Online Program

292572
A comparison of new drugs approved by the EMA and the FDA in 1999-2011


Tuesday, November 5, 2013 : 1:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

Saad Alqahtani, B.Sc.Pharm, Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy, MCPHS, Boston, MA
Nasser Alshehri, PharmD, Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy, MCPHS, boston, MA
Ebtissam Badawoud, B.Sc.Pharm, Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston, MA
Enrique Seoane-Vazquez, PhD, Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy, MCPHS, boston, MA
Rosa Rodriguez-Monguio, PhD, MS, Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA
OBJECTIVES: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have different regulatory systems for the review and approval of new drugs. This study reviewed and compared the characteristics of priority review new pharmaceuticals (i.e., new molecular entities -NME- and new therapeutic biologics -BLA-) approved by EMA and the FDA in the period 1999-2011. DATA AND METHODS: Data were extracted from the FDA and EMA websites. Dates of application and approval and orphan status information were extracted from the FDA approval letters and the EMA public assessment reports. Descriptive statistics were used to compare the approval processes and characteristics of both systems; t-test was used to assess differences in average review time. Significance level was set at 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 101 drugs (82 NME and 19 BLA, all were FDA priority reviews) were approved by both regulatory agencies in the study period. BLAs were submitted to the FDA 1.25±4.18 months earlier (median= 0.33 months) and approved by the FDA 7.14±5.47 months earlier (median=5.75 months) than the EMA. NMEs were submitted to the FDA 1.44±24.52 month earlier (median= 0.44 months) and approved by the EMA 6.67±23.43 months earlier (median=7.49 months) than the FDA. The BLA average review time was statistically significantly lower (p<0.001) for the FDA 7.67±2.24 months (median=6.21 months) than for EMA 406±96 (median=13.77 months). The NME average review time was statistically significantly lower (p<0.001) for the FDA 9.25±9.10 months (median=5.98 months) than for EMA 14.48±4.09 (median=13.72 months). The number of products with orphan designation was higher in the FDA (n=57) than in the EMA (n=33). EMA granted orphan designation to two products that did not have orphan designation in the US. US granted orphan designation to 13 products that did not have orphan designation in the EU. Differences in the indications approved in both systems were observed in 24.8% (n=25) of the drugs. CONCLUSIONS: There are significant differences in the time elapsed between the filing and the approval of drugs in the US and EU. Orphan designation also varied between the two regulatory systems. Harmonization of the regulatory systems could facilitate timely approval of essential pharmaceuticals. KEY WORDS: Drug approvals, European Medicines Authority (EMA); US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Learning Areas:

Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health administration or related administration
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Compare the approval of new drugs by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency Assess differences in the characteristics of the products approved by the US FDA and European Medicine Agency Evaluate the differences in regulatory review time of the products approved by the US FDA and European Medicine Agency

Keyword(s): Drugs, FDA

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a master degree student in Pharmacy Economics and Policy in MCPHS. I work on this with my professor as a program requirement. I have an interest in studying and learning about the approval processes worldwide and how different systems differ in their approval process.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.