§ 355. New drugs

§ 355. New drugs

(a) Necessity of effective approval of application No person shall introduce or deliver for introduction into interstate commerce any new drug, unless an approval of an application filed pursuant to subsection (b) or (j) is effective with respect to such drug.

(b) Filing application; contents

(1)

(A) Any person may file with the Secretary an application with respect to any drug subject to the provisions of subsection (a). Such persons shall submit to the Secretary as part of the application—

(i) full reports of investigations which have been made to show whether such drug is safe for use and whether such drug is effective in use;

(ii) a full list of the articles used as components of such drug;

(iii) a full statement of the composition of such drug;

(iv) a full description of the methods used in, and the facilities and controls used for, the manufacture, processing, and packing of such drug;

(v) such samples of such drug and of the articles used as components thereof as the Secretary may require;

(vi) specimens of the labeling proposed to be used for such drug;

(vii) any assessments required under section 355c of this title; and

(viii) the patent number and expiration date of each patent for which a claim of patent infringement could reasonably be asserted if a person not licensed by the owner of the patent engaged in the manufacture, use, or sale of the drug, and that—

(I) claims the drug for which the applicant submitted the application and is a drug substance (active ingredient) patent or a drug product (formulation or composition) patent; or

(II) claims a method of using such drug for which approval is sought or has been granted in the application.

(B) If an application is filed under this subsection for a drug, and a patent of the type described in subparagraph (A)(viii) is issued after the filing date but before approval of the application, the applicant shall amend the application to include the patent number and expiration date.

(2) An application submitted under paragraph (1) for a drug for which the investigations described in clause (A) of such paragraph and relied upon by the applicant for approval of the application were not conducted by or for the applicant and for which the applicant has not obtained a right of reference or use from the person by or for whom the investigations were conducted shall also include—

(A) a certification, in the opinion of the applicant and to the best of his knowledge, with respect to each patent which claims the drug for which such investigations were conducted or which claims a use for such drug for which the applicant is seeking approval under this subsection and for which information is required to be filed under paragraph (1) or subsection (c)—

(i) that such patent information has not been filed,

(ii) that such patent has expired,

(iii) of the date on which such patent will expire, or

(iv) that such patent is invalid or will not be infringed by the manufacture, use, or sale of the new drug for which the application is submitted; and

(B) if with respect to the drug for which investigations described in paragraph (1)(A) were conducted information was filed under paragraph (1) or subsection (c) for a method of use patent which does not claim a use for which the applicant is seeking approval under this subsection, a statement that the method of use patent does not claim such a use.

(3) Notice of opinion that patent is invalid or will not be infringed.—

(A) Agreement to give notice.— An applicant that makes a certification described in paragraph (2)(A)(iv) shall include in the application a statement that the applicant will give notice as required by this paragraph.

(B) Timing of notice.— An applicant that makes a certification described in paragraph (2)(A)(iv) shall give notice as required under this paragraph—

(i) if the certification is in the application, not later than 20 days after the date of the postmark on the notice with which the Secretary informs the applicant that the application has been filed; or

(ii) if the certification is in an amendment or supplement to the application, at the time at which the applicant submits the amendment or supplement, regardless of whether the applicant has already given notice with respect to another such certification contained in the application or in an amendment or supplement to the application.

(C) Recipients of notice.— An applicant required under this paragraph to give notice shall give notice to—

(i) each owner of the patent that is the subject of the certification (or a representative of the owner designated to receive such a notice); and

(ii) the holder of the approved application under this subsection for the drug that is claimed by the patent or a use of which is claimed by the patent (or a representative of the holder designated to receive such a notice).

(D) Contents of notice.— A notice required under this paragraph shall—

(i) state that an application that contains data from bioavailability or bioequivalence studies has been submitted under this subsection for the drug with respect to which the certification is made to obtain approval to engage in the commercial manufacture, use, or sale of the drug before the expiration of the patent referred to in the certification; and

(ii) include a detailed statement of the factual and legal basis of the opinion of the applicant that the patent is invalid or will not be infringed.

(4)

(A) An applicant may not amend or supplement an application referred to in paragraph (2) to seek approval of a drug that is a different drug than the drug identified in the application as submitted to the Secretary.

(B) With respect to the drug for which such an application is submitted, nothing in this subsection or subsection (c)(3) prohibits an applicant from amending or supplementing the application to seek approval of a different strength.

(5)

(A) The Secretary shall issue guidance for the individuals who review applications submitted under paragraph (1) or under section 262 of title 42, which shall relate to promptness in conducting the review, technical excellence, lack of bias and conflict of interest, and knowledge of regulatory and scientific standards, and which shall apply equally to all individuals who review such applications.

(B) The Secretary shall meet with a sponsor of an investigation or an applicant for approval for a drug under this subsection or section 262 of title 42 if the sponsor or applicant makes a reasonable written request for a meeting for the purpose of reaching agreement on the design and size—

The sponsor or applicant shall provide information necessary for discussion and agreement on the design and size of the clinical trials. Minutes of any such meeting shall be prepared by the Secretary and made available to the sponsor or applicant upon request.

(i)

(I) of clinical trials intended to form the primary basis of an effectiveness claim; or

(II) in the case where human efficacy studies are not ethical or feasible, of animal and any associated clinical trials which, in combination, are intended to form the primary basis of an effectiveness claim; or

(ii) with respect to an application for approval of a biological product under section 262(k) of title 42, of any necessary clinical study or studies.

(C) Any agreement regarding the parameters of the design and size of clinical trials of a new drug under this paragraph that is reached between the Secretary and a sponsor or applicant shall be reduced to writing and made part of the administrative record by the Secretary. Such agreement shall not be changed after the testing begins, except—

(i) with the written agreement of the sponsor or applicant; or

(ii) pursuant to a decision, made in accordance with subparagraph (D) by the director of the reviewing division, that a substantial scientific issue essential to determining the safety or effectiveness of the drug has been identified after the testing has begun.

(D) A decision under subparagraph (C)(ii) by the director shall be in writing and the Secretary shall provide to the sponsor or applicant an opportunity for a meeting at which the director and the sponsor or applicant will be present and at which the director will document the scientific issue involved.

(E) The written decisions of the reviewing division shall be binding upon, and may not directly or indirectly be changed by, the field or compliance division personnel unless such field or compliance division personnel demonstrate to the reviewing division why such decision should be modified.

(F) No action by the reviewing division may be delayed because of the unavailability of information from or action by field personnel unless the reviewing division determines that a delay is necessary to assure the marketing of a safe and effective drug.

(G) For purposes of this paragraph, the reviewing division is the division responsible for the review of an application for approval of a drug under this subsection or section 262 of title 42 (including all scientific and medical matters, chemistry, manufacturing, and controls).

(6) An application submitted under this subsection shall be accompanied by the certification required under section 282(j)(5)(B) of title 42. Such certification shall not be considered an element of such application.

(7) Rx-to-nonprescription switches.—

(A) Meetings.— Any person planning to submit an application for an Rx-to-nonprescription switch may submit to the Secretary a written request for a meeting, for purposes of developing a plan for such application that addresses the potential risks to public health of such switch and the evidence necessary to support such application, including the design of any necessary studies, and the format and content of the planned application. The Secretary may grant such a meeting, as appropriate, consistent with established procedures for granting meetings with, and providing written responses to, applications under this section. Each such meeting shall be documented in meeting minutes.

(B) Guidance.—

(i) In general.— Not later than 18 months after November 12, 2025, the Secretary shall issue guidance to increase the clarity and predictability of the process and standards for approval of applications for nonprescription drugs under this section, including in the case of applications for an Rx-to-nonprescription switch, especially with respect to prescription drugs with well-established safety profiles for which an applicant may seek approval for nonprescription use.

(ii) Contents.— The guidance under clause (i) shall—

(I) describe how published reports in medical literature, any previous finding of safety or effectiveness for the drug under this section, the results of significant human experience with the drug, unpublished studies and other data, and other sources of information may be used to support an application for a nonprescription drug, including in the context of an application for an Rx-to-nonprescription switch;

(II) set forth procedures for sponsors to request meetings described in subparagraph (A) and document the recommendations made in such meetings;

(III) describe evidentiary expectations to support approval of an application for a nonprescription drug, including in the context of an application for an Rx-to-nonprescription switch, including how sponsors can demonstrate that consumers can appropriately self-select and use the drug and comprehend the nonprescription drug label; and

(IV) provide recommendations for how mechanisms, in addition to the required Drug Facts Label, such as mobile applications and decisions aids, can be incorporated into the information submitted in support of an application for an Rx-to-nonprescription switch.

(C) Plan to engage with stakeholders.— Not later than 1 year after November 12, 2025, the Secretary shall develop and make publicly available on the website of the Food and Drug Administration a plan to engage stakeholders on steps and factors for application holders and other stakeholders to consider in identifying approved prescription drugs that may be promising candidates for applications for an Rx-to-nonprescription switch.

(D) Definition.— For purposes of this paragraph, the term “Rx-to-nonprescription switch” means the approval of an application, or supplemental application, as applicable, submitted under this section by the holder of an approved application for a prescription drug seeking approval to market such drug as a nonprescription drug, including for—

(i) a full Rx-to-nonprescription switch, under which a drug previously approved for prescription use only is—

(I) approved for nonprescription use under the same conditions as applied to the drug when approved for prescription use; or

(II) approved for nonprescription use subject to one or more additional conditions for nonprescription use; and

(ii) a partial Rx-to-nonprescription switch, under which the drug is approved for nonprescription use only under certain conditions described in the approved labeling, while the drug otherwise remains approved for prescription use only.

(E) Rule of construction.— Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to—

(i) supersede or modify the authority of the Secretary under section 355h of this title with respect to the regulation of OTC monograph drugs; or

(ii) authorize the disclosure by the Secretary of confidential commercial information or trade secrets.

(c) Period for approval of application; period for, notice, and expedition of hearing; period for issuance of order

(1) Within one hundred and eighty days after the filing of an application under subsection (b), or such additional period as may be agreed upon by the Secretary and the applicant, the Secretary shall either—

(A) approve the application if he then finds that none of the grounds for denying approval specified in subsection (d) applies, or

(B) give the applicant notice of an opportunity for a hearing before the Secretary under subsection (d) on the question whether such application is approvable. If the applicant elects to accept the opportunity for hearing by written request within thirty days after such notice, such hearing shall commence not more than ninety days after the expiration of such thirty days unless the Secretary and the applicant otherwise agree. Any such hearing shall thereafter be conducted on an expedited basis and the Secretary’s order thereon shall be issued within ninety days after the date fixed by the Secretary for filing final briefs.

(2) Not later than 30 days after the date of approval of an application submitted under subsection (b), the holder of the approved application shall file with the Secretary the patent number and the expiration date of any patent described in subsection (b)(1)(A)(viii), except that a patent that is identified as claiming a method of using such drug shall be filed only if the patent claims a method of use approved in the application. If a patent described in subsection (b)(1)(A)(viii) is issued after the date of approval of an application submitted under subsection (b), the holder of the approved application shall, not later than 30 days after the date of issuance of the patent, file the patent number and the expiration date of the patent, except that a patent that claims a method of using such drug shall be filed only if approval for such use has been granted in the application. If the patent information described in subsection (b) could not be filed with the submission of an application under subsection (b) because the application was filed before the patent information was required under subsection (b) or a patent was issued after the application was approved under such subsection, the holder of an approved application shall file with the Secretary the patent number and the expiration date of any patent described in subsection (b)(1)(A)(viii). If the holder of an approved application could not file patent information under subsection (b) because it was not required at the time the application was approved, the holder shall file such information under this subsection not later than thirty days after September 24, 1984, and if the holder of an approved application could not file patent information under subsection (b) because no patent of the type for which information is required to be submitted in subsection (b)(1)(A)(viii) had been issued when an application was filed or approved, the holder shall file such information under this subsection not later than thirty days after the date the patent involved is issued. Upon the submission of patent information under this subsection, the Secretary shall publish it. Patent information that is not the type of patent information required by subsection (b)(1)(A)(viii) shall not be submitted under this paragraph.

(3) The approval of an application filed under subsection (b) which contains a certification required by paragraph (2) of such subsection shall be made effective on the last applicable date determined by applying the following to each certification made under subsection (b)(2)(A):

(A) If the applicant only made a certification described in clause (i) or (ii) of subsection (b)(2)(A) or in both such clauses, the approval may be made effective immediately.

(B) If the applicant made a certification described in clause (iii) of subsection (b)(2)(A), the approval may be made effective on the date certified under clause (iii).

(C) If the applicant made a certification described in clause (iv) of subsection (b)(2)(A), the approval shall be made effective immediately unless, before the expiration of 45 days after the date on which the notice described in subsection (b)(3) is received, an action is brought for infringement of the patent that is the subject of the certification and for which information was submitted to the Secretary under paragraph (2) or subsection (b)(1) before the date on which the application (excluding an amendment or supplement to the application) was submitted. If such an action is brought before the expiration of such days, the approval may be made effective upon the expiration of the thirty-month period beginning on the date of the receipt of the notice provided under subsection (b)(3) or such shorter or longer period as the court may order because either party to the action failed to reasonably cooperate in expediting the action, except that—

In such an action, each of the parties shall reasonably cooperate in expediting the action.

(i) if before the expiration of such period the district court decides that the patent is invalid or not infringed (including any substantive determination that there is no cause of action for patent infringement or invalidity), the approval shall be made effective on—

(I) the date on which the court enters judgment reflecting the decision; or

(II) the date of a settlement order or consent decree signed and entered by the court stating that the patent that is the subject of the certification is invalid or not infringed;