Under agreement withStreetWise Reports, I'm pleased to share their recent coverage of the regenerative medicine sector.

Original Source: George S. Mack of The Life Sciences Report (01/18/2015) http://www.thelifesciencesreport.com/pub/na/where-do-cures-reside-morrie-ruffin-and-michael-werner-of-the-alliance-for-regenerative-medicine-think-the-answer-is-in-regenerative-medicine

Where Do Cures Reside? Morrie Ruffin and Michael Werner of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine Think the Answer Is in Regenerative Medicine

The practice of medicine is being transformed. The journey has been arduous, but revolutionary stem cell, gene and immunocellular therapies are rapidly moving toward pivotal milestonesand investors in the space should strap in for a rewarding joy ride. In this interview with The Life Sciences Report, Alliance for Regenerative Medicine cofounders Morrie Ruffin and Michael Werner consider how new federal guidance might enable new standards of care in cardiovascular, neurologic and oncologic medicine, and offer a preview of next week's Biotech Showcase in San Francisco.

The Life Sciences Report: On Dec. 22, the stem cell and regenerative medicine space saw a very significant development. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a new draft guidance paperon what constitutes minimal manipulation of human tissues and cells. Although this document is not binding, it does tell us what the agency is thinking. In effect, tissues and cells that have been processed in some way will be treated as drugs, and will come under the regulatory umbrella of the FDA. What does this mean for the industry?

Michael Werner: As sometimes happens with government agencies, major regulatory documents are released right before the holidays. As far as the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) is concerned, our member companies are currently looking at the paper and trying to digest it. This draft guidance is open for comment for 60 days after its publication in the Federal Register. We will go through it with a fine-tooth comb, and we will prepare formal comments, which we will submit to the FDA early this year.

Generally speaking, I think the most significant aspect of the guidance is that it provides greater clarity on the FDA's definition of minimal manipulation and, therefore, which products can qualify as minimally manipulated, and which will be regulated as biologics or drugs.

What ARM has said, from its inception many years ago, is that this industry needs a clear and predictable regulatory pathway. The regulations for minimal manipulation have been around for a while, but as this field has expanded, and as the technology has changed, questions have arisen about how the FDA is applying its regulations, and what minimally manipulated means in the context of new, tissue-engineered products.

At the very least, it's important that the FDA has, through this document, been transparent about its views.

TLSR: Michael, will you explain further why this transparency is important?

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Cell Therapy Blog

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