What is Process Analytical Technology (PAT)?
The FDA considers PAT to be a system for designing, analyzing, and controlling manufacturing through timely measurements (i.e., during processing) of critical quality and performance attributes of raw and in-process materials and processes, with the goal of ensuring final product quality.
An aspect of the FDA's CGMP initiative to help pharmaceutical manufacturers gain more flexibility has been the use of PAT to apply multivariate modeling and real-time analytical methods to predict and control product quality during the manufacturing process.
Reference: Guidance for Industry, October 2004: PAT — A Framework for Innovative Pharmaceutical Development, Manufacturing, and Quality Assurance.