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Product safety and quality

LEO Pharma is unwavering in its commitment to developing and supplying innovative, and high-quality products and treatments to patients worldwide. We take a proactive approach to ensure the safety of those who rely on our products and services, striving to anticipate and prevent any unexpected or unintended incidents. This commitment is deeply rooted in our patient-centric approach, which is a cornerstone of our corporate strategy and values.

Quality culture: beyond compliance to excellence in Quality

 

At LEO Pharma, we seek to move beyond compliance to Excellence in Quality, which focuses on patient centricity and contribute to our innovation and continuous improvement mindset. We believe in simplicity, science, and risk-based quality management, ensuring that our processes are not only compliant but also efficient and forward-looking. Our leadership actively promotes a quality culture where collaboration, engagement, and the sharing of best practices thrive across the organization.

 

LEO Pharma measures its service quality performance through various mechanisms, such as publications, customer feedback, quality assurance programs and quality performances metrics that are regularly reviewed by Executive Management.

 

Patient safety: The heart of everything we do

 

At LEO Pharma, patient safety is not just a priority—it is the foundation of everything we do. From the earliest stages of product development to the moment our treatments reach patients, we are unwavering in our commitment to ensuring safety, quality, and efficacy. We continuously update our understanding of each product’s benefits and potential risks, drawing insights from a wide range of sources, including early testing, clinical trials, healthcare provider reports, patient feedback, scientific literature, and product quality assessments. This comprehensive approach allows us to proactively identify and address any concerns, ensuring that our products meet high standards of safety.

 

We operate with transparency and strict adherence to international and national regulations governing the pharmaceutical industry. Our products are rigorously monitored for safety in every market where they are available, and we maintain open communication with regulatory authorities to provide them with ongoing evaluations and updates. This ensures that patients and healthcare providers can trust the reliability LEO Pharma’s treatments.

 

At every stage of our work, we delve deeply into understanding how our medicines interact with the human body. We study how they are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and eliminated, ensuring that they are both effective and well tolerated for patients. This scientific rigor is central to our mission of improving lives through innovative dermatological solutions.

 

We follow global standards to uphold high standards for product quality and safety

 

At LEO Pharma, we are committed to upholding high standards of product quality and safety by adhering to globally recognized regulations, including GxP (Good Practice) standards, as well as requirements for Drug-Device Combination Products. Beyond compliance, we align with current good industry practices to ensure excellence and patient safety. From the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) to the manufacture of finished dermatology products, our global manufacturing processes are governed by rigorous quality assurance and control measures, fully integrated into our Global Quality Manual and Quality Management System.

 

All GxP areas are covered by our internal safety and quality standards, with production and distribution sites maintaining globally recognized GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) and GDP (Good Distribution Practice) certifications. Using a risk-based approach, we prioritize resources based on potential risks to product quality and patient safety, ensuring critical areas receive focused attention while continuously monitoring and improving processes to mitigate risks effectively. Through regular reviews, indepth analyses, and the integration of regulatory intelligence, we ensure our products consistently meet or exceed the highest manufacturing criteria, reinforcing our reputation as a trusted leader in dermatology and pharmaceutical innovation.

Our Quality Management System (QMS) is the backbone of our operations, ensuring that quality is embedded across the entire lifecycle of our products. Guided by our Quality Policy, Quality Manual, and Quality Documentation Management, the QMS integrates seamlessly across functions, enabling robust processes for continuous improvement. Our facilities are designed and maintained to minimize risks to product quality, and we uphold the highest standards of GxP compliance, ISO certifications, and regulatory requirements.
The LEO Pharma Quality Manual serves as a cornerstone document that defines the principles, policies, and standards governing our Quality Management System. It provides a clear framework for ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and internal standards, while also fostering a culture of continuous improvement. The Quality Manual outlines the roles and responsibilities across the organization, ensuring alignment and accountability at all levels. It is a living document, regularly updated to reflect advancements in science, technology, and regulatory expectations, ensuring that LEO Pharma remains at the forefront of quality excellence.

Patient safety is our top priority and is addressed in our Code of Conduct. It outlines how everyone at LEO Pharma, working in any stage of a product's lifecycle, is tasked with always following all relevant procedures associated with their role. All employees receive training on product safety and an annual refresher course on our quality policy and pharmacovigilance procedure, mandating all employees to report any safety concerns they are made aware of to the LEO Pharma Global Safety organization.

All employees working in GxP regulated areas receive annual GxP and Quality Manual training. Similarly, we conduct periodic competency reassessment and retraining at least annually or in case of absence exceeding 6 months, process changes or deviations.

We continually evaluate training effectiveness for specific topics, through periodic assessments and online training modules. In addition, we collect employee feedback for shopfloor training, to improve training content and delivery, and regularly review and update of training materials to reflect changes in regulations, policies, or processes.

At LEO Pharma, we are committed to ensuring the safety, quality, and efficacy of our products through rigorous and comprehensive testing and control processes, fully aligned with the stringent demands of the pharmaceutical industry. We strictly adhere to GxP (Good Practice) regulations, implementing robust quality controls at every stage of the product lifecycle. This includes incoming control of raw materials and components, in-process controls during manufacturing, and final release testing against predetermined quality specifications for both development and commercial products. These meticulous measures are designed to safeguard the safety and quality of our products before they reach patients.

The majority of product testing is conducted internally within LEO Pharma’s advanced laboratories, which are equipped with cutting-edge technology and staffed by highly skilled professionals. In specific cases, we also collaborate with carefully selected and accredited external laboratories to complement our internal capabilities. When external laboratories are engaged, we establish robust contractual quality agreements to ensure that all testing activities meet the same rigorous standards and comply with global regulatory requirements. By leveraging both our in-house expertise and, when necessary, the specialized capabilities of external partners, we ensure that every product meets or exceeds the stringent quality expectations of the pharmaceutical industry.

At LEO Pharma, we maintain robust Quality Agreements with our third-party suppliers involved in outsourced activities. These agreements ensure that all external activities comply with applicable GxP (Good Practice) regulations and meet the high standards required by LEO Pharma. To support this, we have implemented a comprehensive Supplier Quality Management procedure that governs the entire lifecycle of supplier relationships. This process includes supplier evaluation, selection, approval, ongoing monitoring of capability and performance, and, when necessary, termination. Each step in this process is proportionate to the risks associated with the supplied materials or services, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and safeguarding product quality.

Supplier audits are a cornerstone of our quality assurance efforts. We conduct audits for direct suppliers, component manufacturers, and raw material providers to verify compliance with regulatory standards and LEO Pharma’s internal requirements. The majority of these audits are carried out by LEO Pharma’s internal Global Quality audit function, with occasional support from independent third-party auditors. When third-party audits are utilized, they are conducted under LEO Pharma’s scope and instructions to ensure alignment with the regulatory quality requirements applicable to our products. The frequency of audits is determined through a risk-based selection process, with audits conducted prior to onboarding a supplier and at regular intervals thereafter to ensure ongoing compliance.

LEO Pharma requires all suppliers to adhere to relevant regulatory standards, which often include globally recognized certifications. Our supplier evaluation process ensures that suppliers have robust Quality Management Systems (QMS) in place, aligned MAT-85224 Page 3 of 3 with regulatory requirements and industry best practices for product safety and quality. Depending on the nature of the supplier’s services, this may include certified compliance with GCP, GDP, GMP, GLP, GVP1 , ISO 13485, EU Regulation 2017/745 (MDR), and FDA 21 CFR Parts 4, 11, 210, 211, and 820. Additionally, suppliers are required to train their personnel on product safety and quality, ensuring that their operations align with LEO Pharma’s commitment to excellence. This rigorous approach to supplier engagement reflects our dedication to maintaining the highest standards of quality and compliance throughout our supply chain.

At LEO Pharma, we are deeply committed to safeguarding patient safety and maintaining the highest standards of product quality through a robust and proactive approach to complaints and recalls. Customer complaints regarding the safety and quality of our investigational and medicinal products are continuously monitored, analyzed, and addressed to identify and mitigate potential issues before they escalate. This ongoing vigilance reflects our dedication to patient-centric care and regulatory excellence.

The handling of product safety and quality concerns is governed by stringent regulatory requirements and is formalized in LEO Pharma’s standard operating procedures. These procedures encompass all aspects of customer complaint management, adverse event reporting, and product recall processes. Employees involved in these critical activities receive specialized training to ensure they are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to manage concerns effectively. Additionally, the systems used to log and track complaints are validated to meet regulatory standards, ensuring accuracy, reliability, and compliance.

Regular monitoring and in-depth analysis of complaints enable us to proactively identify trends and implement corrective and preventive actions. In the very rare event of a product recall, LEO Pharma acts swiftly and transparently, adhering to regulatory guidelines to protect patient safety and maintain trust. This comprehensive and systematic approach underscores our commitment to delivering safe, high-quality products and reinforces our reputation as a trusted leader in the pharmaceutical industry.

If you wish to report a product complaint or report a side effect, please visit our contact page for direction to the proper channels.

Promotion of medicinal products is strictly regulated and monitored by local authorities. We are committed to upholding high standards and ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations and ethical codes in all aspects of interacting with external stakeholders, including Healthcare Professionals, Healthcare Organizations as well as Patients, Patient Organizations, payers and other members of the public. This means maintaining processes and providing extensive training to ensure that promotional activities are appropriately evaluated and approved. All employees are trained in responsible conduct through our Code of Conduct, while employees involved in Sales and Marketing activities receive additional training in marketing, compliance assurance of material for external use, and HCP compliance.

Beyond regulatory obligations, we adhere to professional organization guidelines, such as the EFPIA Code of Practice to emphasize the importance of transparency and integrity. We maintain transparent and ethical relationships with all stakeholders to support patient care and access to therapies.

For more details on our policies, visit our positions and views here

 

 

 

 

1 GCP: Good Clinical Practice, GDP: Good Distribution Practice, GMP: Good Manufacturing Practice, GLP: Good Laboratory Practice, GVP: Good
Pharmacovigilance Practice.

 

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