Notable 2021 Approvals Included Oncolytics, Interchangeables
Between the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) and its Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), the agency approved 60 new products in 2021, including biologics, cell and gene therapies, vaccines and blood products. As the COVID-19 pandemic continued for the second year, much of the pharma industry’s focus, understandably, was on vaccines and therapeutics for the coronavirus. As with prior years, oncology dominated the specialty drug space, but the FDA also approved novel treatments in other areas as manufacturers continued to pursue innovative new products. Moreover, the U.S. saw the first two interchangeable biosimilars gain approval. AIS Health, a division of MMIT, spoke with various industry experts about what they considered the most notable FDA approvals in 2021.