3 min read

Immunogenicity: Meeting the Safety Reporting Requirements

It is imperative to assess the potential of therapeutic proteins along and beyond the pre-clinical and clinical development phases.
Discover why it is imperative to assess the potential of therapeutic proteins throughout the product lifecycle.

Immune responses toward therapeutic proteins may cause significant adverse effects, such as loss of efficacy, hypersensitivity and autoimmunity. For that reason, it is imperative to assess the potential of therapeutic proteins along and beyond the pre-clinical and clinical development phases. In consequence, an increasing body of evidence is created along the product’s lifecycle, encompassing multiple and diverse aspects of its immunogenicity potential.

These accumulating data typically become more complex as time goes by, since they stem from different sources and studies. Therefore, in order to be clinically meaningful, they must be assessed in a comprehensive and integrated manner.

In this setting, one of the points that is key to allow that assessment by regulators during applications for marketing authorization in a timely and efficient way is the effective presentation of the relevant information in regulatory dossiers.

Up to some years ago, these data were usually scattered along different modules of the Common Technical Document (CTD), making it difficult to find them embedded in sections of the document that were not exclusive for immunogenicity.

Moreover, dossiers traditionally provide summary presentations of results of risk evaluations, instead of explaining the immunogenicity factors related to product and patients that can influence efficacy and safety. The resulting uncertainty generated on whether some risks were properly addressed frequently triggered regulatory questions and delays.

A recently proposed integrated summary of immunogenicity (ISI) has been considered helpful by regulators and is becoming the standard for that purpose. It allows the integration of the risk analysis with the risk evaluation and mitigation aspects. Its preparation should start as soon as the lead candidate is selected, and it should be updated along clinical development.

Some points are key in the successful preparation of the ISI. Neglecting them may lead to information gaps and uncertainties.

Risk factors to immunogenicity reactions must be adequately understood, by observing aspects related to the product itself, the target population, the indication, as well as usual concurrent diseases and concomitant medications.

The strategy adopted to assess immunogenicity potential (including anti-drug assays and pharmacokinetic [PK] studies) must be properly described and justified. A meaningful link between risk assessment, related clinical observations and risk mitigation must be made explicit. This is done by correlating the observations of the biochemical and immunological assays with PK data, pharmacodynamic data and clinical information.

The overall impact of immunogenicity on the benefit-risk balance of the product must be assessed. Measures to assess the risks and vulnerable subpopulations in the clinical setting must be proposed. If applicable, mitigation strategies must be described and justified.

To learn more about UBC or to speak to a member of our Pharmacovigilance team, visit ubc.com.

Other Recent Posts

Press
1 min read

UBC Listed as a Citeline Awards Finalist for Excellence in RWE

UBC is once again a finalist for the Citeline Awards, with our 2024 nomination coming in the Excellence in RWE category.
Press
5 min read

UBC Successfully Implemented REMS Administration Software DuringHL7® FHIR® Connectathon

UBC demonstrated our commitment to optimizing safe medication use and health outcomes by participating in the HL7® FHIR® Connectathon.
Press
5 min read

UBC Selects Oracle Cloud Safety Technology for its Safety Programs

UBC selected Oracle Life Sciences' safety case management solution.

Thank You for Connecting with UBC

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Mi proin enim ipsum nascetur. Venenatis odio scelerisque non netus ac et pellentesque.

What You Can Expect Next

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Cras aliquam erat eget magna sollicitudin.

Get Ready to Change Your Business

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Mi proin enim ipsum nascetur. Venenatis odio scelerisque non netus ac et pellentesque.

Service Request

Bekki Bracken Brown

President & Chief Executive Officer

Bekki Bracken Brown serves as the President and CEO of UBC, guiding the company’s mission and values, including the improvement of access for patients to receive better outcomes. She oversees all aspects of UBC, such as operations, business growth strategy, sales and marketing, and acquisition support.

With over 20 years of industry experience, Ms. Brown brings knowledge from a successful career in senior management from her tenure at Quintiles, INC Research, and, most recently, with Syneos Health. She’s been a member of the North Carolina BIO Board of Directors since 2019. She is also a member of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association — Southeast Chapter and CHIEF, an organization that supports women executive leaders. Ms. Brown earned her bachelor’s degree at Duke University.