Developing drugs for rare diseases has long proved challenging from both a regulatory and commercial perspective, and the rarer the disease, the further these problems are exacerbated.
Clearer Regulatory Frameworks Needed For Ultra-Rare Conditions, Experts Say
Meeting the regulatory gold standard for drug candidates in ultra-rare diseases can be impractical, a regulatory expert says, but greater collaboration and shared insights from regulatory reviews could help find a viable path forward.

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Cell and gene therapy manufacturers must consider the practicalities of their product within the context of a health care system before it comes onto the market to be successful, experts from Novartis, AstraZeneca and England’s National Health Service say.
A risk-based approach to human cell therapies and tissue-based products could incentivize development and prevent bad actors from taking advantage of the current FDA system.
Experts working in the advanced therapy space say the US has less strict criteria for regulatory pathways for cell and gene therapies than the EU, particularly for products in early development.
Not all companies will be able to access joint scientific consultations under the EU Health Technology Assessment Regulation, but success is still possible for those that engage with national agencies early on, says EUCOPE’s Alexander Natz.
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Pharming has convinced NICE to reverse its rejection of its treatment for APDS by providing the health technology assessment institute with more data. It has also dropped the price it was asking for the drug, which has a list price of £352,000 per year per patient.
A new Innovative Health Initiative project will see the German health technology appraisal (HTA) body, IQWiG, work towards ensuring evidence generated in clinical studies meets the needs of HTA bodies and regulators.
Democrats are raising concerns that the continuing resolution intended to fund the government for the remainder of fiscal year 2025 gives Trump too much power, though it is unclear whether the FDA would be as impacted as other agencies.