Generics/General

FDA making progress with ANDA backlog

Despite an increase in the volume of abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) submissions, Type II API Drug Master Files (DMFs), supplements and amendments during financial year (FY)2014, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has acted on more pending submissions compared to FY2013.

Brand-name drugmakers gain extra days of patent protection

Brand-name drugmakers have gained some extra time, be it only days, for protection of their originator drugs after a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union clarified the date that drug patents expire.

Sun Pharma recalls drugs from troubled Halol plant

India-based Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (Sun Pharma) is once again having to recall drugs from its troubled Halol plant in Gujarat, India.

Generics applications under review by EMA – August 2015

Generic medicines in Europe can be approved either centrally via the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or nationally via the local regulatory body [1]. Approval by EMA takes place by using a centralized procedure. This leads to approval of the product in all 28 European Union (EU) Member States and in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. At a country level, if approval in a single EU Member State only is required, this can take place using the national procedure. However, as soon as a company seeks approval in two or more Member States, a decentralized procedure or mutual recognition procedure must be used [2].

Generics applications under review by EMA – 2013 Q4

Last update:  20 January 2014

Generic medicines in Europe can be approved either centrally via the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or nationally via the local regulatory body [1]. Approval by EMA takes place by using a centralized procedure. This leads to approval of the product in all 28 European Union (EU) Member States and in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. At a country level, if approval in a single EU Member State only is required, this can take place using the national procedure. However, as soon as a company seeks approval in two or more Member States, a decentralized procedure or mutual recognition procedure must be used [2].

EMA approves first generic imatinib

EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) announced on 18 October 2012 that the agency had approved a generic version of imatinib.

Canada bans imports from three API facilities in India

Just days after Canada’s federal department responsible for health was reported to be in talks with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about Canadian generics maker Apotex, Health Canada has announced that it is to ban imports from two of Apotex’s facilities and from one site belonging to IPCA Laboratories in India.

Canada partially lifts import ban on Indian manufacturing sites

In an attempt to avert drug shortages, Canada’s federal department responsible for health, Health Canada, has partially lifted an import ban on products from three Indian manufacturing facilities that were banned from importing generics into the country due to quality violations.

FTC says formula tweaking may be anticompetitive

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has come down on the side of generics makers in a case about formula ‘tweaking’ by brand-name drugmakers.

Indian pharma industry to get government support

In a bid to promote the manufacture of pharmaceuticals in the country, the Indian Government has announced plans to set up a Rs 500-crore venture capital fund to provide cheaper loans to firms looking to establish or upgrade manufacturing facilities.