• where experts go to learn about FDA
  • Sara W. Koblitz

    • Case Dismissed: Strike Two for PMRSJanuary 28th, 2019

      In one of the multiple lawsuits that Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Research Services (PMRS) has filed against the FDA related to the approval of abuse-deterrent opioids in the last few years, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania summarily rejected PMRS’s bid to keep abuse-deterrent opioid, RoxyBond, off the …

    • M.C. Escher By Way of Generic Drug PricingJanuary 18th, 2019

      Though FDA does not have the legal authority to control or even directly address drug prices, Commissioner Gottlieb has certainly not shied away from the issue.  In fact, drug (and biologic) competition and accessibility is one of Dr. Gottlieb’s main efforts at the Agency (see …

    • Avalanche or Roadblock: FDA Publishes Flurries of Biologic and Biosimilar MaterialsJanuary 3rd, 2019

      At the end of a calendar year in DC, we expect to see a few flurries. Maybe some light snow, but definitely flurries of regulatory activity.  December is often rich with FDA publications, specifically warning letters and guidance documents.  And things have not changed this …

    • Freedom of Information…Unless Agencies Decide Otherwise?December 11th, 2018

      On Friday, the Yale Law School Media Freedom and Information Access law clinic filed a complaint against FDA, HHS, and NIH alleging violations of the Administrative Procedure Act based on Section 801 of the FDA Amendment Act (FDAAA), which requires results reporting of clinical trials …

    • Orphan Report: The GAO’s Report on Orphan Drug Designations and ApprovalsDecember 6th, 2018

      While riding out the end of this term, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) delivered to our lame duck Congress some light reading on orphan drug designations and marketing. In a report titled “FDA Could Improve Designation Review Consistency; Rare Disease Drug Development Challenges Continue,” the …

    • International Plan of Mystery: ICH Guidelines for Generic DrugsNovember 28th, 2018

      Back in October, FDA announced that it submitted a proposal to the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) for the development of common global standards for generic drugs. This proposal is yet another strategy in Commissioner Gottlieb’s Drug …

    • Relief At Last? DC Circuit Rules on Rx PEG-3350 ANDAsNovember 1st, 2018

      Only ten years after initiating the withdrawal process, FDA approval for prescription PEG-3350 is officially withdrawn. The D.C. Circuit issued an unpublished opinion this week affirming FDA’s April 2018 Order withdrawing approval for several PEG-3350 ANDAs and denying requests for a hearing by the affected …

    • FDA and the FTC Won’t Get Fooled AgainOctober 24th, 2018

      Last week, the President signed into law a bill that gives the FTC greater authority to police agreements between biologic license holders and biosimilar applicants – so-called “pay-for-delay” settlements.  The FTC has been focused on these settlements in the pharmaceutical space for years, but until now …

    • ShamWow: FDA Addresses Alleged Citizen Petition AbuseOctober 8th, 2018

      For years, FDA has been looking to reform the Citizen Petition process to address allegations of “gaming” the system to delay competitor approval. This led to the creation of the “505(q)” petition by Congress in 2007 as part of FDAAA, the subsequent revision of the …

    • It’s a Trap – Or Is It? PMRS’ Abuse-Deterrent Opioid NDASeptember 17th, 2018

      After submitting five Citizen Petitions to FDA since 2016 (see Docket Nos. FDA-2018-P-2851; FDA-2017-P-4352; FDA-2017-P-3064; FDA-2017-P-1359; FDA-2016-P-0645) alleging that evidence does not support approval of opioids, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Research Services (“PMRS”) is trying a new tactic to challenge FDA’s regulatory scheme for abuse-deterrent opioids: court.  PMRS …

    • Is Fairness in the Eye of the Beholder? Pfizer Citizen Petition Looking for Fair and Level Playing Field Between Biologics and BiosimilarsAugust 29th, 2018

      An interesting Citizen Petition popped up earlier this week in which pharma giant Pfizer has requested FDA guidance on sponsor communications about biosimilar products.  This is not a new campaign for Pfizer, who has emphasized the need to address anticompetitive exclusionary practices, “misinformation,” and market …

    • It Feels Like the First Time: FDA’s First Competitive Generic Therapy ApprovalAugust 9th, 2018

      Well, we haven’t quite waited the lifetime that Foreigner did, but it’s exciting nonetheless. Only about one year after signing the provisions into law, FDA announced the approval of the first generic drug with a Competitive Generic Therapy (“CGT”) designation: ANDA 211067 for potassium chloride …

    • District Court Takes Another Logical Step to Expand the Safe HarborJuly 31st, 2018

      With one paragraph in a Summary Judgment Order issued last week, the Northern District of California further expanded the patent safe harbor under 37 U.S.C. § 271(e)(1). Though not a huge leap from previous safe harbor decisions, the Order in Nevro Corp. v. Boston Scientific Corp. …

    • FDA’s Exploration of Innovation vs. Access Continues with Public Hearing on the Biosimilar MarketplaceJuly 26th, 2018

      Just like last year when it held a public hearing and rolled out the Generic Drug Action Plan, FDA is following its recent announcement of the Biosimilar Action Plan with a Public Hearing on competition in the biologics market entitled Facilitating Competition and Innovation in …

    • Biosimilar Action Plan Introduced to Kick-Start the Biosimilar MarketJuly 20th, 2018

      Though the pace of biosimilar approval has quickened substantially over the last year (with 6 approvals since this time last year alone), the biosimilar market remains sparse and slow. Unsurprisingly, FDA has noticed.  This week, FDA unveiled a Biosimilars Action Plan (BAP) aimed at speeding …