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    • When is 5-Year NCE Exclusivity Less Than 5 Years?January 9th, 2013

      By Kurt R. Karst –       Every once in a while we receive a series of similar questions from various quarters such that a critical mass has been reached justifying a blog post on the topic.  This is one of those posts.  And it has to do …

    • A Pre-MMA 180-Day Exclusivity Punt? What Gives?January 8th, 2013

      By Kurt R. Karst – Although the number of cases involving 180-day exclusivity under the version of the FDC Act in effect before the December 8, 2003 enactment of the Medicare Modernization Act (“MMA”) is nearing an end, the pre-MMA statute, and the handling of it …

    • FDA Ramps Up Focus on Advertising of Restricted Devices to ConsumersJanuary 7th, 2013

      By Jeffrey K. Shapiro – FDA has enhanced authority over the sale, distribution and use of devices that the agency designates as “restricted.”  21 U.S.C. § 360j(e).  FDA almost always designates Class III devices as “restricted devices” in premarket application (“PMA”) approval orders.  21 U.S.C. …

    • On FSMA’s Second Anniversary, FDA Releases Two Major Proposed RulesJanuary 6th, 2013

      By Ricardo Carvajal – FDA released two long-awaited proposed rules to implement key provisions of the Food Safety Modernization Act ("FSMA"): Current Good Manufacturing Practice and Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food and Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce …

    • CDRH Releases Three Final Guidance DocumentsJanuary 3rd, 2013

      By Jennifer D. Newberger – On December 31, 2012, CDRH released three final guidance documents, the drafts of which were issued in the summer and fall of 2012.  The quick finalization of these guidance documents is likely due to their fairly uncontroversial nature, since they are …

    • FDA and Ranbaxy Prevail in Dispute Over Generic DIOVAN 180-Day Exclusivity; Court Grants Motions for Summary JudgmentJanuary 2nd, 2013

      By Kurt R. Karst –       Last week in a post-Christmas decision, Judge John D. Bates of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted both FDA’s and Intervenor-Defendant Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited’s (“Ranbaxy’s”) Motions for Summary Judgment and denied Mylan Laboratories Limited’s and Mylan …

    • DEA Proposes Disposal Regulations Addressing the “Medicine Cabinet” SyndromeDecember 31st, 2012

      By Larry K. Houck – The Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) published its long awaited notice of proposed rulemaking to implement the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act of 2010 (“Disposal Act”).  77 Fed. Reg. 75,784 (Dec. 21, 2012).  Interested persons should submit electronic comments on …

    • Are Food Allergen Thresholds on the (Far) Horizon?December 27th, 2012

      By Ricardo Carvajal – Signaling potential movement on an issue that has bedeviled industry, FDA published a notice requesting comments “relevant to conducting a risk assessment to establish regulatory thresholds for major food allergens.”  Undeclared major food allergens continue to be one of the two principal …

    • Your Dog as a Medical Device?December 26th, 2012

      By Jennifer D. Newberger & Jeffrey N. Gibbs – A quick Google search of “dog trained to identify medical conditions” indicates that, around the world, dogs are already working with people to help sniff out certain medical conditions.  For example, in the United Kingdom an organization …

    • When is Yogurt Not Yogurt? Judge Lets FDA DecideDecember 25th, 2012

      By Riëtte van Laack – District Judge Susan Nelson of the District of Minnesota recently concluded that FDA is best qualified and has been authorized by Congress to decide whether Milk Protein Concentrate (“MPC”) is a “proper, permitted ingredient in yogurt.”  Earlier this year, on March …

    • HP&M’s Diane McColl Tapped as New President of the International Society for Regulatory Toxicology and PharmacologyDecember 25th, 2012

      Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, P.C. is pleased to announce that Diane B. McColl has been elected to serve as the new President of the International Society of Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology (“ISRTP”).  ISRTP’s mission is to provide an open public forum for policy makers and …

    • DEA Proposes Controlling Lorcaserin in Schedule IVDecember 21st, 2012

      By Larry K. Houck – The Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the December 19th Federal Register (77 Fed. Reg. 75,075 (Dec. 19, 2012)) to place lorcaserin into schedule IV of the federal Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”).  Interested persons must …

    • HP&M’s Dave Clissold to Speak at Management Forum Conference on Drug Regulatory Strategy MattersDecember 21st, 2012

      Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, P.C. Director David B. Clissold will be speaking at an upcoming Management Forum conference on myriad topics, including orphan drug exclusivity, FDA regulatory strategies, and advanced therapy products.  The conference, titled “EU and US Regulatory Issues for IP Professionals,” will take …

    • Trade Groups Sue Alameda County Over Drug Take-Back and Disposal OrdinanceDecember 19th, 2012

      By Kurt R. Karst –       The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (“PhRMA”), the Biotechnology Industry Organization (“BIO”), and the Generic Pharmaceutical Association (“GPhA”) share some common ground.  All three of the trade groups oppose a Safe Drug Disposal Ordinance (see here and here [Item …

    • FDA Releases Draft Guidance on Enrichment Strategies for Clinical TrialsDecember 18th, 2012

      By Alexander Varond – On December 14, FDA released a draft guidance document entitled “Enrichment Strategies for Clinical Trials to Support Approval of Human Drugs and Biological Products” (“Enrichment Guidance”).  The thirty-nine-page document was more than six years in the making and aims to provide …