2015-27935. Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Infection: Developing Antiretroviral Drugs for Treatment; Guidance for Industry; Availability

AGENCY:

Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice of availability.

SUMMARY:

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) is announcing the availability of a guidance for industry entitled “Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Infection: Developing Antiretroviral Drugs for Treatment.” The purpose of this guidance is to assist sponsors in all phases of development of antiretroviral drugs and therapeutic biologic products for the treatment of HIV-1 infection.

DATES:

Submit either electronic or written comments on Agency guidances at any time.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments as follows:

Electronic Submissions

Submit electronic comments in the following way:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Comments submitted electronically, including attachments, to http://www.regulations.gov will be posted to the docket unchanged. Because your comment will be made public, you are solely responsible for ensuring that your comment does not include any confidential information that you or a third party may not wish to be posted, such as medical information, your or anyone else's Social Security number, or confidential business information, such as a manufacturing process. Please note that if you include your name, contact information, or other information that identifies you in the body of your comments, that information will be posted on http://www.regulations.gov.
• If you want to submit a comment with confidential information that you do not wish to be made available to the public, submit the comment as a written/paper submission and in the manner detailed (see “Written/Paper Submissions” and “Instructions”).

Written/Paper Submissions

Submit written/paper submissions as follows:

• Mail/Hand delivery/Courier (for written/paper submissions): Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
• For written/paper comments submitted to the Division of Dockets Management, FDA will post your comment, as well as any attachments, except for information submitted, marked and identified, as confidential, if submitted as detailed in “Instructions.”

Instructions: All submissions received must include the Docket No. FDA-2013-D-0589 for “Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Infection: Developing Antiretroviral Drugs for Treatment; Guidance for Industry; Availability.” Received comments will be placed in the docket and, except for those submitted as “Confidential Submissions,” publicly viewable at http://www.regulations.gov or at the Division of Dockets Management between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

• Confidential Submissions—To submit a comment with confidential information that you do not wish to be made publicly available, submit your comments only as a written/paper submission. You should submit two copies total. One copy will include the information you claim to be confidential with a heading or cover note that states “THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.” The Agency will review this copy, including the claimed confidential information, in its consideration of comments. The second copy, which will have the claimed confidential information redacted/blacked out, will be available for public viewing and posted on http://www.regulations.gov. Submit both copies to the Division of Dockets Management. If you do not wish your name and contact information to be made publicly available, you can provide this information on the cover sheet and not in the body of your comments and you must identify this information as “confidential.” Any information marked as “confidential” will not be disclosed except in accordance with 21 CFR 10.20 and other applicable disclosure law. For more information about FDA's posting of comments to public dockets, see 80 FR 56469, September 18, 2015, or access the information at: http://www.fda.gov/​regulatoryinformation/​dockets/​default.htm.

Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or the electronic and written/paper comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov and insert the docket number, found in brackets in the heading of this document, into the “Search” box and follow the prompts and/or go to the Division of Dockets Management, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.

Submit written requests for single copies of this guidance to the Division of Drug Information, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, 10001 New Hampshire Ave., Hillandale Building, 4th Floor, Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002. Send one self-addressed adhesive label to assist that office in processing your requests. See the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for electronic access to the guidance document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jeffrey Murray, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 22, Rm. 6360, Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002, 301-796-1500.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

FDA is announcing the availability of a guidance for industry entitled “Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Infection: Developing Antiretroviral Drugs for Treatment.” This guidance assists sponsors in all phases of drug development including nonclinical development, early phases of clinical development, phase 3 protocol designs, and endpoints for the treatment of HIV. This guidance specifically addresses HIV drug development in populations in need of additional HIV drugs for maintaining HIV suppression including trial designs for heavily treatment-experienced patients (multiple-drug-resistant patients with few remaining options); use of early virologic assessments as primary endpoints in trials evaluating antiretroviral drugs in heavily treatment-experienced patients; recommended trial durations based on medical need; and risk-benefit in the targeted patient population.

This guidance finalizes the draft guidance of the same name published in the Federal Register June 5, 2013 (78 FR 33848), and replaces the guidance for industry entitled “Antiretroviral Drugs Using Plasma HIV RNA Measurements—Clinical Considerations for Accelerated and Traditional Approval” issued October 2002.

The public comments received on the draft guidance have been considered and the guidance has been revised to: (1) Clarify definitions of treatment-naïve and treatment-experienced patient categories with respect to both drug susceptibility and clinical history; (2) add recommendations for trial designs that investigate switching treatment regimens in patients who are suppressed on current therapy; and (3) briefly discuss recommendations for labeling claims for safety endpoints.

This guidance is being issued consistent with FDA's good guidance practices regulation (21 CFR 10.115). The guidance represents the current thinking of FDA on developing antiretroviral drugs for the treatment of HIV infection. It does not establish any rights for any person and is not binding on FDA or the public. You can use an alternative approach if it satisfies the requirements of the applicable statutes and regulations.

II. The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

This guidance refers to previously approved collections of information that are subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520). The collections of information in 21 CFR part 312 have been approved under OMB control number 0910-0014, the collections of information in 21 CFR part 314 have been approved under OMB control number 0910-0001, and the collections of information referred to in the guidance for industry entitled “Establishment and Operation of Clinical Trial Data Monitoring Committees” have been approved under OMB control number 0910-0581.

III. Electronic Access

Persons with access to the Internet may obtain the guidance at either http://www.fda.gov/​Drugs/​GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/​Guidances/​default.htm or http://www.regulations.gov.

Dated: October 28, 2015.

Leslie Kux,

Associate Commissioner for Policy.