(FDA: Rockville, Maryland) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final regulation that makes early phase 1 clinical drug development safe and efficient by enabling a phased approach to complying with current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) statutes and FDA investigational requirements.

To facilitate this new approach, the regulation exempts most phase 1 investigational drugs from the requirements in 21 CFR part 211. FDA will continue to exercise oversight of the manufacture of these drugs under FDA’s general statutory CGMP authority and through review of investigational new drug (IND) applications. A companion guidance recommends an approach for complying with CGMP statutory requirements such as standards for the manufacturing facility and equipment, the control of components, as well as testing, stability, packaging, labeling, distribution, and recordkeeping.

“With this action, we are tailoring the CGMP requirements to make them appropriate to the earliest stages of drug development,” says U.S. Health and Human Services deputy secretary, Tevi Troy. “This approach will ensure that these investigational products can be developed as efficiently as possible with the highest level of patient protection.”

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