UK Competition Body Steps Up Generic Hydrocortisone Probe

The UK drug regulator, the MHRA, is set to launch its decentralized manufacturing framework in July, and has issued a series of guidance documents that it believes will help companies and also be of value to other countries that are considering how best to regulate the fledging sector.

The UK government has acknowledged that sponsors of clinical trials for rare diseases face challenges around patient recruitment and trial design, which will be addressed in its clinical trials reform, a lawyer says.

Clinical trial sponsors in the rare disease space face “big safety demands” from regulators, which can be challenging for those with limited resources. A CRO founder makes the case for “embedding automation” into the clinical trial process to keep pace with regulatory requirements.

Julian Beach, interim executive director of healthcare quality and access at the UK drug regulator, the MHRA, tells the Pink Sheet how the agency is responding to increased efforts to develop bacteriophage therapies.