GLOBAL APPROACHES to DRUG DEVELOPMENT: WHEN EX-US CLINICAL DATA CAN SUPPORT US DRUG APPROVALS Understand Factors That Drive Positive US FDA Review

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

GLOBAL APPROACHES to DRUG DEVELOPMENT: WHEN EX-US CLINICAL DATA CAN SUPPORT US DRUG APPROVALS Understand Factors That Drive Positive US FDA Review White Paper GLOBAL APPROACHES TO DRUG DEVELOPMENT: WHEN EX-US CLINICAL DATA CAN SUPPORT US DRUG APPROVALS Understand factors that drive positive US FDA review ANN MEEKER O’CONNELL, MS, Vice President and Global Head, Quality Assurance, IQVIA ANTHONY F. ABRUZZINI, PhD, MSc, Vice President, Strategic Drug Development, IQVIA CAITILIN HAMILL, PhD, MBA, Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs, Cell and Gene Therapy Center, IQVIA JESSICA ZAKAR, Associate Principal, Consulting Services, IQVIA TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary 3 FDA’s Track Record of Accepting non-US Clinical Data to Support Marketing Approval 4 I) Standards for Study Quality, Data Quality and Ethics 7 II) Establishing that Foreign Data can be Extrapolated to the US 9 Two Drug Approvals Using a Low Percentage of US Data 10 Radicava (Edaravone) to Treat Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) 10 Entresto (Sacubitril/Valsartan) for Heart Failure 14 Conclusion 15 References 16 About the Authors 17 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY As drug discovery and development capabilities continue to expand globally, pharmaceutical companies are increasingly interested in understanding the most efficient way to bring drugs to the US market based on a global clinical development strategy. This trend is not limited to established multi-national corporations, as an increasing number of emerging biopharmaceutical companies are seeking a global presence to better address unmet medical needs and to maximize their commercial opportunity. From a US regulatory perspective, the typical rule For example, since 2008, 21 CFR Part 312.120 has of thumb cited by experts is that “at least 20% of the permitted FDA acceptance of foreign clinical studies supporting clinical data should be from patients in the not conducted under an investigational new drug US.” To accommodate this assumption, clinical trial application (IND) as support for an IND or a marketing strategy must include the US as a key and potentially application, provided that these studies are conducted rate limited country, which can have significant under Good Clinical Practices (GCP). Moreover, under implications in terms of higher trial costs, longer 21 CFR 314.106, FDA may grant marketing approval study timelines, delays for achieving approval, and based solely on high quality foreign clinical data. ultimately impacts the probability of success of the drug The question that therefore faces pharmaceutical development program. companies seeking regulatory approval for a drug in the However, the conventional wisdom of the “20% rule” is US is: “what proportion of my study population needs in contrast to stated US Food and Drug Administration to be from the US?” According to a review done by the (FDA) regulations related to foreign clinical data. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, in fiscal year 2008, the majority of subjects and sites in trials supporting NDA and BLA “An application based solely on foreign clinical data approvals that year were located outside the United meeting U.S. criteria for marketing approval may be States (Office of Inspector General, 2010). This paper approved if: takes a closer look at FDA’s more recent track record (1) the foreign data are applicable to the with respect to approving drugs based on studies U.S. population and U.S. medical practice; that were conducted with primarily non-US patient (2) the studies have been performed by clinical populations and examines the information FDA has investigators of recognized competence; and accepted to demonstrate that foreign clinical data are (3) the data may be considered valid without the need applicable to the US patient population. for an on-site inspection by FDA or, if FDA considers such an inspection to be necessary, FDA is able to validate the data through an on-site inspection or other appropriate means.” 21 CFR 314.106 iqvia.com | 3 FDA’S TRACK RECORD OF 2013 to 2017, some products were approved based on pivotal studies with 100% of participants from the ACCEPTING NON-US CLINICAL DATA US and others were approved based on studies with TO SUPPORT MARKETING APPROVAL less than 10% of participants from the US. Figure 1 below summarizes the distribution of patients for each METHODOLOGY approved drug within the timeframe. A comprehensive list of drugs and biological products approved by FDA between 2013 and 2017 was collected from the FDA website. The analysis included only new drug and biological product approvals, and Figure 1: US Drug Approvals 2013-2017; not reformulations or 505(b)(2) products. For each % of Pivotal Clinical Trial Participants from the US new approval, we reviewed the statistical review 100% memorandum published as part of the approval 90% documentation. 80% om the US 70% 60% Through this review process, we developed a dataset by 50% recording key elements of the study design including: 40% 30% total patients fr number of pivotal trials submitted for review, total 20% % of 10% number of participants completing each pivotal trial, 0% 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 and the geographic location of each trial participant. Lastly, internal IQVIA experts reviewed the database Source: IQVIA and coded each approval into a relevant therapeutic Of the 176 new drug and biological product approvals area grouping. Through this analysis, of the 181 new included in our analysis, 30 were approved based on drug approvals from 2013 – 2017, the percent of all pivotal clinical trials with less than 10% of patients from participants in pivotal trials from the United States was the US and 55 were approved based on trials with calculated for 176 new drugs and biological products. less than 20% of patients from the US. This represents Five approvals were excluded from analysis given 17% and 31% of all approvals during this time period lack of reporting on specific geographic mix of trial respectively. Each year, there was at least one approval participants. based on pivotal clinical trial data with less than 10% of patients from the US, with the highest number seen in RESULTS AND ANALYSIS 2013 (9 out of 27 approvals or 33%). This demonstrates For the five-year period of 2013-2017, the 176 pivotal that new drugs and biological products are routinely clinical studies that supported approval by FDA, had and consistently approved by the US FDA based on on average, 41% of study participants from the US. clinical trials that were conducted primarily at sites While this is significantly higher than the hypothesized outside of the US. 20% rule-of-thumb threshold, in each year there was significant variation from this mean – in every year from 4 | Global Approaches to Drug Development: When Ex-US Clinical Data Can Support US Drug Approvals 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Total 2013 to 2017 Total number of drug and biological product approvals included in the analysis 27 40 45 21 43 176 Number of drugs approved based on pivotal clinical trial data with <10% US patients 9 6 7 1 7 30 Percent of approvals based on pivotal clinical trial data with <10% US patients 33% 15% 16% 5% 16% 17% Number of drugs approved based on pivotal clinical trial data with <20% US patients 11 11 17 4 12 55 Percent of approvals based on pivotal clinical trial data with <20% US patients 41% 28% 38% 19% 28% 31% While each year the average percentage of pivotal in otolaryngology were based on pivotal clinical trials clinical trial participants from the US across all approvals in which 100% of participants were from the US, while is consistent at around 40%, there is significant the 14 approvals in cardiology were based on pivotal variance across therapeutic areas. As highlighted in clinical trials in which ~20% of participants were from Figure 2, the two approvals in ophthalmology and one the US on average. Figure 2: Average Percent of Participants from US by Therapeutic Area (Approvals 2013-2017) # approvals Ophthalmology 100% 2 Otolaryngology 100% 1 Genetic Disease 72% 4 Gastroenterology 71% 8 Nephrology 62% 2 Dermatology 59% 8 Musculoskeletal 57% 5 Womens Health 53% 6 Hepatology 51% 9 Hematology/Oncology 46% 8 Neurology 43% 16 Other 43% 2 Oncology 36% 42 Infections and Infectious Diseases 34% 16 Pulmonary/Respiratory 33% 9 Immunology 31% 5 Endocrinology 29% 11 Cardiology/Vascular 22% 14 Hematology 22% 5 Rheumatology 20% 3 Source: IQVIA Oncology saw the highest number of total approvals less than 20% of patients from the US. Among these 14 (42), 14 of which were based on pivotal clinical data with trials, the average percent of US patients was just 8%. iqvia.com | 5 While the initial hypothesis might have presumed that revealed that there is no correlation between the the acceptance of non-US clincial trial data would be percent of participants from the US and the overall trial limited to smaller trials evaluating treatments for rare size, as seen in Figure 3. diseases that are not prevalent in the US, further analysis Figure 3: Relationship Between Overall Trial Size and Percent of Participants from the US (Approvals 2013-2017) Total Number of Subjects* 5,000 Infectious Disease 4,500 Other 4,000 Oncology 3,500 Neurology Cardiology/Vascular 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 % US Subjects 0510 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 * Note: represents the total number of all subjects from all geographic regions across all pivotal trials; excluding 14 trials larger than 5,000 patients Source: FDA Novel Drug Approvals; IQVIA Analysis Further, across the 5 years examined there were 30 approvals that included less than 10% of pivotal clinical trial participants from the US. These studies included, Figure 4: Average Total Pivotal Trial Participants; all on average, 1,811 total patients across the series of approvals vs.
Recommended publications
  • FDA Comments on CBD in Foods
    Popular Content Public Health Focus FDA and Marijuana: Questions and Answers 1. How is marijuana therapy being used by some members of the medical community? 2. Why hasn’t the FDA approved marijuana for medical uses? 3. Is marijuana safe for medical use? 4. How does FDA’s role differ from NIH and DEA’s role when it comes to the investigation of marijuana for medical use? 5. Does the FDA object to the clinical investigation of marijuana for medical use? 6. What kind of research is the FDA reviewing when it comes to the efficacy of marijuana? 7. How can patients get into expanded access program for marijuana for medical use? 8. Does the FDA have concerns about administering a cannabis product to children? 9. What is FDA’s reaction to states that are allowing marijuana to be sold for medical uses without the FDA’s approval? 10. What is the FDA’s position on state “Right to Try” bills? 11. Has the agency received any adverse event reports associated with marijuana for medical conditions? 12. Can products that contain cannabidiol be sold as dietary supplements? 13. Is it legal, in interstate commerce, to sell a food to which cannabidiol has been added? 14. In making the two previous determinations, why did FDA conclude that substantial clinical investigations have been authorized for and/or instituted about cannabidiol, and that the existence of such investigations has been made public? 15. Will FDA take enforcement action regarding cannabidiol products that are marketed as dietary supplements? What about foods to which cannabidiol has been added? 16.
    [Show full text]
  • Vaccines, Diagnostics, and Treatments): Frequently Asked Questions
    Development and Regulation of Medical Countermeasures for COVID-19 (Vaccines, Diagnostics, and Treatments): Frequently Asked Questions June 25, 2020 Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov R46427 SUMMARY R46427 Development and Regulation of Medical June 25, 2020 Countermeasures for COVID-19 (Vaccines, Agata Dabrowska Diagnostics, and Treatments): Frequently Analyst in Health Policy Asked Questions Frank Gottron Specialist in Science and In recent months, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has spread globally, with Technology Policy the United States now reporting the highest number of cases of any country in the world. Currently, there are few treatment options available to lessen the health impact of the disease and no vaccines or other prophylactic treatments to curb the spread of the virus. Amanda K. Sarata Specialist in Health Policy The biomedical community has been working to develop new therapies or vaccines, and to repurpose already approved therapeutics, that could prevent COVID-19 infections or lessen Kavya Sekar severe outcomes in patients. In addition, efforts have been underway to develop new diagnostic Analyst in Health Policy tools (i.e., testing) to help better identify and isolate positive cases, thereby reducing the spread of the disease. To this end, Congress has appropriated funds for research and development into new medical countermeasures (MCMs) in several recent supplemental appropriations acts. MCMs are medical products that may be used to treat, prevent, or diagnose conditions associated with emerging infectious diseases or chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) agents. MCMs include biologics (e.g., vaccines, monoclonal antibodies), drugs (e.g., antimicrobials, antivirals), and medical devices (e.g., diagnostic tests).
    [Show full text]
  • Comparisons of Food and Drug Administration and European
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Elsevier - Publisher Connector VALUE IN HEALTH 15 (2012) 1108–1118 Available online at www.sciencedirect.com journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jval Health Policy Analyses Comparisons of Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency Risk Management Implementation for Recent Pharmaceutical Approvals: Report of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research Risk Benefit Management Working Group Yvonne Lis, PhD1, Melissa H. Roberts, MS2, Shital Kamble, PhD3, Jeff J. Guo, PhD4, Dennis W. Raisch, PhD5,* 1PAREXEL International, Uxbridge, UK; 2Lovelace Clinic Foundation Research, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA; 3Quintiles-Outcome, Rockville, MD, USA; 4College of Pharmacy, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; 5College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA ABSTRACT Objective: 1) To compare the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) requirements not included in RMPs were patient medication guides Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) and European (100% of the drugs), provider communication plans (38%), and routine Medicines Agency’s (EMA’s) Risk Management Plan (RMP) guidances monitoring of REMS (66%). RMP requirements not included in REMS and 2) to compare REMS and RMPs for specific chemical entities and were specific adverse event reporting (45% of the drugs), prospective biological products. Methods: FDA, EMA, and pharmaceutical com- registry studies (34%), prospective epidemiology studies (24%), addi- pany Web sites were consulted for details pertaining to REMS and tional trial data (28%), and Summary of Product Characteristics RMPs. REMS requirements include medication guides, communication contraindications (76%). Conclusions: Both REMS and RMPs provide plans, elements to ensure safe use, implementation systems, and positive guidance for identification, monitoring, and minimization of specified assessment intervals.
    [Show full text]
  • New Drugs Are Not Enough‑Drug Repositioning in Oncology: an Update
    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 56: 651-684, 2020 New drugs are not enough‑drug repositioning in oncology: An update ROMINA GABRIELA ARMANDO, DIEGO LUIS MENGUAL GÓMEZ and DANIEL EDUARDO GOMEZ Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Science and Technology Department, National University of Quilmes, Bernal B1876, Argentina Received August 15, 2019; Accepted December 16, 2019 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2020.4966 Abstract. Drug repositioning refers to the concept of discov- 17. Lithium ering novel clinical benefits of drugs that are already known 18. Metformin for use treating other diseases. The advantages of this are that 19. Niclosamide several important drug characteristics are already established 20. Nitroxoline (including efficacy, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and 21. Nonsteroidal anti‑inflammatory drugs toxicity), making the process of research for a putative drug 22. Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors quicker and less costly. Drug repositioning in oncology has 23. Pimozide received extensive focus. The present review summarizes the 24. Propranolol most prominent examples of drug repositioning for the treat- 25. Riluzole ment of cancer, taking into consideration their primary use, 26. Statins proposed anticancer mechanisms and current development 27. Thalidomide status. 28. Valproic acid 29. Verapamil 30. Zidovudine Contents 31. Concluding remarks 1. Introduction 2. Artesunate 1. Introduction 3. Auranofin 4. Benzimidazole derivatives In previous decades, a considerable amount of work has been 5. Chloroquine conducted in search of novel oncological therapies; however, 6. Chlorpromazine cancer remains one of the leading causes of death globally. 7. Clomipramine The creation of novel drugs requires large volumes of capital, 8. Desmopressin alongside extensive experimentation and testing, comprising 9. Digoxin the pioneer identification of identifiable targets and corrobora- 10.
    [Show full text]
  • Drug Development and Clinical Trials 101
    DRUG DEVELOPMENT AND CLINICAL TRIALS 101 March 27, 2021 A Resource of PWSA | USA | pwsausa.org DISCOVERY - PHASE 1 Dean S. Carson, PhD, Saniona, Inc. A Resource of PWSA | USA | pwsausa.org DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT Why is it important? • Rare hormone producing tumor of the anterior pituitary gland • Cabergoline, an ergot derivative, is a potent dopamine D2 receptor agonist that blocks pituitary production of prolactin • Ergot is a fungus that grows on rye and related plants, and produces alkaloids that can cause ergotism in humans and animals that eat the contaminated grain • Painful seizures, mania, psychosis, headaches, nausea, vomiting A Resource of PWSA | USA | pwsausa.org 3 PHARMACOLOGY • Pharmacology is the science of how • Clinical Pharmacology applies the basic drugs and biologics act on biological science and principles of pharmacology to systems and how the system responds to the practice of medicine the drug Basic science Translational pharmacology Clinical practice Doctors, pharmacists, dentists, veterinarians use the information discovered from pharmacology to select the best medications to treat patients A Resource of PWSA | USA | pwsausa.org 4 MECHANISM OF ACTION • Modern drug discovery is a mechanism • What are the known consequences of that driven field mechanism in a disease state? ie. • Nearly all new experimental therapeutics potential efficacy have a defined mechanism-of-action and • What are the known consequences of that most have companion diagnostics allowing mechanism in healthy systems? ie. researchers to
    [Show full text]
  • Research and Development in the Pharmaceutical Industry
    Research and Development in the Pharmaceutical Industry APRIL | 2021 At a Glance This report examines research and development (R&D) by the pharmaceutical industry. Spending on R&D and Its Results. Spending on R&D and the introduction of new drugs have both increased in the past two decades. • In 2019, the pharmaceutical industry spent $83 billion dollars on R&D. Adjusted for inflation, that amount is about 10 times what the industry spent per year in the 1980s. • Between 2010 and 2019, the number of new drugs approved for sale increased by 60 percent compared with the previous decade, with a peak of 59 new drugs approved in 2018. Factors Influencing R&D Spending. The amount of money that drug companies devote to R&D is determined by the amount of revenue they expect to earn from a new drug, the expected cost of developing that drug, and policies that influence the supply of and demand for drugs. • The expected lifetime global revenues of a new drug depends on the prices that companies expect to charge for the drug in different markets around the world, the volume of sales they anticipate at those prices, and the likelihood the drug-development effort will succeed. • The expected cost to develop a new drug—including capital costs and expenditures on drugs that fail to reach the market—has been estimated to range from less than $1 billion to more than $2 billion. • The federal government influences the amount of private spending on R&D through programs (such as Medicare) that increase the demand for prescription drugs, through policies (such as spending for basic research and regulations on what must be demonstrated in clinical trials) that affect the supply of new drugs, and through policies (such as recommendations for vaccines) that affect both supply and demand.
    [Show full text]
  • Assessment Report
    21 April 2017 EMA/289068/2017 Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) Assessment report Spinraza International non-proprietary name: nusinersen Procedure No. EMEA/H/C/004312/0000 Note Assessment report as adopted by the CHMP with all information of a commercially confidential nature deleted. 30 Churchill Place ● Canary Wharf ● London E14 5EU ● United Kingdom Telephone +44 (0)20 3660 6000 Facsimile +44 (0)20 3660 5520 Send a question via our website www.ema.europa.eu/contact An agency of the European Union © European Medicines Agency, 2017. Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Table of contents 1. Background information on the procedure .............................................. 5 1.1. Submission of the dossier ..................................................................................... 5 1.2. Steps taken for the assessment of the product ........................................................ 6 2. Scientific discussion ................................................................................ 7 2.1. Problem statement .............................................................................................. 7 2.1.1. Disease or condition, Epidemiology and risk factors, screening tools/prevention ....... 7 2.1.2. Biologic features, Aetiology and pathogenesis ....................................................... 8 2.1.3. Clinical presentation, diagnosis and stage/prognosis ............................................. 9 2.1.4. Management ..................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Clinical Trials Protocol Template
    PREFACE Remove this Preface before finalizing and distributing the clinical trial protocol. This Clinical Trial Protocol Template is a suggested format for Phase 2 or 3 clinical trials supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that are being conducted under a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Investigational New Drug Application (IND) or Investigational Device Exemption (IDE). Investigators for such trials are strongly encouraged to use this template when developing protocols for NIH supported clinical trial(s). However, others may also find this template beneficial for other clinical trials not named here. This template is provided to aid the investigator in writing a comprehensive clinical trial protocol that meets the standard outlined in the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) Guidance for Industry, E6 Good Clinical Practice: Consolidated Guidance (ICH-E6). In order to facilitate review by NIH and FDA, investigators should retain the sections in the order provided. How To Use This Template Throughout this template, the user will find three different types of text: instruction, explanatory and example. Instruction and explanatory text are indicated by italics and should either be replaced in your protocol with appropriate, trial specific text or deleted. Footnotes to instructional text should also be deleted. Example text is included to further aid in protocol writing and should either be modified to suit the drug or device, design and conduct of the planned clinical trial or deleted. Example text is indicated in [regular font]. Within example text, a need for insertion of specific information is notated by <angle brackets>. If this document is used to develop your clinical trial protocol, as noted above, instruction and explanatory text must be deleted and example text must be removed or revised to suit your study.
    [Show full text]
  • Adaptive Clinical Trial Designs with Surrogates: When Should We Bother?*
    Adaptive Clinical Trial Designs with Surrogates: When Should We Bother?* Arielle Anderer, Hamsa Bastani Wharton School, Operations Information and Decisions, faanderer, [email protected] John Silberholz Ross School of Business, Technology and Operations, [email protected] The success of a new drug is assessed within a clinical trial using a primary endpoint, which is typically the true outcome of interest, e.g., overall survival. However, regulators sometimes approve drugs using a surrogate outcome | an intermediate indicator that is faster or easier to measure than the true outcome of interest, e.g., progression-free survival | as the primary endpoint when there is demonstrable medical need. While using a surrogate outcome (instead of the true outcome) as the primary endpoint can substantially speed up clinical trials and lower costs, it can also result in poor drug approval decisions since the surrogate is not a perfect predictor of the true outcome. In this paper, we propose combining data from both surrogate and true outcomes to improve decision-making within a late-phase clinical trial. In contrast to broadly used clinical trial designs that rely on a single primary endpoint, we propose a Bayesian adaptive clinical trial design that simultaneously leverages both observed outcomes to inform trial decisions. We perform comparative statics on the relative benefit of our approach, illustrating the types of diseases and surrogates for which our proposed design is particularly advantageous. Finally, we illustrate our proposed design on metastatic breast cancer. We use a large-scale clinical trial database to construct a Bayesian prior, and simulate our design on a subset of clinical trials.
    [Show full text]
  • Guidance on Conduct of Clinical Trials During COVID-19
    Contains Nonbinding Recommendations Conduct of Clinical Trials of Medical Products During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Guidance for Industry, Investigators, and Institutional Review Boards March 2020 Updated on August 30, 2021 For questions on clinical trial conduct during the COVID-19 pandemic, please email [email protected]. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) Oncology Center of Excellence (OCE) Office of Good Clinical Practice (OGCP) Contains Nonbinding Recommendations Preface Public Comment This guidance is being issued to address the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency. This guidance is being implemented without prior public comment because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) has determined that prior public participation for this guidance is not feasible or appropriate (see section 701(h)(1)(C) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) (21 U.S.C. 371(h)(1)(C)) and 21 CFR 10.115(g)(2)). This guidance document is being implemented immediately, but it remains subject to comment in accordance with the Agency’s good guidance practices. Comments may be submitted at any time for Agency consideration. Submit written comments to the Dockets Management Staff (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852. Submit electronic comments to https://www.regulations.gov. All comments should be identified with the docket number FDA-2020-D-1106 and complete title of the guidance in the request.
    [Show full text]
  • Ftc-2018-0055-D-0036-155042.Pdf (8.08
    Solving the drug patent problem Overpatented, Overpriced: How Excessive Pharmaceutical Patenting is Extending Monopolies and Driving up Drug Prices Solving the drug patent problem 2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report analyzes the twelve best selling drugs in the United States and reveals that drugmakers file hundreds of patent applications – the vast majority of which are granted1 – to extend their monopolies far beyond the twenty years of protection intended under U.S. patent law. These patents are used by drugmakers for the purpose of forestalling generic2 competition while continuing to increase the price of these drugs. This report found that, on average, across the top twelve grossing drugs in America: • There are 125 patent applications filed and 71 granted patents per drug. • Prices have increased by 68% since 2012, and only one of the top twelve drugs has actually decreased in price. • There are 38 years of attempted patent protection blocking generic competition sought by drugmakers for each of these top grossing drugs – or nearly double the twenty year monopoly intended under U.S. patent law. • These top grossing drugs have already been on the U.S. market for 15 years. • Over half of the top twelve drugs in America have more than 100 attempted patents per drug. 1 Cotropia, Christopher Anthony and Quillen, Jr., Cecil D. and Webster, 2 Throughout this report the term “generic” is used to indicate a non- Ogden H., Patent Applications and the Performance of the U.S. Patent and patented version of a drug product whether it is a small molecule Trademark Office (February 26, 2013).
    [Show full text]
  • Approval Letter
    Our STN: BL 125742/0 BLA APPROVAL BioNTech Manufacturing GmbH August 23, 2021 Attention: Amit Patel Pfizer Inc. 235 East 42nd Street New York, NY 10017 Dear Mr. Patel: Please refer to your Biologics License Application (BLA) submitted and received on May 18, 2021, under section 351(a) of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act) for COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA. LICENSING We are issuing Department of Health and Human Services U.S. License No. 2229 to BioNTech Manufacturing GmbH, Mainz, Germany, under the provisions of section 351(a) of the PHS Act controlling the manufacture and sale of biological products. The license authorizes you to introduce or deliver for introduction into interstate commerce, those products for which your company has demonstrated compliance with establishment and product standards. Under this license, you are authorized to manufacture the product, COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA, which is indicated for active immunization to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in individuals 16 years of age and older. The review of this product was associated with the following National Clinical Trial (NCT) numbers: NCT04368728 and NCT04380701. MANUFACTURING LOCATIONS Under this license, you are approved to manufacture COVID-19 Vaccine, mRNA drug substance at Wyeth BioPharma Division of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals LLC, 1 Burtt Road, Andover, Massachusetts. The final formulated product will be manufactured, filled, labeled and packaged at Pfizer Manufacturing Belgium NV, Rijksweg 12, Puurs, Belgium and at Pharmacia & Upjohn Company LLC, 7000 Portage Road, Kalamazoo, Michigan. The diluent, 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP, will be manufactured at Hospira, Inc., (b) (4) and at Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC, (b) (4) .
    [Show full text]