A Systematic Database Approach to Identify Companion Diagnostic Testing in Clinical Trials under the New In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation.

The European Union In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation (EU) 2017/746 (IVDR) introduces companion diagnostics (CDx) as a new legal term. CDx are applied in combination with a medicinal product to identify patient subgroups most likely to benefit from a treatment or who are at increased risk. This new regulation came into full effect on 26 May 2022 and represents the current development in personalized medicine. The implementation of IVDR and CDx is a regulatory challenge in the EU, requiring re-assessment of in vitro diagnostic medical devices (IVD) in terms of their CDx designation. To retrospectively identify IVD biomarker testing applied in clinical trials, a systematic search in the German PharmNet Clinical Trials database was developed. In total 3643 clinical trials conducted between 2004 and 2022 were identified. The results were analyzed in terms of medicinal products, biomarkers, and IVDs. Patient stratification based on biomarker testing mainly takes place in oncology-related trials, and the biomarkers most frequently tested are PD-L1 and HER2. Furthermore, there is a significant overlap between the collected data and non-European national authorities that have already implemented the CDx concept. This analysis could be indicatory of the medicinal products and corresponding IVD tests that could be CDx candidates under the IVDR.

Toxicological assessment compilation of selected examples of raw materials for homeopathic medicinal products.

The considerable number of homeopathic medicinal products (HMP) on the German market and the staggering breadth of active substances of various origin along with the specific legal requirements of adequate safety principles posed the need to compile data on toxicologically evaluated raw materials. In line with the European regulatory framework, HMP applications must consider appropriate safety standards in analogy to conventional human medicinal products. This review presents an option for a systematic and scientifically substantiated approach for regulatory use. Furthermore, this paper provides a multitude of data for selected raw materials processed in HMP with up to now rather scarce knowledge and, thus, aims at filling data gaps on acceptable amounts per day (AAD). The inclusion of raw materials into the compilation was determined considering the frequencies of their occurrence in HMP in Germany along with the availability of appropriate safety assessments. This safety evaluation compilation represents a practical, fairly comprehensive and systematic set of more than 170 raw materials. It is designed to both effectively support regulatory decision making and to be recognized and exploited by applicants, stakeholders and the scientific community.

Current concepts on integrative safety assessment of active substances of botanical, mineral or chemical origin in homeopathic medicinal products within the European regulatory framework.

For active substances of botanical, mineral or chemical origin processed in homeopathic medicinal products for human use, the adequate safety principles as with other human medicinal products are applied in line with the European regulatory framework. In homeopathy, nonclinical safety assessment is facing a particular challenge because of a multitude and diversity of source materials used and due to rarely available toxicological data. Thus, current concepts applied by the national regulatory authority in Germany (BfArM) on integrative safety assessment of raw materials used in homeopathic medicinal products involve several evaluation approaches like the use of the Lowest Human Recommended Dose (LHRD), toxicological limit values, Threshold of Toxicological Concern (TTC), data from food regulation or the consideration of unavoidable environmental or dietary background exposure. This publication is intended to further develop and clarify the practical use of these assessment routes by exemplary application on selected homeopathic preparations. In conclusion, the different approaches are considered a very useful scientific and simultaneously pragmatic procedure in differentiated risk assessment of homeopathic medicinal products. Overall, this paper aims to increase the visibility of the safety issues in homeopathy and to stimulate scientific discussion of worldwide existing regulatory concepts on homeopathic medicinal products.