By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) published an updated report on August 4, 2023, on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Sustainable, Ecological, Consistent, Uniform, Responsible, Efficient (SECURE) rule. The revisions note that USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) five-year Strategic Plan for fiscal years (FY) 2023-2027 states that “one of its objectives is to ensure the safe development of agricultural biotechnology products using a science-based regulatory framework, including efficient permit review for [genetically engineered (GE)] organisms, clear communication of regulations to stakeholders, coordination with other agencies, and harmonization of regulatory oversight for biotechnology products.”
As reported in in our September 13, 2022, blog item, in 2022, the Biden Administration issued Executive Order (EO) 14081, “Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy,” ordering USDA, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to improve further the clarity and efficiency of regulatory processes for biotechnology products and increase coordination and communication among federal regulatory agencies. The report states that FDA “encourages developers of all new plant varieties to request premarket food safety consultations with the agency, which involves a discussion of the safety protocols and regulatory issues before the food is distributed in the market.” The report notes that in response to EO 14081, in May 2023, EPA announced changes to its regulations concerning GE plant-incorporated protectants (PIP). According to the report, these changes exempt certain PIPs from registration and tolerance requirements while implementing a notification process for transparency. EPA “intends to consider additional exemptions and expand the list of categories not requiring EPA confirmation as biotechnology progresses.” EPA’s rule (88 Fed. Reg. 34756) went into effect in July 2023.
According to the updated report, Congress “may be interested in monitoring how USDA’s revised regulatory requirements have affected the development and commercialization of GE and genome-edited products.” The updated report suggests that beyond that, Congress may consider monitoring how USDA, FDA, and EPA are assessing the effectiveness of the revised regulations, “as underlined by the self-determination aspect of the exemption status of new GE and genome-edited products.” The updated report states that further, Congress may also oversee how well the three agencies are working together to harmonize the regulation of biotechnology products moving forward.
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Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. (B&C®) is a Washington, D.C., law firm providing biobased and renewable chemical product stakeholders unparalleled experience, judgment, and excellence in bringing innovative products to market.
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By Lynn L. Bergeson and Carla N. Hutton
On September 20, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the availability of its revised final guidance for industry on biosimilar development and the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009 (BPCI Act). Titled “Questions and Answers on Biosimilar Development and the BPCI Act,” the revised guidance aims to inform prospective applicants and facilitate the development of proposed biosimilars and proposed interchangeable biosimilars. The guidance also includes FDA’s interpretation of certain statutory requirements added by the BPCI Act. On October 30, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it will host a virtual public meeting on the reauthorization of the Biosimilar User Fee Act (BsUFA) for fiscal years 2023 through 2027. Under BsUFA, FDA collects user fees to support its process for the review of biosimilar and biological products and the current legislative authority is set to expire in September 2022. At the aforementioned time, new legislation will be required for FDA to continue collecting user fees in future fiscal years. FDA requests public comments as it begins the process to reauthorize the BsUFA program and invites stakeholders to participate in its virtual public meeting on November 19, 2020, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (EST). Registration to participate in the virtual meeting is available here. After the meeting, written comments must be submitted on or prior to December 19, 2020. On August 4, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced the rates for biosimilar user fees for fiscal year (FY) 2021. The fees assessed are used by FDA for certain activities in connection with biosimilar biological product development, review of applications for approval of biosimilar biological products, and approval of product applications. The established fees will apply from October 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021. On June 30, 2020, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (EDT),the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will host a free regulatory training for industry on bioanalysis requirements and expectations. Focused on how FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) approaches various issues in bioanalysis, the workshop aims to provide participants with a better understanding of how FDA performs bioanalysis. Topics to be covered, among others, include:
Registration is required. On May 12, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the release of an update to its Purple Book: Database of FDA-Licensed Biological Products (Purple Book). The update adds all FDA-licensed biological products, including products approved in the new drug applications (NDAs) that were deemed to be licenses (transition biological products). This update also includes a new feature allowing users to download reports. Historical reports now include highlighted sections reflecting changes made in the previous month. This is the second phase of FDA’s Purple Book planned improvements. As reported in B&C’s biobased products blog on February 28, 2020, FDA is working to expand the Purple Book by transitioning from its current table list format to a searchable online database for all approved biosimilar products and their reference products. The first phase of the upgrade included information about a product’s proprietary and proper names, the full product label, dosage form, route of administration, strength, and marketing status, among other information. Subsequent phases will include the expansion of the number of FDA-licensed biological products included in the Purple Book online database until the final release, which will include information about all FDA-licensed biological products. By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On April 6, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a report that provides options and recommendations for a new methodology to evaluate changes in resource capacity needs of human drug and biosimilar biologic review programs. Titled “Independent Evaluation of the PDUFA and BsUFA Resource Capacity Planning Adjustment Methodology: Evaluation and Recommendations,” the analysis of the methodology was reviewed by an outside consultant, contracted by FDA. The report summarizes the evaluation of FDA’s proposed capacity planning adjustment methodology to calculate the annual fees for human drugs and biosimilar biologics under the FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017. According to the report’s executive summary, “[t]he report examines the options and recommendations for the proposed capacity adjustment methodology to accurately assess changes in the resource and capacity needs for prescription drug and biologic biosimilar fee direct review work.” Relevant to those interested in developing, and streamlining such products, as part of the Prescription Drug User Fee Amendments of 2017 (PDUFA VI) and Biosimilar User Fee Amendments of 2017 (BsUFA II) commitments, FDA is developing this methodology to improve its user fee resources. Comments will be accepted until May 6, 2020. By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On March 4, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in collaboration with EPA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), launched a new initiative called “Feed Your Mind” to help consumers better understand genetically engineered (GE) foods. Consisting of science-based information, the initiative’s features include a wide range of resources designed to teach consumers, health care professionals, and students about what a genetically modified organism (GMO) is, how GMOs are created and grown, the types of crops that can be GE, and to address questions about the health and safety of GMOs. “Feed Your Mind” also includes an explanation of how GMOs are regulated in the United States. Materials available through the initiative include new web content, videos, graphics, fact sheets, and stories, which include historical information on GMOs in agriculture. The initiative is launching in phases, and FDA expects that more resources will become available later in 2020 and 2021, including professional learning series for dietitians and a supplemental science curriculum for high schools. According to the three agencies, the materials available are based on extensive formative research after input from stakeholders and experts in biotechnology, education, and communications. By Lynn L. Bergeson and Ligia Duarte Botelho, M.A. On March 4, 2020, FDA announced that it has issued in final a guidance for industry titled “The ‘Deemed to be a License’ Provision of the BPCI Act: Questions and Answers,” which addresses FDA’s “transition” provision of the BPCI Act. Established in 2009, the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCI Act) deemed applications for an approved biological product under Section 505 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) to be a license for the biological product under Section 351 of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act) as of March 23, 2020. Aiming to make the BPCI Act implementation process smoother, FDA has published the guidance for industry as part of the “transition” provision of the Act. The transition of biological products currently regulated under the FD&C Act to the PHS Act will allow for the submission and approval of marketing applications for new biosimilar or interchangeable biological products. The guidance follows FDA’s recent issue of the new definition of the term “biological product,” announced on February 21, 2020, per Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.’s (B&C®) February 28, 2020, blog item. |
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