical end-to-end sterilization solutions and lab testing and advisory services for the healthcare industry. With a combined tenure across our businesses of nearly 200 years and our industry-recognized scientific and technological expertise, we help to ensure the safety of over 190 million patients and healthcare practitioners around the world every year.

 

We are a trusted partner to 5,800+ customers in over 50 countries, including 40 of the top 50 medical device companies and 9 of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies.

 

Commitment to Quality

 

Our Certificate of Registration demonstrates that our Quality Management System meets the requirements of ISO 9001:2015, an internationally recognized standard of quality.

 

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