§ 379j–52. Authority to assess and use biosimilar biological product fees

§ 379j–52. Authority to assess and use biosimilar biological product fees

(a) Types of fees Beginning in fiscal year 2023, the Secretary shall assess and collect fees in accordance with this section as follows:

(1) Biosimilar biological product development program fees

(A) Initial biosimilar biological product development fee

(i) In general Each person that submits to the Secretary a meeting request described under clause (ii) or a clinical protocol for an investigational new drug protocol described under clause (iii) shall pay for the product named in the meeting request or the investigational new drug application the initial biosimilar biological product development fee established under subsection (c)(5).

(ii) Meeting request The meeting request described in this clause is a request for a biosimilar biological product development meeting for a product.

(iii) Clinical protocol for IND A clinical protocol for an investigational new drug protocol described in this clause is a clinical protocol consistent with the provisions of section 355(i) of this title, including any regulations promulgated under section 355(i) of this title, (referred to in this section as “investigational new drug application”) describing an investigation that the Secretary determines is intended to support a biosimilar biological product application for a product.

(iv) Due date The initial biosimilar biological product development fee shall be due by the earlier of the following:

(I) Not later than 7 days after the Secretary grants a request for a biosimilar biological product development meeting.

(II) The date of submission of an investigational new drug application describing an investigation that the Secretary determines is intended to support a biosimilar biological product application.

(v) Transition rule Each person that has submitted an investigational new drug application prior to July 9, 2012, shall pay the initial biosimilar biological product development fee by the earlier of the following:

(I) Not later than 60 days after July 9, 2012, if the Secretary determines that the investigational new drug application describes an investigation that is intended to support a biosimilar biological product application.

(II) Not later than 7 days after the Secretary grants a request for a biosimilar biological product development meeting.

(B) Annual biosimilar biological product development fee

(i) In general A person that pays an initial biosimilar biological product development fee for a product shall pay for such product, beginning in the fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the initial biosimilar biological product development fee was paid, an annual fee established under subsection (c)(5) for the biosimilar biological product development program (referred to in this section as “annual biosimilar biological product development fee”), except that, in the case that such product (including, where applicable, ownership of the relevant investigational new drug application) is transferred to a licensee, assignee, or successor of such person, and written notice of such transfer is provided to the Secretary, such licensee, assignee, or successor shall pay the annual biosimilar biological product development fee.

(ii) Due date The annual biosimilar biological product development fee for each fiscal year will be due on the later of—

(I) the first business day on or after October 1 of each such year; or

(II) the first business day after the enactment of an appropriations Act providing for the collection and obligation of fees for such year under this section.

(iii) Exception The annual biosimilar biological product development fee for each fiscal year will be due on the date specified in clause (ii), unless the person has—

(I) submitted a marketing application for the biological product that was accepted for filing;

(II) discontinued participation in the biosimilar biological product development program for the product under subparagraph (C); or

(III) been administratively removed from the biosimilar biological product development program for the product under subparagraph (E)(v).

(iv) Refund If a person submits a marketing application for a biosimilar biological product before October 1 of a fiscal year and such application is subsequently accepted for filing, the person may request a refund equal to the annual biosimilar biological product development fee paid by the person for the product for such fiscal year. To qualify for consideration for a refund under this clause, a person shall submit to the Secretary a written request for such refund not later than 180 days after the marketing application is accepted for filing.

(C) Discontinuation of fee obligation A person may discontinue participation in the biosimilar biological product development program for a product, effective October 1 of a fiscal year, by, not later than August 1 of the preceding fiscal year—

(i) if no investigational new drug application concerning the product has been submitted, submitting to the Secretary a written declaration that the person has no present intention of further developing the product as a biosimilar biological product; or

(ii) if an investigational new drug application concerning the product has been submitted, withdrawing the investigational new drug application in accordance with part 312 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulations).

(D) Reactivation fee

(i) In general A person that has discontinued participation in the biosimilar biological product development program for a product under subparagraph (C), or who has been administratively removed from such program for a product under subparagraph (E)(v), shall, if the person seeks to resume participation in such program, pay all annual biosimilar biological product development fees previously assessed for such product and still owed and a fee (referred to in this section as “reactivation fee”) by the earlier of the following:

(I) Not later than 7 days after the Secretary grants a request by such person for a biosimilar biological product development meeting for the product (after the date on which such participation was discontinued or the date of administrative removal, as applicable).

(II) Upon the date of submission (after the date on which such participation was discontinued or the date of administrative removal, as applicable) by such person of an investigational new drug application describing an investigation that the Secretary determines is intended to support a biosimilar biological product application for that product.

(ii) Application of annual fee A person that pays a reactivation fee for a product shall pay for such product, beginning in the next fiscal year, the annual biosimilar biological product development fee under subparagraph (B), except that, in the case that such product (including, where applicable, ownership of the relevant investigational new drug application) is transferred to a licensee, assignee, or successor of such person, and written notice of such transfer is provided to the Secretary, such licensee, assignee, or successor shall pay the annual biosimilar biological product development fee.

(E) Effect of failure to pay fees

(i) No biosimilar biological product development meetings If a person has failed to pay an initial or annual biosimilar biological product development fee as required under subparagraph (A) or (B), or a reactivation fee as required under subparagraph (D), the Secretary shall not provide a biosimilar biological product development meeting relating to the product for which fees are owed.

(ii) No receipt of investigational new drug applications Except in extraordinary circumstances, the Secretary shall not consider an investigational new drug application to have been received under section 355(i)(2) of this title if—

(I) the Secretary determines that the investigation is intended to support a biosimilar biological product application; and

(II) the sponsor has failed to pay an initial or annual biosimilar biological product development fee for the product as required under subparagraph (A) or (B), or a reactivation fee as required under subparagraph (D).

(iii) Financial hold Notwithstanding section 355(i)(2) of this title, except in extraordinary circumstances, the Secretary shall prohibit the sponsor of a clinical investigation from continuing the investigation if—

(I) the Secretary determines that the investigation is intended to support a biosimilar biological product application; and

(II) the sponsor has failed to pay an initial or annual biosimilar biological product development fee for the product as required under subparagraph (A) or (B), or a reactivation fee for the product as required under subparagraph (D).

(iv) No acceptance of biosimilar biological product applications or supplements If a person has failed to pay an initial or annual biosimilar biological product development fee as required under subparagraph (A) or (B), or a reactivation fee as required under subparagraph (D), any biosimilar biological product application or supplement submitted by that person shall be considered incomplete and shall not be accepted for filing by the Secretary until all such fees owed by such person have been paid.

(v) Administrative removal from the biosimilar biological product development program If a person has failed to pay an annual biosimilar biological product development fee for a product as required under subparagraph (B) for a period of 2 consecutive fiscal years, the Secretary may administratively remove such person from the biosimilar biological product development program for the product. At least 30 days prior to administratively removing a person from the biosimilar biological product development program for a product under this clause, the Secretary shall provide written notice to such person of the intended administrative removal.

(F) Limits regarding fees

(i) Refunds Except as provided in subparagraph (B)(iv), the Secretary shall not refund any initial or annual biosimilar biological product development fee paid under subparagraph (A) or (B), or any reactivation fee paid under subparagraph (D).

(ii) No waivers, exemptions, or reductions The Secretary shall not grant a waiver, exemption, or reduction of any initial or annual biosimilar biological product development fee due or payable under subparagraph (A) or (B), or any reactivation fee due or payable under subparagraph (D).

(2) Biosimilar biological product application fee

(A) In general Each person that submits, on or after October 1, 2017, a biosimilar biological product application shall be subject to the following fees:

(i) A fee established under subsection (c)(5) for a biosimilar biological product application for which clinical data (other than comparative bioavailability studies) with respect to safety or effectiveness are required for approval.

(ii) A fee established under subsection (c)(5) for a biosimilar biological product application for which clinical data (other than comparative bioavailability studies) with respect to safety or effectiveness are not required for approval. Such fee shall be equal to half of the amount of the fee described in clause (i).

(B) Rule of applicability; treatment of certain previously paid fees Any person who pays a fee under subparagraph (A), (B), or (D) of paragraph (1) for a product before October 1, 2017, but submits a biosimilar biological product application for that product after such date, shall—

(i) be subject to any biosimilar biological product application fees that may be assessed at the time when such biosimilar biological product application is submitted; and

(ii) be entitled to no reduction of such application fees based on the amount of fees paid for that product before October 1, 2017, under such subparagraph (A), (B), or (D).

(C) Payment due date Any fee required by subparagraph (A) shall be due upon submission of the application for which such fee applies.

(D) Exception for previously filed application If a biosimilar biological product application was submitted by a person that paid the fee for such application, was accepted for filing, and was not approved or was withdrawn prior to approval (without a waiver), the submission of a biosimilar biological product application for the same product by the same person (or the person’s licensee, assignee, or successor) shall not be subject to a fee under subparagraph (A).

(E) Refund of application fee if application refused for filing or withdrawn before filing The Secretary shall refund 75 percent of the fee paid under this paragraph for any application which is refused for filing or withdrawn without a waiver before filing.

(F) Fees for applications previously refused for filing or withdrawn before filing A biosimilar biological product application that was submitted but was refused for filing, or was withdrawn before being accepted or refused for filing, shall be subject to the full fee under subparagraph (A) upon being resubmitted or filed over protest, unless the fee is waived under subsection (d).

(3) Biosimilar biological product program fee

(A) In general Each person who is named as the applicant in a biosimilar biological product application shall pay the annual biosimilar biological product program fee established for a fiscal year under subsection (c)(5) for each biosimilar biological product that—

(i) is identified in such a biosimilar biological product application approved as of October 1 of such fiscal year;

(ii) may be dispensed only under prescription pursuant to section 353(b) of this title; and

(iii) as of October 1 of such fiscal year, does not appear on a list, developed and maintained by the Secretary, of discontinued biosimilar biological products.

(B) Due date The biosimilar biological product program fee for a fiscal year shall be due on the later of—

(i) the first business day on or after October 1 of each such year; or

(ii) the first business day after the enactment of an appropriations Act providing for the collection and obligation of fees for such year under this section.

(C) One fee per product per year The biosimilar biological product program fee shall be paid only once for each product for each fiscal year.

(D) Limitation A person who is named as the applicant in a biosimilar biological product application shall not be assessed more than 5 biosimilar biological product program fees for a fiscal year for biosimilar biological products identified in such biosimilar biological product application.

(E) Movement to discontinued list

(i) Date of inclusion If a written request to place a product on the list referenced in subparagraph (A) of discontinued biosimilar biological products is submitted to the Secretary on behalf of an applicant, and the request identifies the date the product is, or will be, withdrawn from sale, then for purposes of assessing the biosimilar biological product program fee, the Secretary shall consider such product to have been included on such list on the later of—

(I) the date such request was received; or

(II) if the product will be withdrawn from sale on a future date, such future date when the product is withdrawn from sale.

(ii) Treatment as withdrawn from sale For purposes of clause (i), a product shall be considered withdrawn from sale once the applicant has ceased its own distribution of the product, whether or not the applicant has ordered recall of all previously distributed lots of the product, except that a routine, temporary interruption in supply shall not render a product withdrawn from sale.

(iii) Special rule for products removed from discontinued list If a biosimilar biological product that is identified in a biosimilar biological product application approved as of October 1 of a fiscal year appears, as of October 1 of such fiscal year, on the list referenced in subparagraph (A) of discontinued biosimilar biological products, and on any subsequent day during such fiscal year the biosimilar biological product does not appear on such list, except as provided in subparagraph (D), each person who is named as the applicant in a biosimilar biological product application with respect to such product shall pay the annual biosimilar biological product program fee established for a fiscal year under subsection (c)(5) for such biosimilar biological product. Notwithstanding subparagraph (B), such fee shall be due on the last business day of such fiscal year and shall be paid only once for each such product for each fiscal year.

(b) Fee revenue amounts

(1) In general For each of the fiscal years 2023 through 2027, fees under subsection (a) shall, except as provided in subsection (c), be established to generate a total revenue amount equal to the sum of—

(A) the annual base revenue for the fiscal year (as determined under paragraph (3));

(B) the dollar amount equal to the inflation adjustment for the fiscal year (as determined under subsection (c)(1));

(C) the dollar amount equal to the strategic hiring and retention adjustment (as determined under subsection (c)(2));

(D) the dollar amount equal to the capacity planning adjustment for the fiscal year (as determined under subsection (c)(3));

(E) the dollar amount equal to the operating reserve adjustment for the fiscal year, if applicable (as determined under subsection (c)(4));

(F) for fiscal year 2023 an additional amount of $4,428,886; and

(G) for fiscal year 2024 an additional amount of $320,569.

(2) Allocation of revenue amount among fees

(A) Allocation The Secretary shall determine the percentage of the total revenue amount for a fiscal year to be derived from, respectively—

(i) initial and annual biosimilar biological product development fees and reactivation fees under subsection (a)(1);

(ii) biosimilar biological product application fees under subsection (a)(2); and

(iii) biosimilar biological product program fees under subsection (a)(3).

(B) Biosimilar biological product development fees The initial biosimilar biological product development fee under subsection (a)(1)(A) for a fiscal year shall be equal to the annual biosimilar biological product development fee under subsection (a)(1)(B) for that fiscal year.

(C) Reactivation fee The reactivation fee under subsection (a)(1)(D) for a fiscal year shall be equal to twice the amount of the annual biosimilar biological product development fee under subsection (a)(1)(B) for that fiscal year.

(3) Annual base revenue For purposes of paragraph (1), the dollar amount of the annual base revenue for a fiscal year shall be—

(A) for fiscal year 2023, $43,376,922; and

(B) for fiscal years 2024 through 2027, the dollar amount of the total revenue amount established under paragraph (1) for the previous fiscal year, excluding any adjustments to such revenue amount under subsection (c)(4).

(c) Adjustments; annual fee setting

(1) Inflation adjustment

(A) In general For purposes of subsection (b)(1)(B), the dollar amount of the inflation adjustment to the annual base revenue for each fiscal year shall be equal to the product of—