Loss of Exclusivity & Preservation of Product Value

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My previous post “Patent & Regulatory Exclusivity in Pharma R&D” I have indicated that the pharmaceutical company holding the original pharmaceutical product patent may attempt to fight the loss of exclusivity (LOE). The same article already covered the R&D aspects of the patent and regulatory exclusivity protection, leaving the commercial side to further analysis.

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What is Target Product Profile?

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The Target Product Profile provides a structure for the scientific, technical, clinical, and market information, which is the basis for the product development strategy. The Target Product Profile (TPP) is the critical component of the Development Plan (DP), and its existence is necessary to achieve a desired commercial outcome for the particular product. TPP provides all stakeholders with a clear vision of the product objectives and guides for R&D actions and decisions. TPP is a dynamic document that should be reviewed and updated throughout the drug development process. The FDA has also published the guidelines on how to develop a TPP, and the agency encourages its use as a tool to better frame the technical details of the product at advisory meetings. Continue reading

Patent & Regulatory Exclusivity in Pharma R&D

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When one thinks about the role of the patent attorneys, it may not be obvious how paramount are they for the life science industry. Do we perceive them as the pharma’s secret agents on an ongoing, critical mission? If not, we should. They work behind the research and development scene, making sure the company can maximize the value of the drug candidates and related inventions. This article, in the form of Q&A, covers the patent and regulatory exclusivity topics in biopharmaceutical R&D. Continue reading

Getting Pre-Candidate Drug to First IND

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The average cost to develop a new drug according to Deloitte is $2.2 billions.. Drug development is not only costly; it is a lengthy, laborious and usually, sequential process. Discovery phase can take 2-10 years. A drug discovery projects initiate because there is a disease or clinical condition without suitable medical products available and it is this unmet clinical need which is the underlying driving motivation for the project. Continue reading

Do Not Panic: How to Achieve Inspection Readiness

pills-1569173_1920-copyInspection Readiness (IR) is a proactive process. It is a process of ‘getting ready’ for an inspection by a regulatory authority (such as FDA), which is conducting an official review of documents, facilities, records, and any other resources that are deemed by the authority to be related to the clinical trial.  Continue reading

Risk Management in Drug Development

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Risk Management is the continuous process of identifying, analyzing and responding to risk factors throughout the life of a project. The risk management starts at the beginning of the project and continues throughout the life of the project. At each stage of the project’s life, new risks will be identified, quantified and managed. Proper risk management is proactive rather than reactive and reduces the likelihood of an event occurring and the magnitude of its impact. Reactive risk management is often called as crisis management. The right balance in risk contingency is necessary; too much may make the project uncompetitive; too little contingency increases the chance of failure. Risk management is a responsibility of the project team and is driven by the project manager. In short, risk management is about anticipating uncertain events that are inherent to a project to optimize them for project success. Continue reading

Know the Pharma Basics: Drug Development Plan

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Drug development can be described as the process of obtaining the relevant information necessary to be included on your drug prescribing information. Development Plan (DP) is the strategic document that guides the lifecycle of a new product from the pre-clinical lead compound stage through Lifecycle Management (LCM). LCM starts with the first approval of BLA/NDA (first Marketing Authorization) and encompasses development of new indications. In mature pharma organization, DP is approved by the governance bodies. Once approved, it can be regarded as the agreement between executive leadership/board of directors and the program team involved in the discovery, development & commercialization of the product. The DP is a living document and should be amended when the development strategy changes. Continue reading

Know the Pharma Basics: Target Product Profile

pills-384846_1920-copyThe Target Product Profile provides a structure for the scientific, technical, clinical, and market information, which is the basis for the product development strategy. The Target Product Profile (TPP) is the critical component of the Development Plan (DP), and its existence is necessary to achieve a desired commercial outcome for the particular product. TPP provides all stakeholders with a clear vision of the product objectives and guides for R&D actions and decisions. TPP is a dynamic document that should be reviewed and updated throughout the drug development process. The FDA has also published the guidelines on how to develop a TPP, and the agency encourages its use as a tool to better frame the technical details of the product at advisory meetings. Continue reading

How to Fight the Loss of Exclusivity

beach-1238464_1920My previous post “A Secret Life of the Patent Attorney” indicated that the pharmaceutical company holding the original pharmaceutical product patent may attempt to fight the loss of exclusivity (LOE). The same article already covered the R&D aspects of the patent and regulatory exclusivity protection, leaving the commercial side to further analysis. Continue reading