2023 was a spectacular year for novel drug and biologic approvals at the US FDA, where the drugs and biologics centers combined for a total of 72 novel agent approvals – not just a historic high, but one with a margin of seven approvals over the previous high of 65 in 2018.
Big Totals And Big Margins: US FDA Approved 72 Novel Agents In 2023 – And Acted On 90+
US FDA’s biologics center posted a historic 17 novel approvals, blowing past previous records, while the drug center’s 55 novel agents was close to its 21st century high.

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Top areas for potential 2025 approvals were shaped by R&D focused on increasingly tightly targeted therapies, including the eight new candidates to join the still-burgeoning kinase inhibitor class and RNA interference, as well as many varieties of antibodies.
CBER has at least 14 and CDER another 10 novel biologics among the more than 60 candidates with a user fee goal in 2025.
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Only one-third of novel agents with 2025 goal dates come from the traditional oncology, hematology and neuroscience strongholds. Immunodermatology also is cooling, while cardiovascular drugs return to the front burner.
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The European Medicines Agency has recommended five drugs for EU-wide approval , including Averoa’s Xoanacyl for concomitant hyperphosphatemia. Two companies have withdrawn their marketing authorization applications.
Eli Lilly’ will request a re-examination after the European Medicines Agency declined to recommend its Alzheimer’s disease drug Kisunla for EU approval.