Salutations FPC'ers,
A few days ago, I had a discussion with a couple of fellows here about China, and new drug development, and wanted to make my position clear... China will end up shortening/ streamlining the FDA process, while forcing Big Pharma to play fair with small biotechs, and here is how...
Some of the problems discussed here regarding current drug approval is: 1) How long it takes to get through the FDA process from beginning to end... 12 years... a long time to wait when you have a resistant disease... a lifetime, so to say.. and, 2) at what cost ??? a cost of over 50 million dollars for Phase III alone... How can a small biotech succeed needing that kind of money, and the need to survive for 12 years ??
But wait...what if... things are like this:
linkedin.com/pulse/china-gr...
Getting the IND (Investigational New Drug ) application process completed is faster in OZ, New Zealand, and China... Instead of waiting that lifetime ...(12 years)... the same drug could be approved in 1/2 the time ...
Of course, there are various takes on the issue: Is it safe, how do they compare. etc...
mercatus.org/economic-insig...
and as for the cost??
communities.springernature....
The cost alone will drive this ship for the small biotechs with the guts to not wait forever for a large Pharma company to come and make them an offer which may, or may not come.... Look at Dextech--completed Phase IIb in 2020, so where is the Phase III ?? The reality is that some companies like Dextech (Drug--Osteodex) could take their completed Phase IIb results, get approved to transfer the data to China, and complete Phase 3 for 3 million dollars, and if approved, the cash flow can begin... and in a lot shorter time than the 4 years that they have waited already for a Big Pharma partner... Competition and price will drive the market to China.. Small biotechs will change the play book to China..
And, if the FDA believes enough in Chinese drugs to make importation allowable like this:
thehill.com/homenews/408944...
What are we to believe?? That suddenly... (poof)....the Chinese drugs got better quality... or is the quality just fine, but only during a drug shortage.. or are they really ok, and the FDA wishes you to think otherwise..?? Which is the case??
Some say that Chinese drugs will NEVER be for them...Everyone must chose their own path....For those with a challenging, unstable disease, the chance to have additional options would be most welcome, provided they can travel abroad.. if not to China, then Oz, or New Zealand..
As always, I welcome all questions, comments, etc...
Don Pescado