Regulatory Oversight and Compliance

FDA has granted Eli Lilly and Company’s bebtelovimab, a monoclonal antibody designed for treatment of COVID-19, an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).

Guidance published during the pandemic has been updated to include content requirements for summary safety reports.

The agency’s safety committee is reviewing the use of Janus kinase inhibitors to treat inflammatory disorders because of the potential for major cardiovascular problems.

The agency recommended 53 new active substances in 2021, up 35% from 2020.

Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine has received conditional marketing authorization from MHRA and provisional approval from Medsafe.

EMA has started its evaluation of an application for the use of a booster dose of Comirnaty in adolescents aged 12–15 years.

FDA has approved sutimlimab-jome as a treatment for hemolysis in individuals with CAD.

With new COVID-19 infections declining, the agency is resuming domestic inspections of drug manufacturing facilities.

The agency approved Roche’s Vabysmo to treat neovascular or “wet” age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema.

A range of political issues have impacted FDA initiatives vital to the agency’s effectiveness and stature, both at home and on the important global stage.

Janssen has submitted a MAA to the EMA for teclistamab as a treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM).

The UK’s NICE issued a Final Appraisal Document recommending marketing authorization for AstraZeneca’s chronic kidney disease treatment, Forxiga (dapagliflozin).

The global nature of the COVID-19 pandemic emphasizes the critical importance of expanded vaccination.

The Digital Markets Act is transforming the use of digital content by the pharmaceutical industry.

CDMOs offer expertise and customization options for sponsors of orphan drugs.

The draft PREVENT Pandemic Act aims to secure supply chains, expand health data collection, and support access to vital medical products

NICE has updated its Technology Appraisal Guidance TA599 for AstraZeneca’s Lokelma.

Delays in sponsors providing postapproval evidence of effectiveness for therapies benefitting from streamlined FDA regulatory pathways are generating pressure for further review and reform of the agency’s accelerated approval process.

AstraZeneca's Tagrisso has been accepted for use as a monotherapy for the first-line treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with activating EGFR mutations in Scotland.

The agency discusses its response to COVID-19 and other milestones in its year-end review.

The agency’s COVID-19 task force says latest data shows use of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines during pregnancy is safe.

According to the company, Lumykras (Sotorasib) is the first targeted therapy approved in the European Union for patients with the KRAS G12C mutation.

The UK’s National Institute of Health and Care Excellence has recommended the use of Janssen’s Darzalex (daratumumab) in combination with Velcade (bortezomib), thalidomide and dexamethasone (DVTd) to treat adults with multiple myeloma.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services took action to limit prescribing and use of Biogen’s new and controversial Alzheimer’s treatment Aduhelm (aducanumab).

FDA granted Oncoloze’s OM-301 an orphan drug designation for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

FDA amended it’s Emergency Use Authorization to shorten Moderna’s vaccine booster dose interval from six to five months.

FDA has cleared an IND from Poseida Therapeutics, allowing continued development of the company’s allogeneic CAR-T cell therapy candidate for treating multiple solid tumors.

Pharming Group, has been granted a positive opinion by EMA for its Paediatric Investigation Plan for leniolisib.

FDA maintained a steady pace in 2021 in approving important new therapies for market, including new vaccines and treatments for COVID-19.

The agency is expanding the use of a single booster of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to children ages 12–15 and is shortening the time between primary vaccination and booster to at least five months.