Regulatory Oversight

EMA has issued a press release on June 18, 2020, in which it endorses two statements from the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA) about the importance of the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.

The European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and Healthcare (EDQM) has opened up access to the texts of the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) to support developers of COVID-19 vaccines.

An instruction has been issued to all those performing clinical trials using hydroxychloroquine to treat or prevent COVID-19 to stop recruitment of any new patients by the MHRA in the UK.

The report highlights agency’s accomplishments in 2019, including its relocation to Amsterdam.

Leo Pharma, medical dermatology specialist, has announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has validated its marketing authorization application (MAA) for tralokinumab.

The European Commission has granted marketing authorization to the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson for Darzalex (daratumumab) subcutaneous formulation to treat adults with multiple myeloma.

Recent drug recalls in the United States from nitrosamine contamination prompt the need for more sensitive impurity testing methods and a re-evaluation of acceptable lower limit levels.

FDA and the US Congress support innovation and access to cheaper medicines.

Products must be manufactured in accordance with appropriate regulatory requirements, even during a pandemic, says Susan J. Schniepp, executive vice-president of post-approval pharma and distinguished fellow, Regulatory Compliance Associates.

The EU’s pharmaceutical strategy has the potential to shake up the policies and regulations of the region’s medicines sector.

Bioanalytical studies are an important aspect of biologic drug development that may necessitate partnering with bioanalysis experts.

Incyte and MorphoSys have revealed that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has validated the marketing authorization application (MAA) for tafasitamab, an anti-CD19 antibody.

Virpax Pharmaceuticals, which specializes in developing pharmaceutical products for pain management using novel drug delivery systems, has announced the successful completion of a pre-investigational new drug (IND) application meeting with the US FDA.

The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) has granted Wasdell Group an Investigational Medicinal Product (IMP) license for its European headquarters based in Dundalk, Ireland.

The Trump Administration has awarded a hefty contract to a new pharmaceutical manufacturing consortium to produce in the United States all components of certain critical medicines needed to combat COVID-19.

The European Medicines Agency is emphasizing the need for the research community to pool resources to determine which COVID-19 treatments and preventions are safe and effective.

The International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities held a virtual meeting of regulators from around the world to discuss policy issues and regulatory requirements to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The EU Executive Steering Group on Shortages of Medicines Caused by Major Events met on May 13, 2020 to discuss measures the European Union is taking to ensure the availability of medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A temporary restraining order was entered against Xephyr LLC, doing business as N-Ergetics requiring the company to immediately stop distributing colloidal silver products.

A variety of assays should be used to detect bacterial, fungal, and viral contaminants in the human source cells used for cell therapies.

The CHMP has issued a recommendation that the compassionate use of remdesivir be expanded in the treatment of more patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms.

The agency is responding to companies promoting and selling medical products that claim, but are unproven, to prevent or treat COVID-19.

A rolling review of data on the use of remdesivir, an investigational antiviral medicine, for the treatment of COVID-19 has been started by EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use.

A high-level meeting on COVID-19 policies, organized by EMA under the auspice of the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA), has brought together global regulators to ensure a coordinated pandemic response.

EMA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has recommended that all ranitidine medicines be suspended within the European Union as a result of the presence of low levels of NDMA.

Congressional leaders are developing the next version of the 21st Century Cures Act, including provisions to advance research related to the COVID-19 crisis as part of initiatives for bringing innovative therapies to market faster.

Policy makers seek to ensure supplies of new therapies and to limit shortages.

Having a better understanding about compliance will be of benefit when looking for a job or for furthering one’s career, says Siegfried Schmitt, PhD, vice-president, technical, Parexel Consulting.

Industry must never become complacent about the safety of drug products and should seek to continually perform surveillance even if the drug is well-established.

EMA’s strategy for regulatory science has divided opinion amongst various industry bodies.