Regulatory Authority Actions

Efforts by regulators seek common approaches to clinical research and biopharmaceutical production needed to wipe out the coronavirus pandemic globally.

EU regulators are requesting more effective action be taken to tackle serious impurities in APIs and finished products.

EMA has started a review of dexamethasone as a treatment for adults with COVID-19 who require respiratory support and have been admitted to hospital.

The approval comes after positive results were met in a single-arm, open-label study that resulted in FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for the one-time therapy.

Patient advocates, research experts, and industry are calling for more user fee revenues to support CBER programs to advance innovative therapies.

Should therapies and vaccines be cheap or free in a pandemic and would that really dry up innovation?

Industry should be seeking more information from FDA on how it will restart its current inspection program.

The Committee for Human Medicinal Products (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has issued its final opinion on measures for companies to take that will limit the presence of nitrosamines in human medicines.

Global regulatory authorities have published a report describing the aligned positions on COVID-19 vaccine development, which were agreed upon by meeting participants of the second workshop on COVID-19 vaccine development.

The agency is hoping to restart performing on-site domestic inspections during the week of July 20, 2020 depending on factors such as the status of COVID-19 in the state of inspection and local rules and guidelines.

FDA officials are moving to clarify standards and requirements for vetting and approving viable preventives.

There is much to learn from the COVID-19 pandemic, but future success may hinge upon the capacity for regulatory bodies to harmonize approaches.

EMA is facing a dilemma in trying to restore activities back to normal after relocating and the COVID-19 pandemic.

FDA Commissioner Hahn commits to a science-based review and approval process.

483s and Warning Letters Point to Inadequate Quality Oversight

FDA can better monitor quality production of domestic versus foreign firms.

EMA’s Committee for Human Medicinal Products (CHMP) has recommended that Kaftrio, a triple combination therapy for the treatment of cystic fibrosis, be authorized for marketing in the European Union.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of the Republic of Korea (MFDS) have announced an agreement that will enable the parties to share confidential information on COVID-19 medicines.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended a conditional marketing authorization be granted for Idefirix (imlinfidase) for the treatment of highly sensitized adult patients waiting for a kidney transplant.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) in partnership with the European Commission (EC) have pledged an additional EUR 4.9 billion (US $5.5 billion) to be used in the global coronavirus response funds.

Phesgo is a fixed-dose-combination subcutaneous injection of Perjeta (pertuzumab) and Herceptin (trastuzumab) for treating HER2-positive breast cancer.

The complete response letter was issued for a biologics license application for Abicipar pegol, an investigational treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration, based on FDA’s determination of an unfavorable benefit–risk ratio.

Investigating the root causes of OOS conditions, product defects, and batch failures requires a systematic, thorough approach.

The guidance document provides recommendations regarding data needed for the manufacturing, development, and approval of a COVID-19 vaccine.

FDA is placing emphasis on developing guidance documents more quickly and efficiently, and agency officials expect that such approaches may continue in the future.

Members of the European Commission, EMA, and FDA met in a virtual two-day meeting to discuss ongoing joint initiatives and upcoming priorities.

The agency will be waiving fees for scientific advice for academia developing orphan drugs.

The guidance document provides recommendations for CGMP expectations to prevent contamination of drugs and exclude sick workers from participating in drug manufacturing.

Nabriva Therapeutics reports that FDA says travel restrictions are preventing the on-site inspection of a European contract manufacturer.

FDA has revoked its Emergency Use Authorization hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, citing new evidence and reanalysis of earlier data confirming that the drugs show no evidence of effectiveness against the coronavirus and raise continued concerns about cardiovascular safety risks.