Regulatory Authority Actions

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

FDA authorized emergency use of Pfizer’s oral antiviral drug to make the drug available as quickly as possible.

Warp speed is amazoning pharma practices and protocols.

As regulators balance pandemic tasks and rethink procedures, quality at manufacturing facilities is still a priority.

To maintain smooth operations, FDA is relying on swift reauthorization of industry-paid user fee programs.

Tezpire (tezepelumab-ckko) has been approved as an add-on maintenance treatment for severe asthma.

The agency recommended granting conditional marketing authorization for use of Nuvaxovid in people 18 years of age and older.

FDA approved American Regent’s Injectafer (ferric carboxymaltose injection) for the treatment of pediatric patients with iron deficiency anemia.

General agreement that FDA needs a confirmed commissioner may speed Califf’s appointment.

The European Medicines Agency has accepted Sanofi’s marketing authorization application for olipudase alfa, a potential new therapy for acid sphingomyelinase deficiency, a rare disease.

GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology have received a conditional marketing authorization from MHRA for Xevudy (sotrovimab) in the treatment of COVID-19.