CMC Overview

What CMC covers — and when it matters.

Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls spans every CTD Module 3 section from Drug Substance through Drug Product to Appendices. Understanding what is required at each phase is the foundation of a well-governed development program.

Preview CMC Navigator →View Development Timelines

The Three CMC Areas

Module 3 spans Drug Substance, Drug Product, and Appendices.

Every NDA and BLA requires a complete CTD Module 3 package. CMC Drug Development maps what is required in each section, by phase, modality, and dosage form — so development teams know what is needed before it is due.

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3.2.S — Drug Substance

General Information, Manufacture, Characterisation, Control of Drug Substance, Reference Standards, Container Closure, and Stability. Sections 3.2.S.1 through 3.2.S.7 — every requirement mapped by phase.

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3.2.P — Drug Product

Description and Composition, Pharmaceutical Development, Manufacture, Control of Excipients, Control of Drug Product, Reference Standards, Container Closure, and Stability. From formulation development through commercial readiness.

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3.2.A — Appendices & Regional

Facilities and Equipment (3.2.A.1), Adventitious Agents Safety Evaluation (3.2.A.2 — ICH Q5A, viral clearance, cell banking), Novel Excipients (3.2.A.3), and Regional content for US FDA, EU EMA, and Japan PMDA. 8 section groups, 47 subsections.

Phase-Graded Expectations

What is required changes as the program advances.

IND, Phase 2, Phase 3, and NDA/BLA each carry different CMC expectations. The Navigator tags every requirement as Expected, Recommended, or As-needed at each phase — so teams can plan the right work at the right time.

IND / Phase 1

Safety-focused package. Enough characterisation to support first-in-human dosing. Process and controls at a scale sufficient for clinical trial material manufacture.

Phase 2 / Phase 3

Progressively more complete. Commercial process begins to emerge. Stability data accumulates. Analytical methods are validated. Control strategy is formalized.

NDA / BLA

Complete, validated package. Commercial manufacturing process qualified. Long-term stability supporting proposed shelf life. Full analytical validation across all methods.

Interactive Stage-Gate Program Map

The interactive stage-gate model on the homepage maps every development phase — Discovery through Commercial — with deliverable counts, task counts, estimated costs, gate milestones, and SME approver requirements across Small Molecule, Cell Therapy, and Gene Therapy. Click any phase or gate to explore.

Explore Stage-Gate Model → Preview CMC Navigator →

Ready to Navigate?

Explore requirements section by section — or request your program plan.

The CMC Navigator demonstrates phase-graded CTD requirements across 3.2.S, 3.2.P, and 3.2.A. The CMC Regulatory Filing Tracker provides a ready-to-use spreadsheet for managing the drafting, review, approval, and publication workflow across all Module 3 sections.

Preview CMC Navigator → Request Program Plan → Request Filing Tracker →