US FDA to head off cell/gene therapy manufacturing issues with pre-IND meetings; Republic of Ireland will “chase any opportunities” for business partners stemming from Brexit, even while hoping UK reconsiders EU departure; AMAG won’t follow the flibanserin PR approach with newly submitted female sexual dysfunction drug bremelanotide; United Neuroscience CMO Ajay Verma says Alzheimer’s trial setbacks are “learnings,” with progress toward novel therapies moving faster than it has for cancer and HIV.
The US FDA is rolling out a new program aimed at proactively heading off manufacturing hurdles that could slow the development of cell and gene therapies.
The initiative within the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) will encourage early meetings between sponsors and the agency...
In what could amount to a de facto enforcement mechanism, the new draft guidance also “strongly encourages” sponsors to share details about their diversity action plan and enrollment goals with the public.
Long-term follow-up requirements have taken a conservative approach but could be ripe for re-examination and global harmonization given the years of experience with the products, Kite Pharma executive director says; former FDA gene/cell therapy office head Wilson Bryan calls for elimination of the classwide REMS.
Program for collaborative reviews of gene therapy applications is getting under way with the European Medicines Agency. After launch, the pilot could be expanded to earlier discussions around CMC and pharm/tox data requirements, FDA’s Nicole Verdun said.
