Regulatory Sciences
How to Survive a Multi-Year Consent Decree
Operating a business under a Consent Decree is extremely difficult; there is no area of the business that goes unaffected. In addition to fines that could reach $500 million, a three to five-year...
FDA Announces Update to Nonproprietary Naming Convention for Biosimilar Products
On Thursday, March 7th, FDA published a revised draft guidance, updating its nonproprietary naming convention for biological products licensed under section 351 of the Public Health Service Act (PHS...
Regulatory Sciences
FDA Approves Nasal Spray to Treat Depression in Adults
Earlier this month, FDA announced the approval of Spravato (esketamine) nasal spray. The product is to be used in conjunction with an oral antidepressant and is indicated for the treatment of...
Regulatory Sciences
FDA Issues Draft Guidance to Advance Development of Combination Products
On Tuesday, February 5th, FDA published a draft guidance explaining the principles for premarket review of combination products, including how to determine which type of premarket submission is...
FDA Draft Guidance on Tentatively Approved ANDA Submissions
On Wednesday, January 16th, the FDA published its first draft guidance since the partial government shutdown took effect on December 22, 2018. The draft guidance, entitled "ANDA Submissions –...
Regulatory Sciences
Year in Review: Taking a Look at Pharma's Top News Stories & Events from 2018
From FDA's approval of the first cannabis-based product in the U.S., to the classification of two Apple Watch apps and changes in the Agency's submission requirements related to Sponsor meetings,...
Regulatory Sciences
Outsourcing Functions Doesn't Mean You've Outsourced Compliance Obligations
Over the past 20 years, the traditional approach to drug development has expanded to include the outsourcing of a range of testing and manufacturing functions. As a part of their long-term strategic...
Regulatory Sciences
Human Subject Protection Regulations: Differences Between HHS’ & FDA’s Clinical Trial Rules
On Friday, October 12th, FDA issued a guidance document entitled “Impact of Certain Provisions of the Revised Common Rule on FDA-Regulated Clinical Investigations.” The document aims to help...
CBER Provides Sponsors with Policies and Procedures Regarding INTERACT Meetings
On Monday, October 1, FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) issued a document outlining the policies and procedures for scheduling and conducting INitial Targeted Engagement for...
Regulatory Sciences
FDA Releases Draft Guidance on Benefit-Risk Determinations for Devices
On Thursday, September 6th, the FDA released a new draft guidance regarding benefit-risk determinations in medical device premarket approval applications (PMAs), De Novo requests, and humanitarian...
Generic Failure: Why so Few ANDAs Are Accepted by FDA on the First Pass
Generic drugs are immensely important to the U.S. healthcare system. These drugs account for 89% of the prescriptions dispensed in the United States. And, over the last decade, generic drugs have...
Regulatory Sciences
FDA Steps up its Game on Generic Drugs: The Story Behind the Recent Focus on Generic Products
Throughout 2017, the FDA focused its attention on the regulation of generic drug products. In 2015, the Agency issued only two generic-related guidance documents. In 2016, there were seven. In 2017,...
Finding a Roadmap to Approval - Hint: You Can't Pick One Up at the FDA
Earning FDA approval for your drug program is a journey. A misstep at any point of that journey could jeopardize your chance at getting your drug approved. That’s why it’s so important to have a...
7 Things to Consider Before Selecting a CRO
Selecting the right contract research organization (CRO) is one of the most important decisions you, as a sponsor, must make. That’s because CROs can improve efficiency and increase productivity,...
Quality & Compliance
Clinical Quality Systems & the Outsourced Model
The landscape of clinical trials is evolving. The changes that are happening are due to the increased number of FDA-regulated trials, as well as a rise in the complexity of clinical protocols. As...
Regulatory Sciences
Senators work to Reform FDA’s Medical Device Inspection Process with Bipartisan Bill
On Wednesday, February 15th, Senators Michael Bennet (D – CO) and Johnny Isakson (R – GA) introduced a bill to improve FDA’s medical device inspection process. If passed, the bill would amend the...