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Califf Says Accelerated Approval A ‘Different Objective’ And ‘Lower Hurdle’

 
• By Derrick Gingery

The US FDA's comment came in response to a question about whether accelerated approval encourages sponsors to conduct lower-quality studies to enter the market.

FDA Commissioner Robert Califf spoke extensively about accelerated approval and areas for reform on 31 March. • Source: Alamy

FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said using the accelerated approval pathway does not indicate the development program is inferior to one seeking a regular clearance, but also suggested the unvalidated surrogate used with the expedited pathway was a “lower hurdle.”

During the 31 March Stat Breakthrough Science Summit, Califf said accelerated approval was intended to defer information on clinical outcomes...

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UK MHRA: Bacteriophage Developers Wanted ‘More Clarity’ On UK Framework

 
• By Eliza Slawther

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.

User Fee-Funded Staff Would Drop In FY 2026 US FDA Budget

 
• By Derrick Gingery

The reductions across medical product programs in the agency’s budget request include hundreds of positions funded by user fees, which may foreshadow its upcoming user fee restructuring strategy.

EMA Official Clarifies Benefits And Limitations Of Innovation Pathways

 
• By Eliza Slawther

A European Medicines Agency official provided an overview and update of the support the EMA offers developers of innovative products and discussed, among other things, its Innovation Task Force, Quality Innovation Group and a scientific advice pilot for clinical trials.

US FDA’s Prasad: ‘We Will Always Embrace Surrogate Endpoints’

 
• By Sarah Karlin-Smith

The new CBER director, once best known in the pharma world for criticizing accelerated approval, committed to expediting cancer drugs with surrogate endpoints.

More from Pathways & Standards

MHRA Backs Bacteriophage Innovation To Fight Antimicrobial Resistance

 
• By Eliza Slawther

The UK regulator wants to help companies to develop bacteriophages for the treatment of infections. Its first guidance on this topic offers advice to researchers and sets out the regulatory requirements they will need to meet.

US FDA Cell-Gene Therapy Head Says Agency Has Revived Stalled Programs

 
• By Sarah Karlin-Smith

CBER's Nicole Verdun wants rare disease sponsors with stalled treatments to circle back because the FDA's evolved thinking on clinical trial designs may offer another opportunity for cast away products.

FDA’s FY 2026 Budget Request Lacks New Policy Proposals

 
• By Sue Sutter

The White House requested $6.8bn for the FDA, down 3.9% from the current funding level, but does not propose any legislative changes. In previous years, the agency used the budget process to seek statutory fixes specific to generic drugs and shortages.