Let's Combinate - Drugs + Devices

In this episode of Let’s Combinate: Drugs and Devices, host Subhi Saadeh breaks down the 2025 draft update to the ICH Q1 guideline and explains what has actually changed and what has stayed the same.
ICH Q1 is the core stability guideline, and with the consolidation of multiple legacy guidelines into a single document, many readers have found the draft overwhelming. In this episode, Subhi steps back from line-by-line commentary and instead focuses on how to think about ICH Q1, how to read it efficiently, and how stability decisions are expected to be made.
The discussion covers why stability was one of the first topics harmonized by ICH, the fundamental stability concepts that still anchor the guideline, and how the revised structure emphasizes lifecycle management and data evaluation rather than introducing new science. Subhi also explains how ICH Q1 applies to drug-device combination products, including the role of the device as part of the container-closure system and why in-use stability often matters more than long-term storage.
This episode is part of an ongoing series walking through the ICH Q guidelines and is intended to help listeners navigate regulatory expectations with clarity and confidence.

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
00:36 What ICH Q1 Is and Why It Exists
02:59 Core Stability Concepts in ICH Q1
04:51 What’s Changing in the 2025 Draft
05:35 How to Read ICH Q1
07:16 ICH Q1 and Drug-Device Combination Products
09:09 Closing and What’s Next

Subhi Saadeh is a Quality Professional and host of Let's Combinate. With a background in Quality, Manufacturing Operations and R&D he's worked in Large Medical Device/Pharma organizations to support the development and launch of Hardware Devices, Disposable Devices, and Combination Products for Vaccines, Generics, and Biologics. Subhi serves currently as the International Committee Chair for the Combination Products Coalition(CPC) and as a member of ASTM Committee E55 and also served as a committee member on AAMI's Combination Products Committee.For questions, inquiries or suggestions please reach out at letscombinate.com or on the show's LinkedIn Page.

In this episode of Let’s Combinate: Drugs + Devices, host Subhi Saadeh continues the Combinating with ICH series by breaking down how the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines are organized and why that structure matters for drug and drug-device combination products.

Subhi walks through the four main ICH guideline families, Quality (Q), Safety (S), Efficacy (E), and Multidisciplinary (M), and explains how each fits into the broader product lifecycle. The episode places particular emphasis on the Quality guidelines, which form the backbone of pharmaceutical development, manufacturing control strategies, and lifecycle management.

Rather than a deep dive into requirements, this episode is designed to orient listeners to the full ICH landscape. It helps teams understand where different guidelines apply, who typically owns them, and how they collectively shape regulatory expectations. Future episodes in the series will explore individual Quality guidelines in detail.

In this episode, you will learn

What an ICH guideline is and how it differs from regulations and standards
Why guidelines still matter during inspections and enforcement
How ICH organizes its guidance into Q, S, E, and M categories
A high-level overview of the Quality Guidelines (Q1 through Q14), including:

Stability (Q1)
Analytical validation and development (Q2 and Q14)
Impurities (Q3)
Quality by Design and risk management (Q8 and Q9)
Pharmaceutical Quality Systems and lifecycle management (Q10 through Q12)
Continuous manufacturing (Q13)
How different functional teams interact with different parts of the ICH framework

The next episode begins the deep dive into the Quality Guidelines, starting with ICH Q1 on Stability.

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction to the Series
00:48 Overview of ICH Guidelines
01:36 What an ICH Guideline Is and Is Not
03:04 The Four ICH Guideline Categories
04:08 Quality Guidelines Overview
08:46 Safety Guidelines Overview
09:28 Efficacy Guidelines Overview
10:33 Multidisciplinary Guidelines Overview
11:28 Wrap-Up and Next Steps

Subhi Saadeh is a Quality Professional and host of Let's Combinate. With a background in Quality, Manufacturing Operations and R&D he's worked in Large Medical Device/Pharma organizations to support the development and launch of Hardware Devices, Disposable Devices, and Combination Products for Vaccines, Generics, and Biologics. Subhi serves currently as the International Committee Chair for the Combination Products Coalition(CPC) and as a member of ASTM Committee E55 and also served as a committee member on AAMI's Combination Products Committee.For questions, inquiries or suggestions please reach out at letscombinate.com or on the show's LinkedIn Page.

In this episode of Let’s Combinate: Drugs + Devices, Subhi Saadeh kicks off a new series focused on the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) and its impact on drug and drug–device combination products.Subhi introduces what ICH is, why it was created, and how its guidelines shape global expectations for pharmaceutical quality, safety, efficacy, and lifecycle management. He walks through the historical challenges that existed before harmonization, explains how ICH guidelines are developed through the five-step process, and outlines why these standards matter—especially for teams working at the intersection of drugs and devices.The episode also sets the roadmap for the series, including upcoming deep dives into the ICH Quality guidelines (Q1–Q14) and how they apply in practice to combination products.00:00 Welcome to Let’s Combinate00:37 Why ICH Matters for Drug–Device Products02:22 What Is ICH?05:21 Evolution of ICH Guidelines10:18 The Five-Step ICH Guideline Process11:38 How This Series Will Work14:09 Wrap-Up and What’s NextSubhi Saadeh is a Quality Professional, Founder of Let's Combinate BioWorks and host of Let's Combinate. With a background in Quality, Manufacturing Operations and R&D he's worked in Large Medical Device/Pharma organizations to support the development and launch of Hardware Devices, Disposable Devices, and Combination Products for Vaccines, Generics, and Biologics. Subhi serves currently as the International Committee Chair for the Combination Products Coalition(CPC) and as a member of ASTM Committee E55 and also served as a committee member on AAMI's Combination Products Committee.For questions, inquiries or suggestions please reach out at letscombinate.com or on the show's LinkedIn Page.

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Get expert insights on FDA regulations, risk management, quality systems, and the latest trends in drug-device combination products.

In this end of year episode of Let’s Combinate: Drugs + Devices, host Subhi Saadeh reflects on the past year through the lens of Managing Oneself by Peter Drucker. Using the book’s core questions around strengths, values, learning style, performance, and contribution, Subhi shares how his thinking has evolved and how those ideas continue to shape his approach to work and learning.

The episode explores the idea of learning by teaching and why podcasting has become an important way for Subhi to deepen his own understanding of complex topics. He also shares a brief life and professional update, including the launch of Let’s ComBinate BioWorks and a shift in focus toward work that bridges the drug and device worlds.

The conversation closes with reflections on Drucker’s ideas about the second half of a career and introduces a new upcoming podcast series focused on ICH guidelines. Subhi outlines how the series will take a high level, practical approach to ICH, emphasizing how to read and engage with the guidance rather than treating it as a checklist.

Episode Timeline
00:00 Introduction and episode overview
00:31 Introducing the upcoming ICH series
01:36 Reflections on Managing Oneself
03:27 Life and professional updates
06:59 Thinking about the second half of a career
08:19 Closing thoughts

Subhi Saadeh is a Quality Professional and host of Let's Combinate. With a background in Quality, Manufacturing Operations and R&D he's worked in Large Medical Device/Pharma organizations to support the development and launch of Hardware Devices, Disposable Devices, and Combination Products for Vaccines, Generics, and Biologics. Subhi serves currently as the International Committee Chair for the Combination Products Coalition(CPC) and as a member of ASTM Committee E55 and also served as a committee member on AAMI's Combination Products Committee.For questions, inquiries or suggestions please reach out at letscombinate.com or on the show's LinkedIn Page.

In this episode of Let’s Combinate: Drugs + Devices, host Subhi Saadeh is joined by Ben Locwin to break down what’s changing in FDA pre-approval and pre-license inspections—and why the “inspection side” of approval is becoming a bigger conversation.

They cover how PAIs and PLIs fit into the approval pathway, why Complete Response Letters (CRLs) can be driven by inspection outcomes, and what it would mean to “decouple” approval decisions from inspection timing. The conversation also explores the pros and cons of unannounced inspections, the realities of FDA capacity and scheduling, and how FDA’s PreCheck program is shaping the onshoring/manufacturing-readiness narrative in the U.S. Finally, they zoom out to compare international inspection approaches and what global trends could signal for industry.

What you’ll learn

-The difference between Pre-Approval Inspections (PAIs) and Pre-License Inspections (PLIs)
-How inspection outcomes can lead to CRLs—even when the application looks strong on paper
-Why industry is talking about decoupling approval from PAI timing
-The idea behind FDA PreCheck and what “facility readiness” looks like
-Unannounced inspections: where they help, where they create risk
-How inspection expectations compare across global regulators

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:10 Understanding Pre-Approval and Pre-License Inspections
01:54 Challenges and Industry Perspectives
03:08 FDA Complete Response Letters (CRLs)
05:23 Unannounced Inspections: Pros and Cons
08:55 Economic and Regulatory Considerations
12:37 Onshoring and the PreCheck Program
22:51 Global Regulatory Landscape
25:11 Conclusion and Farewell

Ben Locwin is a Healthcare Executive, MMA fighter, Jiu Jtisu pro and Quality and Regulatory SME working in medical devices, pharma and other regulated industries.

Subhi Saadeh is a Quality Professional and host of Let's Combinate. With a background in Quality, Manufacturing Operations and R&D he's worked in Large Medical Device/Pharma organizations to support the development and launch of Hardware Devices, Disposable Devices, and Combination Products for Vaccines, Generics, and Biologics. Subhi serves currently as the International Committee Chair for the Combination Products Coalition(CPC) and as a member of ASTM Committee E55 and also served as a committee member on AAMI's Combination Products Committee.For questions, inquiries or suggestions please reach out at letscombinate.com or on the show's LinkedIn Page.