Transformation of former Office of Tissues and Advanced Therapies into a ‘super office’ will provide leadership opportunities for a younger generation, retiring director Wilson Bryan says. CBER head Peter Marks says he is not concerned if agency staff later go to work for industry; suggests increased staffing and reorg could help cut down on gene therapy IND clinical holds.
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research Director Peter Marks wants people to come work at the US Food and Drug Administration, but he also understands if they leave for industry some day.
“I don't think we should get as crazy about people moving [from] FDA to industry, the back and forth,” Marks...
In what could amount to a de facto enforcement mechanism, the new draft guidance also “strongly encourages” sponsors to share details about their diversity action plan and enrollment goals with the public.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.
