
PDA Technical Glossary
PDA Technical Reports are highly valued membership benefits because they offer expert guidance and opinions on important scientific and regulatory topics and are used as essential references by industry and regulatory authorities around the world. These reports include terms which explain the material and enhance the reader’s understanding.
The database presented here includes the glossary terms from all current technical reports. The database is searchable by keyword, topic, or by technical report. Each definition provided includes a link to the source technical report within the PDA Technical Report Portal.
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- TR 57: Analytical Method Validation (4)
- TR 14: Validation: Protein Purification Chromatography (3)
- TR 54-4: QRM: Biotech Drug Substance (2)
- TR 60: Process Validation (2)
- TR 54: QRM:Manufacturing Operations (1)
- TR 54-2: QRM: Packaging Labeling (1)
- TR 54-3: QRM: Drug Products (1)
- TR 56: Phase Appropriate cGMP Application (1)
- TR 57-2: Analytical Method Development (1)
- TR 65: Technology Transfer (1)
- TR 67: Objectionable Microorganisms (1)
- TR 69: Bioburden/Biofilm Management (1)
- TR 70: Cleaning/Disinfection Programs (1)
- TR 72: Passive Thermal Protection Systems: Qualification/Operations (1)
- TR 15: Validation: TFF in Biopharmaceuticals (1)
- TR 83: Virus Contamination in Biomanufacturing: Risk Mitigation, Preparedness, and Response (1)
- TR 88: Microbial Data Deviation Investigations in the Pharmaceutical Industry (1)
- TR 44: QRM: Aseptic Processes (1)
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Contaminant
Any adventitiously or externally introduced material(s) (e.g., chemical, biochemical, or microbial species) not intended to be part of the process. (TR14) (TR15) (TR70)
An undesired impurity of a chemical or microbiological nature that is introduced into a raw material, intermediate, or API (drug substance) during manufacture. (TR14) (TR15)
Any adventitiously introduced materials (e.g., chemical, biochemical, or microbial species) not intended to be part of the manufacturing process of the drug substance or drug product. (TR69) (TR74)
Any adventitiously introduced material (e.g., chemical, biochemical) or microorganisms including viruses not intended to be included in the manufacturing process of the drug substance or drug product. (TR83)
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Design of Experiments (DOE)
A method for carrying out carefully planned experiments on a process. Usually, DoE involves a series of experiments that initially involves evaluating many variables and then focuses on a few critical ones. (TR54-4)
A structured, organized method for determining the relationship between factors affecting an assay and output of that assay. (TR57) (TR57-2) (TR74)
A structured, organized method for determining the relationship between factors affecting a process and the output of that process (8). (TR60)
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Drug Substance (DS)
The active ingredient that is subsequently formulated with excipients to produce the drug product. It can be composed of the desired product, product-related substances, and product- and process-related impurities. It may also contain excipients, including buffers and other components. [Synonyms: bulk drug substance, bulk material, active pharmaceutical ingredient (API)] (TR14) (TR57) (TR74) (TR60)
Active pharmaceutical ingredient in a drug product that is responsible for that product’s therapeutic activity.(TR67) (TR82) (TR88)
See Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API). (TR56)
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Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
A method of assessing and evaluating risk. (TR44)
A systematic method for identifying, analyzing, prioritizing and documenting potential failure modes, their effects on system, product and process performance, and the possible causes of failure in order to prevent defects from occurring. (TR54) (TR54-2) (TR54-3) (TR54-4) (TR74) (TR54-5)
A tool for analyzing processes or systems to evaluate all operating steps in order to identify and assess the risk associated with any potential failures. (TR65)
An analytical technique that results in a rankordered list of concerns to take action on. (TR72)
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Impurity
Any component present in the drug substance or drug product that is not the desired product, a product-related substance, or excipient including buffer components. It may be either processor product-related. (TR14) (TR57) (TR74)
Any component present in the drug substance or drug product which is not the desired product, a product-related substance, or excipient. It may be either process- or product-related (17). (TR60)