Can FDA do more to speed the advance of cancer treatments? Of course. But FDA hasn’t been idle. Consider the agency’s existing initiatives to help make innovative therapies available more quickly and at a lower total cost while maintaining high standards of consumer protection.
FDA has already made great strides:
* Reducing drug development times by avoiding multiple review cycles
* Improving the review process through a quality systems approach to medical product review
* Supporting innovation in medical products by clarifying regulatory uncertainty and increasing predictability in product development
FDA has been available and engaged in constant communication sponsors early on in the review process including:
* End of Phase II meetings
* Pre-NDA meeting
* Post-NDA Submission meeting being piloted by the Oncology Division
FDA has requested and approved comprehensive development programs in advance of “Fast Track” designations, helping to ensure clinical trials are properly structured:
* Using newly developed Special Protocol Assessment guidance, product developers work more closely than ever before with the FDA to create phase III studies prior to implementation to gather all necessary information
* FDA’s call for the use of a Continuous Marketing Application enhances sponsor access to early guidance and feedback for Fast Track drugs or biologics intended to treat serious or life threatening diseases, and provides for FDA-sponsor agreement to engage in frequent scientific.
In addition to early and frequent communication, FDA’s quality systems approach to medical product review has facilitated the regulatory review process through:
* The implementation of the Common Technical Document (CTD) and the electronic CTD (eCTD), which uses cutting edge technology and combined with international public health policy to provide better quality, consistency and communication with sponsors. Another key component to this program is the development of new medicines by creating clearer guidance for product approvals in priority areas (e.g., obesity, diabetes and oncology).
* The Special Protocol Assessment (SPA), guidance was created to help product developers design phase III trials that will ensure necessary data is being collected. In addition, the FDA works closely with sponsors to review and approve a comprehensive development program in anticipation of Fast Track designation and the potential filing for Accelerated Approval. This includes phase III confirmatory studies —a major theme repeatedly mentioned as a criterion for accelerated approval.
Overall, these and other initiatives are designed to help the FDA achieve its public health mission of promoting and protecting patient health by reducing time to market for new medical products such as Nexavar — resulting in earlier patient access to safe and effective treatments.
Do more? Sure. But credit where credit is due for important reforms already designed and implemented.
