The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on inspections of drug and device manufacturing sites is a matter of record, but the agency says it is on track to resume inspections for high-risk considerations. However, the FDA also said it will likely make more extensive use of virtual inspection tools going forward, a development that may ease some of the operational interruptions engendered by conventional on-site inspections.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Beigene, Biontech, Chemocentryx, Eisai, Glaxosmithkline, Merck, Pfizer, Vir.
The FDA’s operations have been badly hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic, but Jeff Shuren, director of the agency’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), said review times for most non-COVID product categories should resume their normal clip by the end of 2021. However, he acknowledged that the lag for in vitro diagnostics (IVDs) may not be fully resolved until 2022 because of the resources needed to review emergency use authorizations for tests for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Amid what Moderna Inc. called "overwhelming" demand from global governments for mRNA vaccines and boosters with efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, the company said both its authorized vaccine, mRNA-1273, and a strain-matched candidate, mRNA-1273.351, increased neutralizing titers against the variants.
The Biden administration’s May 5 about-face on the proposed TRIPS waiver of intellectual property (IP) protections for COVID-19-related medical products is not playing well with U.S. industry, EU trading partners and others concerned about the long-term unintended consequences.
Regulatory snapshots, including global submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Amt, My01, Renovacare, Viome.
Regulatory snapshots, including global drug submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Everest, Lyndra, Merck & Co., RDIF.