News
FDA schedules orphan drug workshop
FDA
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has scheduled the third in a series of workshops on orphan drug designation for academics, biotechnology companies, and those unfamiliar with the process for Nov. 4-5, 2010, in Lansdowne, Va.
The workshop, in collaboration with the Drug Information Association, will focus on the process used by the FDA to grant a special status, known as orphan designation, for drug products intended to treat rare diseases. Similar workshops were held earlier this year in Claremont, Calif., and Minneapolis.
Orphan drugs are either drug or biologic products used to treat diseases or conditions affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. Augmentation therapy for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency is an example of a therapy developed as an orphan drug.
Orphan drug designation is available for drugs already approved for another disease or condition or for experimental drugs that have not been previously approved.
During the workshop, participants will propose a specific drug for a specific rare disease and work on an orphan designation application to submit to the FDA at the conclusion of the workshop. FDA staff will provide one-on-one guidance to help participants develop strong applications.
