Regulatory Blog

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued the September 2026 draft guidance “Pharmacokinetics in Patients with Impaired Hepatic Function: Study Design, Data Analysis, and Impact on Dosing and Labeling”. The guidance provides recommendations for sponsors and applicants planning studies to evaluate how hepatic impairment affects the pharmacokinetics (PK) and, where appropriate, pharmacodynamics (PD) of drugs, including therapeutic biological products. It is a draft

Dental restorative materials and curing devices are important components of modern dentistry, and their safety and performance must be demonstrated before marketing. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued guidance documents describing recommendations for premarket notification (510(k)) submissions for dental composite resin devices and dental curing lights. The two guidance documents provide device-specific recommendations covering device description, predicat

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is creating new opportunities for medical devices while also introducing regulatory challenges that may differ from traditional software and AI-enabled devices. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is seeking public input on how GenAI-enabled medical devices could be evaluated and monitored while maintaining reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness. The FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), through i

Therapeutic equivalence is an important consideration when evaluating multisource prescription drug products and their potential substitution. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses therapeutic equivalence evaluations to determine whether certain approved drug products can be expected to have the same clinical effect and safety profile when used under the conditions specified in their labeling. The FDA has issued the Guidance for Industry: Evaluation of Therapeutic

Active immunotherapy products (ACTIMPs) are designed to treat existing diseases or conditions by inducing, stimulating, or modulating immune responses. Because their therapeutic effect depends on the interaction between the product and the immune system, demonstrating and maintaining product potency is an important part of development. The FDA has issued draft guidance on Potency Assessment of Active Immunotherapy Products, providing recommendations for developing and evaluat

Choosing the appropriate abbreviated approval pathway is an important consideration when developing a drug product for submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The pathway selected determines the type of information and data that can be used to support the application. The FDA has published the Guidance for Industry: Determining Whether to Submit an ANDA or a 505(b)(2) Application, which provides recommendations to help applicants determine whether a propose

As pharmaceutical products become more complex, the container closure system (CCS) plays an increasingly important role in maintaining the safety, quality, stability, and performance of a drug product. Packaging is not simply a means of containing a medicine—it can directly influence product quality through interactions between the drug, packaging materials, manufacturing processes, and storage conditions. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued the draft guida

Formal meetings between the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and sponsors or applicants can play an important role at critical points in drug and biological product development. These interactions provide an opportunity for sponsors to obtain regulatory advice, discuss development challenges, clarify specific issues, and support efficient planning of development and regulatory submissions. The FDA’s August 2026 guidance, Formal Meetings Between the FDA and Sponsors or

As medical devices become increasingly sophisticated, ensuring that they are safe and intuitive to use is just as important as demonstrating their technical performance. Many device-related incidents are not caused by product failure but by use errors that arise from complex interfaces, confusing instructions, or challenging use environments. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated the guidance Applying Human Factors and Usability Engineering to Medical Device

As generic transdermal and topical delivery systems (TDS) continue to evolve, demonstrating bioequivalence extends beyond pharmacokinetic performance. Product adhesion, skin irritation, and sensitization are critical attributes that influence drug delivery, patient safety, treatment adherence, and overall therapeutic performance. To support the development of high-quality generic transdermal and topical products, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued two comp

As biosimilar development continues to advance, regulatory expectations extend well beyond demonstrating analytical similarity and clinical performance. Product presentation—including the container closure system (CCS) and device constituent parts—has become an important aspect of ensuring product quality, usability, and patient safety throughout the product lifecycle. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published the draft guidance Biosimilar and Interchangeable

Appropriate eligibility criteria are essential for protecting trial participants while ensuring that clinical trial populations are representative of patients who are expected to receive the investigational therapy in clinical practice. Overly restrictive eligibility criteria may unnecessarily exclude patients, delay trial enrollment, and limit the applicability of study results. The three FDA guidances—Cancer Clinical Trial Eligibility Criteria: Laboratory Values, Cancer Cli

Hemodialysis blood tubing sets are critical components of the extracorporeal blood circuit used during hemodialysis treatment. Manufacturers submitting a Premarket Notification (510(k)) for these devices should provide sufficient information to demonstrate that the device is safe, effective, and substantially equivalent to a legally marketed predicate device. The Hemodialysis Blood Tubing Sets – Premarket Notification (510(k)) Submissions outlines recommendations for device d

As drug development continues to evolve, regulatory expectations are becoming increasingly focused on scientific rigor, product quality, and reliable clinical evidence. Two recently published U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidances address important areas of pharmaceutical development—clinical investigations for psychedelic drugs and bioequivalence evaluation of topical dermatologic corticosteroids. While these guidances focus on different therapeutic areas, both em

Before submitting an Over-the-Counter (OTC) Monograph Order Request (OMOR) or advancing the development of an OTC monograph drug, early engagement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can help sponsors clarify regulatory expectations, discuss scientific evidence, and address potential development challenges. Structured interactions with the Agency allow sponsors to obtain timely feedback, improve development planning, and support efficient regulatory decision-maki

Before approving a New Drug Application (NDA) or Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must ensure that the manufacturing facilities are capable of consistently producing medicines that meet Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) requirements. Preapproval Inspections (PAIs) are conducted to evaluate manufacturing readiness, verify the accuracy of Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC) information, and confirm that facili

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming drug development by enabling more efficient data analysis, predictive modelling, and evidence-based decision-making. Early-phase clinical trials, particularly Phase 1 studies, represent one of the most challenging stages of drug development due to uncertainties surrounding dose selection, patient recruitment, safety monitoring, and progression decisions. Improving the efficiency of these trials has the potential to accelera

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has become an essential tool in antiviral drug development, enabling detailed analysis of viral genetic changes and the identification of resistance-associated variants. Compared with traditional sequencing methods, NGS generates extensive sequence data that provides a deeper understanding of viral populations throughout clinical development. To promote consistent and high-quality regulatory submissions, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (

Maintaining the safety of the blood supply is a critical public health priority, particularly during outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases. Ebola disease, caused by viruses of the Orthoebolavirus genus, is associated with severe illness and can be transmitted through direct contact with infected body fluids. Although transfusion-transmitted Ebola disease has not been widely documented, the potential risk of transmission through blood and blood components requires appropri

Clinical trials have traditionally been conducted using separate protocols to evaluate individual drugs for specific diseases or patient populations. While this approach has contributed significantly to medical innovation, it can be resource-intensive, time-consuming, and challenging when studying rare diseases or rapidly evolving therapeutic areas. To improve the efficiency of clinical development, the FDA issued the draft guidance "Master Protocols for Drug and Biological P