Duane Morris Life Sciences Law

November 27, 2018 by Duane Morris

New FDA Draft Guidance on Uncertainty Considerations in Benefit-Risk Determinations for Medical Device Premarket Approvals

The Food and Drug Administration recently issued draft guidance entitled “Consideration of Uncertainty in Making Benefit-Risk Determinations in Medical Device Premarket Approvals, De Novo Classifications, and Humanitarian Device Exemptions.” Comments to this draft guidance should be provided by December 5, 2018.

FDA provides authorization for marketing a device when its benefits outweigh its risks. Uncertainty surrounding these benefits and risks is a factor that FDA considers when making its determination with respect to premarket approval application (PMA) approvals, de novo classifications, 510(k) clearances, humanitarian device exemption (HDE) approvals and investigational device exemption approvals. As it has in previous guidances, FDA attempts to provide “a flexible, patient-centric, benefit-risk approach” that is “tailored to the type and intended use of the device and the type of decision” required. For example, PMA and de novo requests require a demonstration of reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness. However, HDE applications inherently have a greater uncertainty surrounding the benefit-risk profile as Congress provided that these applications need not show a reasonable assurance of effectiveness as the patient population is generally very small.

Visit the Duane Morris LLP website to read the full Alert.

November 20, 2018November 20, 2018 by Duane Morris

FDA Publishes Redraft of 510(k) Third Party Review Program

Section 523 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act codifies the 510(k) Third Party Review Program (3P Review Program), which authorizes certain qualified third parties (3P Review Organizations) to conduct the initial review of premarket notification submissions for certain low-to-moderate risk medical devices. The 3P Review Program has been in existence since 1996, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has modified aspects of the 3P Review Program from time to time to comply with changes in the statutory framework. The FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017 (FDARA), which was signed into law on August 18, 2017, amended Section 523. In response, the FDA has now published a draft guidance, titled “510(k) Third Party Review Program Draft Guidance for Industry, Food and Drug Administration Staff, and Third Party Review Organizations,” which modifies the 3P Review Program guidance. Comments and suggestions are due by December 13, 2018. When finalized, this guidance will supersede FDA’s guidance documents from 2001 and 2004.

Read the full Duane Morris Alert.

November 9, 2018 by Duane Morris

CDER’s New MAPP on Risk-Based Site Selection Model for Routine Inspections

The Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) published a new Manual of Policies and Procedures (MAPP) for the Site Selection Model (SSM) used to prioritize manufacturing sites for routine current good manufacturing practice inspections. As in the past, FDA will use a risk-based approach to inspections of both domestic and foreign drug establishments in order to promote parity in inspectional coverage (i.e., equal frequency for sites with equivalent risk regardless of geography or product type) and effective and efficient use of FDA’s resources.

We invite you to read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert on the firm website.

November 5, 2018 by Duane Morris

Five Good Habits of University Researchers Launching Spinouts

By Sandra G. Stoneman and Matthew C. Mousley

Photo of attorney Sandra Stoneman — Sandra G. Stoneman

Photo of attorney Matthew Mousley — Matthew C. Mousley

If you are a university researcher interested in launching a startup based on an invention developed in your lab, below is a list of some key guidelines to keep in mind as you start your company: Continue reading “Five Good Habits of University Researchers Launching Spinouts”

October 25, 2018 by Duane Morris

SUPPORT Act Expands Sunshine Act Disclosure Requirements, Covered Recipients

On October 24, 2018, President Donald Trump signed the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (SUPPORT Act), a combination of a number of previously passed House and Senate bills related to addressing the opioid crisis. One of the provisions of this lengthy bipartisan package of bills includes an expansion of the disclosure requirements initially imposed by the Physician Payments Sunshine Act.

Read the full text of this Alert on the Duane Morris LLP website.

October 22, 2018 by Duane Morris

FDA Rolls Out Pilot of New Quality in 510(k) “Quik” Review Program

The 510(k) process provides a review procedure for marketing clearance of devices that are “substantially equivalent” to other approved devices or to a standard recognized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

On September 6, 2018, the FDA launched an alternate to the Traditional 510(k) for submitting a Premarket Notification (510(k)). The FDA calls the alternative the Quality in 510(k) “Quik” Review Program Pilot. Under the program, the FDA’s goal is “to make a final decision within 60 days.”

Read the full text of this Alert on the Duane Morris LLP website.

October 4, 2018 by Duane Morris

FDA Estimates for Formal Meetings Show Continued Growth of Biosimilars in the United States

Among the key aspects in the development of a biosimilar product for the U.S. market is taking advantage of formal meetings with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to gain insight on moving a clinical development program for a proposed biosimilar product forward. Tracking meeting requests is also one way to measure the prospects for growth and health of the U.S. biosimilars industry. By that measure, the prospects for the U.S. biosimilars industry look bullish. This year, FDA revised its estimate for meeting requests upward by six respondents to Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) meeting requests, reflecting the industry’s confidence in the growth of biosimilar market share in the United States.

FDA’s upward projection is consistent with independent estimates of potential biosimilar cost savings in the United States. In 2014, Rand Corporation estimated biosimilar cost savings over the next decade to be $44 billion. By 2017, Rand Corporation estimated biosimilar cost savings over the next decade to be $54 billion. The increase in estimated cost savings is premised on biosimilars gaining in market share of biologics prescriptions. These signs are all pointing toward increased growth of the U.S. biosimilars industry.

Read the full text of this client Alert, including lists of what to have prepared for meeting requests and the actual meetings, on the Duane Morris LLP website.

December 9, 2016January 4, 2017 by Vicki G. Norton, Ph.D.

Alert: Drug and Device Developers Should Be Aware of the Expanded Access Policy Requirement under the 21st Century Cures Act.

By Vicki G. Norton and Sandra Stoneman

Introduction
With Congress’s recent passage of the 21st Century Cures Act (the “Cures Act”) by an overwhelming majority, and President Obama’s anticipated signing of the bill, we expect that the Cures Act will soon become law. The Cures Act is intended to accelerate development and FDA approval of medical innovations such as cancer treatments, precision medicine and regenerative medicine.
The Cures Act also is designed to provide easier patient access to experimental therapies on a “compassionate use” or “expanded access” basis in response to patient demand for easier access to these therapies before they are FDA-approved. Companies engaged in clinical trials will need to adopt corporate expanded access policies and make them publicly available within the deadlines set by the Cures Act (described below).
If you have any questions about how to develop, implement or manage an expanded access policy or how any other aspect of the Cures Act will impact your company, please contact Vicki Norton, Sandra Stoneman, or any other member of the Duane Morris Life Sciences practice group. Continue reading “Alert: Drug and Device Developers Should Be Aware of the Expanded Access Policy Requirement under the 21st Century Cures Act.”

December 9, 2015December 10, 2015 by Jennifer A. Kearns

“Confidential” vs. “Trade Secret” – A Non-Binary Dilemma

Virtually all life sciences companies use routine protocols which they believe will protect their intellectual property and other confidential or “trade secret” information. Among these routine proactive protocols are having a standard confidentiality/nondisclosure agreement (sometimes referred to below as “NDA”), limiting access to confidential and trade secret information, periodic internal audits of safeguarding methods, and more. But are “trade secrets” the same as “confidential information?” Continue reading ““Confidential” vs. “Trade Secret” – A Non-Binary Dilemma”

November 19, 2015November 19, 2015 by Jennifer A. Kearns

COMMINGLED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY–LIKE PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY?

By Jennifer A. Kearns, John M. Neclerio and Vicki G. Norton

Who doesn’t like the favorite sandwich of childhood – peanut butter and jelly? The two substances blend and meld together, creating a delectable gooey, messy, sticky and sweet treat.

In the life sciences, commingled intellectual property can also create “gooey,” messy and sticky problems for companies. Unfortunately, there’s nothing sweet about commingled IP and the complications that can arise from it, and you can be sure that an experience arising from claims of commingled IP will leave a sour taste in your mouth. Here we discuss proactive or preventative steps that companies can take to reduce the risk of commingling IP.

Continue reading “COMMINGLED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY–LIKE PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY?”