On April 10, 2025, the US FDA announced that it has a long-term plan to eliminate conventional animal testing in drug development, starting with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs).[1] Instead, within 3-5 years, the expectation will be to leverage an integrated safety assessment approach, combining information from
Designing an adequate nonclinical program to support the safety of cell or gene therapy products is not always straightforward. In this blog, we will address common questions we receive from our clients and aspects to consider when designing those nonclinical studies. In which species should
Development of cell and gene therapies is growing rapidly, given the major advances in genomic technologies and increasing scientific understanding of genetic regulation and immunology. The Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) field has unprecedented potential to effectively treat and/or cure genetic-based rare and orphan diseases
Without concrete guidelines, it can be confusing when determining what nonclinical studies are needed for a Pre-Investigational New Drug application (PIND) meeting. However, in our experience, the answer is this: it is critical that the nonclinical program provides sufficient data to allow the FDA to
Without concrete guidelines, it can be confusing when determining what nonclinical studies are needed for a Pre-Investigational New Drug application (PIND) meeting. However, in our experience, the answer is this: it is critical that the nonclinical program provides sufficient data to allow the FDA to
I recently had the opportunity to participate in the 2024 Drug Information Association (DIA) Regulatory Submissions, Information and Document Management (RSIDM) Forum held in North Bethesda, Maryland. In this blog post, I’ll share my insights and key takeaways from the conference, as well as practical
During the development of new small molecule drug products, developers must conduct impurity and degradant evaluation at several points in the program and to varying degrees. These evaluations include the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), also known as the drug substance, and the drug product (formulated
As a cornerstone of the drug development process, nonclinical investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies are essential for supporting first-in-human (FIH) dosing for novel therapeutics. High-quality IND-enabling studies demonstrate that a drug is reasonably safe for use in humans and that it exhibits sufficient pharmacological activity
President Biden of the United States (US) has recently signed into law the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, which included the FDA Modernization Act 2.0. This act amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), which applies to new drugs, and the Public
On November 1, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) adopted an addendum to the guidance titled “S1B(R1) Testing for Carcinogenicity of Pharmaceuticals,” which had previously been finalized by the International Council for Harmonization (ICH). The guidance document and integrated addendum detail an integrative,
Computer modeling and simulation of humans, both healthy and with diseases, is a powerful tool. It can augment preclinical and clinical research through mechanistic and predictive investigations that would otherwise be impossible. In recent years, regulatory agencies have begun to accept evidence obtained through modeling
One of the most common formulation issues that sponsors of new drug or biologic products face is the qualification of novel excipients. Although novel excipients can be a part of any new drug application (NDA) or biologics license application (BLA) development program, they seem to
Previously on this blog, we have explored the 2020 Chinese export ban on non-human primates (NHPs) and its consequences on pharmaceutical research. In that same post, we explored potential solutions to keep sponsor programs on track. In response to the NHP shortage and the resulting
Sponsors developing biologics must manage numerous scientific considerations specific to large-molecule products, including biochemical characterization studies to confirm structural identity, biological activity studies to confirm potency, and mechanism of action maintenance. Clinical trials of biologics are designed to determine pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), safety, and efficacy.
The development of biologics represents a major advancement, enabling the treatment of patients with many illnesses for which no other therapeutics were previously available. When developing biologics, sponsors must manage several scientific considerations specific to large-molecule products, including biochemical characterization studies to confirm structural identity,
The drug development process is a long journey, beginning with drug discovery, moving through nonclinical and clinical studies, and ultimately culminating in regulatory approval. With many steps in between, each as important as the next, multiple factors regarding development strategy and approach must be considered
Development and reproductive toxicology studies, or DART studies, are required for most non-oncology programs between IND and NDA filings. Their goal is to detect any effects of a drug within a complete reproductive cycle as relevant to humans — from initial conception to reproductive capacity in
Premier Partners has worked on more than 200 nonclinical programs since its inception in 2005, many of which include rare routes of administrations (ROAs) and use of uncommon animal species. We have collaborated with sponsors on many niche programs that have shone a light on both the
In the first half of 2020, as a direct consequence of the ongoing pandemic, China issued a ban on the export of non-human primates (NHPs), including those used for pharmaceutical research. As this affected COVID-19 research, the NIH later issued a Notice of Limited Availability to prioritize studies requiring
Most people know someone who uses an inhaler to prevent or relieve shortness of breath after exertion or during allergy season. Medicine has been delivered by inhalation for decades to treat human respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, and airway
You’ve determined that you need to perform juvenile animal toxicity studies as part of your nonclinical program. The next step is understanding why these studies are required and how they should be designed. Why are juvenile nonclinical studies needed? Drug development programs use safety data
Not surprisingly, the majority of nonclinical contract research organizations are not in glamorous locations. So arriving at the front door of one at 7:30 on a snowy or rainy morning isn’t likely on anyone’s bucket list. However, the experienced nonclinical scientist understands that no matter
Have you ever wondered about the difference between preclinical and nonclinical studies? While those in scientific fields like pharmaceutical development are accustomed to words with specific, agreed-upon definitions to facilitate communication and minimize misunderstandings, these terms seem to have slipped through the cracks. Their similar meanings often make it
Research into drugs and vaccines to combat the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been and remains in full swing. With that as backdrop, how do you choose the right animal model for your nonclinical research? To begin with, defining precise and clear
With drug discovery completed and your lead asset identified, it’s time to initiate IND-enabling activities, moving one step closer to clinical deployment. According to the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development, fewer than 10 percent of nonclinical lead assets move into the clinic.
The 505(b)(2) new drug application (NDA) pathway can provide unique advantages from the nonclinical development perspective that can save significant time, money, and resources. Compared to the 505(b)(1) NDA pathway, which is more standardized and follows the general guidance provided by the International Conference on
As part of the 505(b)(2) drug development and registration process, the applicant of the new drug product can reference the literature and the FDA’s findings of safety and/or effectiveness (e.g., as listed on the Listed Drug product’s label) to fulfill various registration requirements.[1] Since many
The 505(b)(2) registration pathway for new drug products allows the applicant of the new drug product to reference the literature and the FDA’s findings of safety and/or effectiveness (e.g., as listed on the Listed Drug product’s label) to fulfill various registration requirements. From a nonclinical
On October 15, 2015, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a new guidance for industry and review staff with more uniform recommendations for the nonclinical safety evaluation of approved drug substances that are reformulated or in which a new route of administration
Shifting views on the safety of drug substances at FDA are not uncommon with the advent of new scientific findings or upon better understanding of physiological processes or disease states. With time, these shifting views may manifest as differences in policies or requirements for drug
The FDA listing of therapeutic equivalence (TE) ratings can be a murky area for products approved under 505(b)(2) applications. The concept of TE ratings emerged from FDA regulations for generics and revolve around the announcement that the FDA would publish a current listing of all
In this blog post, we will examine a case study that illustrates various factors that should be considered during development. The example is the development of gabapentin enacarbil by XenoPort/GSK for restless leg syndrome. Gabapentin enacarbil is a prodrug of Pfizer’s gabapentin, approved in 1993,
Can a 505(b)(2) NDA have more than one RLD? In a word, the answer is “yes.” When using the 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway, sponsors may rely on the agency’s previous findings of safety and/or efficacy of an already approved product which is termed the reference listed
Premier Consulting is often called on to write and/or assemble NDAs. When we get to prepare an NDA from the beginning, all of the information builds and the resulting story is easy for the FDA to understand. Often we are retained to write portions and
