Regulatory Authority Actions

In the first half of 2021, the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research approved 29 novel therapies.

EMA's CHMP has taken the decision to start a rolling review of Vidprevtyn—Sanofi Pasteur’s COVID-19 vaccine.

Merck announced that FDA approved Vaxneuvance for active immunization for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease.

EMA's safety committee, PRAC, has concluded that there is no evidence linking the viral vector in Zynteglo to a blood cancer known as acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

After a review of three cases, EMA's PRAC has advised against the use of Janssen’s COVID-19 vaccine in people who have a history of capillary leak syndrome.

EMA's PRAC has found a possible link to very rare cases of myocarditis and pericarditis after vaccination with Comirnaty and Spikevax COVID-19 vaccines.

FDA’s review and approval of Aduhelm triggers controversy and a call for review from within the Agency.

Tezepelumab, being developed by AstraZeneca in collaboration with Amgen, reduced asthma exacerbations in Phase II and III clinical trials.

Regulatory inspection reports can be a valuable resource for quality management, according to Siegfried Schmitt, vice president, Technical at Parexel.

Reports of myocarditis and pericarditis following Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccinations prompts warnings.

FDA has granted breakthrough therapy designation to donanemab, Eli Lilly and Co.’s investigational antibody treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.

The European Commission has purchased an additional 150 million doses of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for delivery in 2022.

Ilya Pharma has been granted approval by the Swedish Medical Product Agency and Swedish Ethical Review Authority for initiation of a Phase II clinical trial of its ILP100 gene therapy.

The final guidance document is intended to help determine which reporting category is appropriate for a change in CMC information to an approved biologics application.

The agency approved two batches of drug substance manufactured at the Emergent BioSolutions facility in Baltimore for use in the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.

The new site in Monts, France, which is operated by Recipharm, will produce finished COVID-19 vaccine product.

As a safety measure, supervisory authorities in the European Union have recommended not releasing batches of Janssen’s COVID-19 vaccine with API manufactured at Emergent BioSolutions’ Maryland facility.

FDA’s approval of Biogen’s treatment for Alzheimer’s disease has raised questions about the agency’s accelerated approval process.

The agency issued two final and two draft guidance documents to help identify and trace drug products in the supply chain.

FDA has granted fast track designation to a GLP-1/glucagon dual agonist in development by Boehringer Ingelheim and Zealand Pharma for the treatment of NASH.

FDA has granted Janssen breakthrough therapy designation for teclistamab, an investigational bispecific antibody under development for treating relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

FDA has granted accelerated approval to Biogen for Aduhelm (aducanumab), a new mAb treatment for Alzheimer’ disease.

Moderna has initiated a rolling submission process with FDA for a biologics license application for its mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for individuals 18 years of age and older.

FDA has issued an emergency use authorization for sotrovimab, an investigational monoclonal antibody therapy, for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19.

In the face of a growing clamor for greater worldwide access to COVID-19 vaccines, biopharma companies are promising to expand distribution of free and low-cost preventives to curb the pandemic globally.

CMA has launched an anti-competition investigation into AstraZeneca’s $39-billion acquisition of Alexion Pharmaceuticals.

FDA recently published a final guidance for making post-approval manufacturing changes to drugs and biologics, the culmination of a long-running effort to facilitate improvements in medical product quality through the product life cycle.

The guidance addresses implementation of amendments made by the FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017.

The final guidance document provides recommendations for regulatory, quality, nonclinical, and clinical considerations for bispecific antibody development programs.

The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency presented a positive opinion of bluebird bio’s SKYSONA (elivaldogene autotemcel, Lenti-D), a one-time gene therapy for the treatment of early cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy, an X-linked metabolic disorder.