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Statistical experimental designs such as factorial, optimal, or definitive screening designs represent the state of the art in biopharmaceutical process characterization. However, such methods alone do not leverage the fact that processes operate as a mutual interplay of multiple steps. Instead, they aim to investigate only one process step at a time. Here, we want to develop a new experimental design method that seeks to gain information about final product quality, placing the right type of run at the right unit operation. This is done by minimizing the simulated out-of-specification rate of an integrated process model comprised of a chain of regression models that map process parameters to critical quality attributes for each unit operation. Unit operation models are connected by passing their response to the next unit operation model as a load parameter, as is done in real-world manufacturing processes. The proposed holistic DoE (hDoE) method is benchmarked against standard process characterization approaches in a set of in silico simulation studies where data are generated by different ground truth processes to illustrate the validity over a range of scenarios. Results show that the hDoE approach leads to a >50% decrease in experiments, even for simple cases, and, at the same time, achieves the main goal of process development, validation, and manufacturing to consistently deliver product quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated or holistic process models may serve as the engine of a digital asset in a multistep-process digital twin. Concatenated individual-unit operation models are effective at propagating errors over an entire process, but are nonetheless limited in certain aspects of recent applications that prevent their deployment as a plausible digital asset, particularly regarding bioprocess development requirements. Sequential critical quality attribute tests along the process chain that form output–input (i.e., pool-to-load) relationships, are impacted by nonaligned design spaces at different scales and by simulation distribution challenges. Limited development experiments also inhibit the exploration of the overall design space, particularly regarding the propagation of extreme noncontrolled parameter values. In this contribution, bioprocess requirements are used as the framework to improve integrated process models by introducing a simplified data model for multiunit operation processes, increasing statistical robustness, adding a new simulation flow for scale-dependent variables, and describing a novel algorithm for extrapolation in a data-driven environment. Lastly, architectural and procedural requirements for a deployed digital twin are described, and a real-time workflow is proposed, thus providing a final framework for a digital asset in bioprocessing along the full product life cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intermediate acceptance criteria are the foundation for developing control strategies in process validation stage 1 in the pharmaceutical industry. At drug substance or product level such intermediate acceptance criteria for quality are available and referred to as specification limits. However, it often remains a challenge to define acceptance criteria for intermediate process steps. Available guidelines underpin the importance of intermediate acceptance criteria, because they are an integral part for setting up a control strategy for the manufacturing process. The guidelines recommend to base the definition of acceptance criteria on the entirety of process knowledge. Nevertheless, the guidelines remain unclear on how to derive such limits. Within this contribution we aim to present a sound data science methodology for the definition of intermediate acceptance criteria by putting the guidelines recommendations into practice (ICH Q6B, 1999). By using an integrated process model approach, we leverage manufacturing data and experimental data from small scale to derive intermediate acceptance criteria. The novelty of this approach is that the acceptance criteria are based on pre-defined out-of-specification probabilities, while also considering manufacturing variability in process parameters. In a case study we compare this methodology to a conventional +/- 3 standard deviations (3SD) approach and demonstrate that the presented methodology is superior to conventional approaches and provides a solid line of reasoning for justifying them in audits and regulatory submission.

The development of a biopharmaceutical production process usually occurs sequentially, and tedious optimization of each individual unit operation is very time‐consuming. Here, the conditions established as optimal for one‐step serve as input for the following step. Yet, this strategy does not consider potential interactions between a priori distant process steps and therefore cannot guarantee for optimal overall process performance. To overcome these limitations, we established a smart approach to develop and utilize integrated process models using machine learning techniques and genetic algorithms. We evaluated the application of the data‐driven models to explore potential efficiency increases and compared them to a conventional development approach for one of our development products. First, we developed a data‐driven integrated process model using gradient boosting machines and Gaussian processes as machine learning techniques and a genetic algorithm as recommendation engine for two downstream unit operations, namely solubilization and refolding. Through projection of the results into our large‐scale facility, we predicted a twofold increase in productivity. Second, we extended the model to a three‐step model by including the capture chromatography. Here, depending on the selected baseline‐process chosen for comparison, we obtained between 50% and 100% increase in productivity. These data show the successful application of machine learning techniques and optimization algorithms for downstream process development. Finally, our results highlight the importance of considering integrated process models for the whole process chain, including all unit operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Process characterization is a regulatory imperative for process validation within the biopharmaceutical industry. Several individual steps must be conducted to achieve the final control strategy. For that purpose, tools from the Quality by Design (QbD) toolbox are often considered. These tools require process knowledge to conduct the associated data analysis. They include cause and effect analysis, multivariate data analysis, risk assessment and design space evaluation. However, this approach is limited to the evaluation of single unit operations. This is risky as the interactions of the operations may render the control strategy invalid. Hence, a holistic process evaluation is required. Here, we present a novel workflow that shows how simple data analysis tools can be used to investigate the process holistically. This results in a significant reduction of the experimental effort and in the development of an integrated process control strategy. This novel QbD workflow is based on a novel combination of risk assessment and integrated process modeling. We demonstrate this workflow in a case study and show that the herein presented approach can be applied to any biopharmaceutical process. We demonstrate a workflow that can reduce the number of factors and increase the amount of responses within a Design of Experiments (DoE). Consequently, this result demonstrates that experimental costs and time can be reduced by investing more time in thoughtful data analysis.

Maximizing the value of each available data point in bioprocess development is essential in order to reduce the time-to-market, lower the number of expensive wet-lab experiments, and maximize process understanding. Advanced in silico methods are increasingly being investigated to accomplish these goals. Within this contribution, we propose a novel integrated process model procedure to maximize the use of development data to optimize the Stage 1 process validation work flow. We generate an integrated process model based on available data and apply two innovative Monte Carlo simulation-based parameter sensitivity analysis linearization techniques to automate two quality by design activities: determining risk assessment severity rankings and establishing preliminary control strategies for critical process parameters. These procedures are assessed in a case study for proof of concept on a candidate monoclonal antibody bioprocess after process development, but prior to process characterization. The evaluation was successful in returning results that were used to support Stage I process validation milestones and demonstrated the potential to reduce the investigated parameters by up to 24% in process characterization, while simultaneously setting up a strategy for iterative updates of risk assessments and process controls throughout the process life-cycle to ensure a robust and efficient drug supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues on the importance of intercultural competence development of the academic and other staff, providing services to international students as part of the internalization policy of higher education. For this purpose two educational institutions are surveyed: Ruse University (RU), Bulgaria and Hubei University of Technology (HBUT), China. Recently, both universities have increased the number of their study abroad programs for local students, university programs for international students and exchange mobility transfers as part of their policies for internationalization. These institutions of higher education have also cooperated under the Erasmus+ program, which provided the authors with the possibility to elaborate a survey on the topic. Thus total of 29 international student educators participated in the study, which involved survey questionnaires in English, based on the Integrated Process Model of Intercultural Competence. The research results reveal that intercultural competence development is not a policy built-in practice or an organized process in these universities, which brings every-day challenges for the educators. Also, the findings confirm Hofstede‘s conclusion on organizational culture by showing that in spite of the differences between Bulgarian and Chinese national cultures, these two universities‘ policies, values and practices are very similar.