Regulatory Authority Actions

FDA and ICH seek comment on new exposure levels for cadmium in drug products.

Inspectors found quality issues at bB BioChem Laboratories Inc, a California-based manufacturer of over-the-counter drug products.

New FDA guidance suggests ways to supplement labeling, to ensure that patients select and use nonprescription drugs safely.

FDA Commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, announced formation of a new, drug shortages task force and efforts to advance long-term solutions to prevent shortages.

Both parties have agreed to recognize each other’s inspection of manufacturing sites for a broader range of medicines, including sterile products, APIs, biologics, and vaccines.

Teva Pharmaceuticals, Major Pharmaceuticals, and Solco Healthcare are voluntarily recalling their products containing valsartan because of the presence of N-nitrosodimethylamine.

The agency is releasing six new draft guidances to provide a regulatory framework for handling gene therapies.

The agency is reviewing products containing valsartan supplied by Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals, a company in Linhai, China.

The European Medicines Agency recommended Novartis’ Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel) and Kite’s Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel), chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies, for approval in the European Union.

The agency published guidance on how the Generic Drug User Fee Amendments Reauthorization of 2017 applies to amendments to ANDAs and PASs.

The agency is asking firms to discuss internal quality metrics efforts as part of the approval process for new medical products.

Legislators look to widen access to medications for addiction treatment and overdose emergencies.

The European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Healthcare highlighted the organization’s achievements in 2017, including the first mAb monograph.

EMA, the leading driver behind GMP inspection collaboration schemes, will be cutting back its involvement because of the need to concentrate on its relocation to Amsterdam.

Pharmaceutical Technology spoke with Sharon Ayd, executive vice-president of Pre-approval Pharmaceuticals and chief scientific officer at Regulatory Compliance Associates, about developing a corrective action and preventive action (CAPA) plan.

FDA sent a warning letter to Henan Lihua Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. after inspectors found the company failed to ensure the accuracy of its data.

GW Research’s Epidiolex, which treats two forms of epilepsy, receives FDA’s approval; spurs FDA reminders about unapproved products.

The agency published guidance about requests for Prescription Drug User Fee Act waivers, refunds, and reductions in user fees.

The approval is intended to increase patient access to treatment for opioid addiction.

FDA, EMA, and senior officials from the European Commission met to discuss the EU-US mutual recognition agreement for inspections, the development of advanced therapies, the requirements for approving generic drugs, and Real-World Evidence used for post-authorization monitoring.

The contract development and manufacturing company has received an additional approval from Health Canada to manufacture monoclonal antibody drug substance at its first plant in Icheon, South Korea.

Legislators have requested that FDA do more to prevent drug shortages.

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, released a statement on new agency efforts to involve the patient voice in medical product development and FDA regulatory decision-making.

Regulatory authorities have published draft guidance on strategies to facilitate pharmaceutical lifecycle management.

The agency is encouraging team-based reviews and streamlined processes that will make the oversight process more efficient and consistent.

The agency has approved Mylan’s Fulphila (pegfilgrastim-jmdb) as the first US-approved biosimilar to Amgen’s Neulasta (pegfilgrastim) to reduce infection risk during cancer treatment.

The agency has recommended approval of three biosimilar adalimumab products from Novartis, referencing AbbVie’s Humira, and a biosimilar trastuzumab from Pfizer, referencing Roche’s Herceptin.

EMA has recommended marketing authorization for Aimovig (erenumab), a new treatment for migraine.

FDA and Congress seek to limit the production and distribution of pain medicines.

Pharmaceutical companies and their contractors are reorganizing their manufacturing lines and logistics to ensure compliance with the serialization requirements, but many SMEs are struggling to meet the deadline.