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. 2024 Dec;30(8):1442-1449.
doi: 10.1177/10781552241279025. Epub 2024 Aug 28.

Cellular therapy site-preparedness: Inpatient pharmacy implementation at a large academic medical center

Janine G Martino  1 , Kim McConnell  2 , Lorraine Greathouse  3 , Brent Del Rosario  4 , Jaclyn M Jaskowiak  1
Affiliations

Cellular therapy site-preparedness: Inpatient pharmacy implementation at a large academic medical center

Janine G Martino et al. J Oncol Pharm Pract. 2024 Dec.

Abstract

Background: With the recent Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval of cellular therapy that requires product manipulation prior to administration in combination with a short stability window, the need was identified for local dose preparation within the pharmacy rather than the off-site stem cell processing laboratory. This approval gave rise to assessment of regulatory standards surrounding cellular therapy, evaluation and revision of current standard operating procedures and policies with formal process validation, assessment of occupational exposure mitigation and safety considerations, and development of staff training and education.

Objective: To describe and provide insight into the stepwise process of FACT validation and onboarding of commercially available cellular therapy products that require sterile compounding manipulation within a pharmacy prior to administration.

Discussion: A multidisciplinary effort is required to attain FACT certification and implement pharmacist compounding of cellular therapy products.1 Local preparation within a pharmacy facilitates a sound operational workflow and provides a pathway to perform aseptic manipulations of cellular therapy products safely and efficiently.

Conclusion: Safe and successful administration of cellular therapies handled and compounded by pharmacy department staff along with program validation requires a preemptive review utilizing a multidisciplinary approach for process development. This manuscript will provide a foundation based on consistency and transparency in effective cellular therapy sterile compounding and aseptic manipulation, proper handling and disposal procedures, increased communication through creation and optimization of treatment plans and order-sets, standardized medical center staff education, and development of policies and standard operating procedures for the entire health care team.

Keywords: Cellular therapy; FACT validation; inpatient pharmacy; lisocabtagene maraleucel; sterile compounding.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Swimlane diagram of pharmacist workflow.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Lisocabtagene program implementation timeline.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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