End-to-end qualification of ready-to-use (RTU) product containers in packaging suitable for No-Touch Transfer (NTT) into Grade A filling zones

Abstract

No-Touch Transfer (NTT) of pre-sterilised ready-to-use (RTU) containers is an alternative methodology that follows Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Quality Risk Management (QRM) principles. NTT de-bagging ejects contents from secondary bag packaging without direct contact with contents or exposure to an environment that is a lower grade than the zone being entered. The pre-sterilised containers and sterile barriers offer assured sterility at manufacture and are qualified to remain sterile through the supply chain and the stepwise NTT de-bagging process. This eliminates the requirement for in-process material disinfection steps for transfer into Grade A environments. The present article focuses on design qualification of pre-sterilised RTU container packaging, including definition of sterile barriers together with bioburden study data through the supply chain and simulated NTT. It completes a series of EJPPS articles to support peer-reviewed references on NTT. Together, these articles can be defined as end-to-end qualification of the NTT process, demonstrating a high level of assurance that sterility is maintained from manufacture to point of use. Key Words: Aseptic processing, Design qualification, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Life cycle, No-Touch Transfer (NTT), Pharmaceutical packaging, Pre-sterilised containers, Qualification, Quality by Design (QbD), Quality Risk Management (QRM), Ready-to-use (RTU), Supply chain