- Where a biological medicinal product which is similar to a reference biological product does not meet the conditions in the definition of generic medicinal products, owing to, in particular, differences relating to raw materials or differences in manufacturing processes of the biological medicinal product and the reference biological medicinal product, the results of appropriate pre-clinical tests or clinical trials relating to these conditions must be provided. The type and quantity of supplementary data to be provided must comply with the relevant criteria stated in Annex I and the related detailed guidelines. The results of other tests and trials from the reference medicinal product's dossier shall not be provided.
(Article 10(4) of Directive 2001/83 EC to the European Parliament and of the Council, current version with amendments)
Biosimilars CTD’s content
- Similar biological medicinal products
The provisions of Article 10(1)(a) (iii) may not be sufficient in the case of biological medicinal products. If the information required in the case of essentially similar products (generics) does not permit the demonstration of the similar nature of two biological medicinal products, additional data, in particular, the toxicological and clinical profile shall be provided.
When a biological medicinal product as defined in Part I, paragraph 3.2 of this Annex, which refers to an original medicinal product having been granted a marketing authorisation in the Community, is submitted for a marketing authorisation by an independent applicant after the expiry of data protection period, the following approach shall be applied.
- Information to be supplied shall not be limited to Modules 1, 2 and 3 (pharmaceutical, chemical and biological data), supplemented with bio-equivalence and bio-availability data. The type and amount of additional data (i.e. toxicological and other non-clinical and appropriate clinical data) shall be determined on a case by case basis in accordance with relevant scientific guidelines.
- Due to the diversity of biological medicinal products, the need for identified studies foreseen in Modules 4 and 5, shall be required by the competent authority, taking into account the specific characteristic of each individual medicinal product.
The general principles to be applied are addressed in a guideline taking into account the characteristics of the concerned biological medicinal product published by the Agency. In case the originally authorised medicinal product has more than one indication, the efficacy and safety of the medicinal product claimed to be similar has to be justified or, if necessary, demonstrated separately for each of the claimed indications.
(Annex 1, Part II, Section 4 to Directive 2001/83 EC to the European Parliament and of the Council, current version with amendments)
1. Eligibility to the marketing authorisation procedure for biosimilars
- To meet the legal definitions of biosimilar medicinal product and biological medicinal product as a reference medicinal product.
- ATMPs are considered to be biological medicinal products: Any authorised ATMP on the basis of a complete dossier (in practice, ATMP authorised under conditional marketing authorisation or marketing authorisation under exceptional circumstances should be excluded) could potentially be a reference medicinal product for a biosimilar.
- The biosimilar ATMP and the reference ATMP have the same safety and efficacy profile and are (generally) used to treat the same conditions.
- At the time of submission of the biosimilar application, the protection period of the reference ATMP should have expired.
2. Procedure for the marketing authorisation of a biosimilar
2.1 Early dialogue prior to submission
Early dialogue with the European Medicines Agency as early as possible is strongly recommended by the EMA.
Aim: To discuss with the EMA, especially rapporteurs of the CHMP, PRAC and CAT about the comparability between the similar biological medicinal product and the reference medicinal product at the levels of quality, safety and efficacy, as well as the type and quantity of supplementary data to be provided.
How:
- Through CHMP scientific advice or protocol assistance for orphan medicines. (More information on EMA website here on Requesting scientific advice or protocol assistance from EMA).
- Through a pre-submission meeting: after having created an EMA account via the EMA Account Management portal; the MAA pre-submission interactions form (available here, at the bottom of section 2.9 under “references”) shall be filled in electronically and sent to the EMA, by raising a ticket via EMA Service Desk, using the Question option “Pre-Submission Phase Request”, followed by the sub-option “Pre-Submission Interactions”. (More information on the EMA website can be found here in section 2.9.).
2.2 Submission of an application
When?
- Seven months before submission: to notify the EMA of the intention to submit a similar biological medicinal product application to allow Rapporteur /Co-Rapporteur appointment and PRAC (Co-) Rapporteurs’ identification six months prior to the marketing authorisation application intended submission date.
How?
- A similar ATMP application follows the same procedure as for any other ATMP marketing authorisation application: Please see Centralised procedure and MAA file.
- The only specificity relies on the content of the MAA file, the detailed content of each module for biosimilar application being described on EMA website (here, see in particular 2.4).
3. Assessment of an application, granting of a marketing authorisation, and other aspects of the procedure
- A similar ATMP application follows the same procedure as for any other ATMP marketing authorisation application: Please see Centralised procedure and MAA file.
- For more details, on marketing authorisations of biosimilars, please refer to the EMA website here.