Guidance Document - Submission and Information Requirements for Extraordinary Use New Drugs (EUNDs)

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Overview

In this section

Background

In 2011, amendments were made to the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) to include a specific regulatory pathway for Extraordinary Use New Drugs (EUNDs). Typically, clinical trials in human subjects are conducted and the results are provided as part of the clinical information package of a New Drug Submission (NDS) to Health Canada, the federal authority that reviews the safety and efficacy of human drugs. However, it is recognized that under certain extraordinary circumstances, because of logistical or ethical reasons, it is not possible for sponsors to conduct clinical trials in human subjects for its intended use(s) (e.g. some drugs that are used as military medical countermeasures). For products with limited clinical information, the standard regulatory pathway for authorization, an NDS or an Abbreviated New Drug Submission (ANDS), cannot be used. The EUND regulatory pathway was developed to address the challenges in the review of EUNDs.

The amendments to the FDR provide a regulatory pathway for the authorization of new drugs under extraordinary circumstances by recognising the challenges sponsors face when conducting clinical studies for these drugs. These amendments allow sponsors to use results of animal studies in conjunction with results from limited data from human safety and efficacy studies to support their drug submission.

The goal of the regulations is to provide Canadians with access to extraordinary use new drugs which have undergone a pre-market review for quality, safety, and efficacy despite limited clinical data packages, and which will be monitored more extensively for clinical safety and effectiveness in the post-market phase.

Purpose

Health Canada, the federal regulatory authority that evaluates the quality, safety, and efficacy of human drugs available in Canada, recognizes that there are circumstances in which sponsors cannot reasonably provide substantial evidence demonstrating the safety and efficacy of a therapeutic product as there are logistical or ethical challenges in conducting the appropriate human clinical trials. The Extraordinary Use New Drugs (EUND) pathway was developed to allow a mechanism for authorization of these drugs based on non-clinical and limited clinical information.

C.08.002.01

  1. (1) A manufacturer of a new drug may file an extraordinary use new drug submission for the new drug if
    1. (a) the new drug is intended for
      1. (i) emergency use in situations where persons have been exposed to a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear substance and action is required to treat, mitigate or prevent a life-threatening or other serious disease, disorder or abnormal physical state, or its symptoms, that results, or is likely to result, from that exposure, or
      2. (ii) preventative use in persons who are at risk of exposure to a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear substance that is potentially lethal or permanently disabling; and
    2. (b) the requirements set out in paragraphs C.08.002(2)(g) and (h) cannot be met because
      1. (i) exposing human volunteers to the substance referred to in paragraph (a) would be potentially lethal or permanently disabling, and
      2. (ii) the circumstances in which exposure to the substance occurs are sporadic and infrequent.

Scope and application

This guidance document is for sponsors seeking to file an Extraordinary Use New Drug Submission (EUNDS), an Abbreviated Extraordinary Use New Drug Submission (AEUNDS), a Supplement to an EUNDS or a Supplement to an AEUNDS for drugs considered to be EUNDs.

Policy objectives

This document is intended to provide guidance to sponsors to enable them to meet the pre-market and post-market information and regulatory requirements under the Food and Drug Act and its Regulations for the authorization of EUNDs in Canada.

Policy statements

The following statements outline the fundamental concepts and principles of the regulatory framework for EUNDs:

  • The EUND regulatory pathway is only available for those drugs that meet the inclusion criteria in C.08.002.01(1) of the Food and Drug Regulations. This regulatory pathway cannot be used for a drug that can fulfill the requirements of a New Drug Submission (NDS), in particular C.08.002(2)(g) and (h) of the Food and Drug Regulations.
  • Sponsors of EUND submissions are encouraged to consult with Health Canada as early as possible in the drug development process and on an ongoing basis.
  • Sponsors of EUND submissions should provide, sufficient information and material on the quality, non-clinical and clinical studies, and post-marketing plans to enable a full assessment of the EUND.
  • While the EUND pathway allows for special considerations such as a reduced clinical information package, it does not allow for a reduction in the requirements for product quality information (i.e. chemistry and manufacturing). Therefore, sponsors are expected to provide a full quality information package.
  • For the evaluation of an EUND submission, the non-clinical information package is critical as the regulatory requirements for the clinical information package are reduced. Therefore, sponsors are expected to provide a robust non-clinical information package.
  • EUND submissions must contain a proposed post-market study plan for the collection of information on the safety and efficacy of the EUND.
  • Regulatory decisions for the authorization of an EUND, will be based on the entire supporting evidence provided by a sponsor in a submission.
  • Once a product has received Notice of Compliance (NOC) for its EUND indication, the sale of the drug product for that indication is restricted to federal, provincial and territorial, and municipal government(s) (C.08.002.02).
  • An approved EUND can only be a Canadian Reference Product (CRP) for an AEUNDS and a supplement to an AEUNDS.
  • EUND submissions are not eligible for either priority review status or a notice of compliance with conditions (NOC/c) as "promising" or "substantial" evidence of (pre-market) clinical effectiveness is required in a submission, and such information is limited for EUNDs. However, Health Canada may consider an expedited review when there is an imminent public health risk, such as a pandemic

Applicable regulations

In this section

Applicable regulations

The provisions related to EUNDs are stated in Part C, Divisions 1 (General), 1A (Establishment Licences), 2 (Good Manufacturing Practices), 4 (Schedule D Drugs), and the applicable sections of Division 8 (New Drugs) of the Food and Drug Regulations.

For the requirements of biosimilars, sponsors should consult the Guidance Document: Information and Submission Requirements for Biosimilar Biologic Drugs, when intending to file an EUND.

A sponsor can file an AEUNDS for a new drug (C.08.002.1), if, in comparison with a Canadian Reference Product (CRP), it meets the criteria below:

  1. the new drug is the pharmaceutical equivalent of the CRP;
  2. the new drug is bioequivalent to the CRP, based on the pharmaceutical and, where the Minister considers it necessary, bioavailability characteristics;
  3. the route of administration of the new drug is the same as that of the CRP; and
  4. the condition(s) of use for the new drug will fall within the conditions of use for the CRP (C.08.002.1(1)).

For additional information regarding the abbreviated submission process, please consult the Draft Guidance for Industry: Preparation of Comparative Bioavailability Information for Drug Submissions in the CTD Format.

Patents, intellectual property, and data protection

EUNDs are subject to all applicable patent, intellectual property, and data protection regulations.

Generic drugs may enter the market subsequent to an innovator/reference drug product authorized for sale in Canada, and for which patents have expired or have been successfully addressed under the Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations. In instances where the reference drug product has data protection, the generic drug cannot enter the market until after the expiry of the data protection term. Generic drug products are subject to existing laws and regulations outlined in the Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations and C.08.004.1 of the Food and Drug Regulations, and related guidance documents entitled, Guidance Document: Data Protection under C.08.004.1 of the Food and Drug Regulations and Guidance Document: Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations. For an AEUNDS, the generic drug sponsor must clearly identify the product to which it is considered to be making a direct or indirect comparison according to the Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations and C.08.004.1 of the Food and Drug Regulations.

Pre-submission meetings

Sponsors wishing to submit an EUND submission to Health Canada are strongly urged to request a pre-submission meeting to discuss all aspects of their submission.

In preparation for this meeting, sponsors are encouraged to submit a rationale in writing stating why their prospective product should be reviewed as an EUND (also see section 2.3).

Sponsors are encouraged to hold early and ongoing consultation with Health Canada to help ensure that regulatory requirements are met.

Sponsors should also refer to the Guidance for Industry: Management of Drug Submissions and Applications for instructions on how to request pre-submission meetings.

Sponsors should forward their pre-submission meeting requests to the appropriate Directorate (Office) located within Health Canada. Please refer to Appendix A for relevant contact information.

Submission

All submission information should be provided in accordance with Guidance Document: Preparation of Drug Regulatory Activities in the Common Technical Document (CTD) Format.

The preparation and filing of submissions and/or additional information in an electronic CTD (eCTD) format is encouraged but remains optional. Sponsors who choose to file a submission in the eCTD format should consult the Guidance Document: Preparation of Drug Regulatory Activities in the Electronic Common Technical Document Format.

Sponsors should refer to the Guidance for Industry: Management of Drug Submissions and Applications for general procedures on how to file submissions.

Use of foreign reviews

EUND submissions shall contain any available assessment reports regarding the new drug prepared by regulatory authorities, in countries other than Canada (C.08.002.01(2)(b)(x)).

For more information on the use of foreign reviews, please refer to the Draft Guidance Document: The Use of Foreign Reviews by Health Canada.

Review time

The projected review times are 300 days for EUNDS, 180 days for AEUNDS, 300 days for SEUNDS and 300 days for SAEUNDS, the same as for NDSs, ANDSs, SNDSs and SANDs. Should there be an immediate need for an EUND, Health Canada may consider an expedited review of the submission.

Information regarding general submission requirements and target performance standards may be found in the Guidance for Industry: Management of Drug Submissions and Applications Guidance.

Fees

There are no fees for EUNDS, AEUNDS, SEUNDS and SAEUNDS.

For additional information related to Health Canada's cost recovery policy, refer to the Guidance Document: Fees for the Review of Drug Submissions and Applications.

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Clinical trial applications

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Clinical Trial Applications

Clinical trials conducted in Canada involving human drugs are subject to Part C, Division 5 of the FDR, which outlines the requirements applicable to the sale and importation of drugs for use in human clinical trials. Clinical Trial Applications (CTAs) should be submitted in accordance with the Guidance Document for Clinical Trial Sponsors: Clinical Trial Applications.

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Submission information and requirements

In this section

Submission information and requirements

C.08.002.01

(2) Subject to subsections (3) and (5), an extraordinary use new drug submission shall contain an attestation, signed and dated by the senior executive officer in Canada of the manufacturer filing the submission and by the manufacturer's senior medical or scientific officer, certifying that the conditions referred to in paragraph C.08.002.01 (1)(a) and (b) are met, together with sufficient supporting information has been provided to enable the Minister to determine that those conditions are met.

Sponsors should submit a written rationale, preferably not more than 20 pages, on how their product fulfills the requirements outlined in C.08.002.01(1), that is, how the product satisfies the intended use conditions in C.08.002.01(1)(a) and how their product cannot satisfy the requirements of C.08.002(2)(g) and (h) as stated in C.08.002.01(1)(b).

For an EUNDS, sponsors should provide sufficient information and material on the quality, non-clinical and clinical studies (including any available clinical data), and post-marketing plans to enable a full assessment of the EUND.

Quality information and requirements

For EUND submissions, sponsors must submit a full chemistry and manufacturing (quality) information package as required for an NDS and ANDS. Sponsors should refer to the list of relevant guidance documents for a comprehensive (but not exhaustive) list of guidance documents that provide further guidance on meeting submission and information requirements.

General considerations: Long-term stability

When an EUND may be stockpiled for emergency preparedness or used in extreme environmental conditions, additional considerations should be given to the formulation and stability of the EUND to ensure that it is appropriate for the intended use. For example, formulations suitable for long-term stability with accelerated and or forced degradation stability studies may be required.

Non-clinical information and requirements

An EUNDS should contain the standard pre-clinical information described in the relevant guidance documents for the product class. Additional non-clinical information may be required to demonstrate the potential for clinical effectiveness under the proposed conditions of use, and to support the safety of the EUND. All studies should be conducted in accordance with Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs), sponsors should refer to Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) Guidelines. Please consult the Guidance Document Non-Clinical Laboratory Study Data Supporting Drug Product Applications and Submissions: Adherence to Good Laboratory Practice .

C.08.002.01

  1. (2) Subject to subsections (3) and (5), an extraordinary use new drug submission shall contain
    1. (b) sufficient information and material to enable the Minister to assess the safety and effectiveness of the new drug, including the following:
      1. (ii) information respecting the pathophysiological mechanism for the toxicity of the chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear substance and describing the new drug's ability to treat, mitigate or prevent that mechanism.

In vitro studies should demonstrate the mechanism of action of the chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) substance and the means whereby the EUND mitigates its effect. For example, where the activity of the CBRN substance involves binding to receptors, the in vitro studies should demonstrate the ability of the EUND to interfere with binding of the CBRN substance. If the EUND acts by binding to the CBRN substance, the ability of the EUND to bind to the CBRN substance should be demonstrated. The concentration/response relationship of the EUND should be assessed to determine the most effective concentrations.

C.08.002.01

  1. (2) Subject to subsections (3) and (5), an extraordinary use new drug submission shall contain
    1. (b) sufficient information and material to enable the Minister to assess the safety and effectiveness of the new drug, including the following:
      1. (iii) detailed reports of in vitro studies respecting the toxicity and activity of the new drug in relation to the recommended purpose.

In vitro studies should also investigate the potential for "off-target" effects of the EUND.

If the activity of the EUND involves binding to receptors or binding to the CBRN substance, the potential for binding to other receptors or to other naturally occurring chemicals should be assessed.

C.08.002.01

  1. (2) Subject to subsections (3) and (5), an extraordinary use new drug submission shall contain
    1. (b) sufficient information and material to enable the Minister to assess the safety and effectiveness of the new drug, including the following:
      1. (iv) detailed reports of studies, in an animal species that is expected to react with a response that is predictive for humans, establishing the safety of the new drug, and providing substantial evidence of its effect, when used for the purpose and under the conditions of use recommended.
      2. (v) information confirming that the end point of animal studies is clearly related to the desired benefit in humans.

In vitro studies should support the relevance of the proposed animal model to humans. Studies demonstrating the mechanism of action should be conducted using both human and animal ex-vivo systems to determine the relevance of the animal model. For example, where the activity of the EUND depends on binding to active sites, the in vitro studies should demonstrate the concentration/binding relationship and the potential for cross-reactivity with other binding sites in both human and animal systems. For substances that are metabolized, species differences in metabolic pathways should also be assessed. Interspecies differences in the metabolism of the CBRN substance may determine the relevance of the animal model, for example, if the substance is metabolized by a CYP P450 isozyme which isn't found in humans.

In vivo studies should demonstrate the potential efficacy of the EUND. Studies should demonstrate that the animal model reacts to the CBRN substance in a manner similar to humans, and the EUND is effective in preventing the unfavourable outcome when the animal model is exposed to the CBRN substance. For CBRN substances where the exposure may vary because of environmental conditions or the nature of the exposure, the studies should be conducted to demonstrate the potential efficacy under various conditions including those representing the maximum expected exposure to the CBRN substance.

C.08.002.01

  1. (2) Subject to subsections (3) and (5), an extraordinary use new drug submission shall contain
    1. (b) sufficient information and material to enable the Minister to assess the safety and effectiveness of the new drug, including the following:
      1. (vi) information demonstrating that there is a sufficient understanding of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the new drug in animals and in humans to enable inferences to be drawn in respect of humans so as to allow for the selection of an effective dose in humans.

Pharmacokinetic studies should be used to assess the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) of the EUND. Where the desired clinical effect is dependent on blood levels or saturation of receptors, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies should clearly define the dosage needed to obtain the desired blood levels. Where the activity of the EUND depends on pharmacodynamic action, rather than pharmacokinetics, as in the immune response to a vaccine, the relationship of the pharmacodynamic effect to dose and the duration of the response should be defined.

It is recognized that for some classes of products, such as monoclonal antibodies or oligonucleotides, animals may develop immune reactions to humanized products. Therefore, higher order species, such as primates, may be preferred for testing of these products, but the dose-response relationship should be clearly defined as only a few amino acid substitutions can markedly change the binding efficiency. In other situations, it may be necessary to develop and use animals that respond in a manner analogous to humans to evaluate the effectiveness of the EUND. The animal model developed may also be used for toxicity testing. In such cases, safety information from a second species using the EUND product should also be provided in support of the safety assessment.

Clinical information and requirements

Given the nature of the EUNDS, it is not expected that the clinical information package will be similar to that of a regular NDS. But in some instances, it may be possible for sponsors to submit some clinical data to support their application.

C.08.002.01

  1. (2) Subject to subsections (3) and (5), an extraordinary use new drug submission shall contain
    1. (b) sufficient information and material to enable the Minister to assess the safety and effectiveness of the new drug, including the following:
      1. (vii) information respecting the safety of the new drug in humans, including detailed reports of clinical trials, if any, establishing the safety of the new drug.

Although the EUND cannot be tested under the conditions of use to confirm the effectiveness, there may exist a body of knowledge, such as case reports or case series, on the use of the EUND in humans under the conditions of use resulting from accidental exposure. Where such information is available, it should be provided to support the evaluation of the effectiveness and safety of the EUND. When using literature based information, the search strategy should be described, the criteria for selecting or rejecting publications should be defined, and the risk of bias within and across studies assessed. Sponsors can refer to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. For more information on submissions or supplements substantially relying on literature and market experience, sponsors should consult Guidance Document: Drug Submissions Relying on Third-Party Data (Literature and Market Experience).

If the EUND is to be used prophylactically, the number of subjects should be sufficiently large to demonstrate that the common adverse events are not serious, and serious adverse drug reactions are rare.

C.08.002.01

  1. (2) Subject to subsections (3) and (5), an extraordinary use new drug submission shall contain sufficient
    1. (b) information and material to enable the Minister to assess the safety and effectiveness of the new drug, including the following:
      1. (viii) information, if any, respecting the effectiveness of the new drug in humans for the purpose or under the conditions of use recommended.

In most circumstances, an EUND cannot be tested under the conditions of use to confirm its effectiveness as a drug, the submission should contain sufficient information to demonstrate a high probability of efficacy, and that the EUND does not cause undue harm to recipients. This is particularly important when the EUND is to be used prophylactically and exposure to a CBRN substance may not occur.

To allow appropriate inferences on dosing from in vitro tests and animal models C.08.002.01(2)(b)(vi), standard clinical phase I dose escalation studies should be conducted to determine the pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, and to provide preliminary information on safety. Any known (i.e. adverse events associated with a particular class of products) or potential safety issues should be identified and assessed to the extent possible. Phase II studies should evaluate the consistency of the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profile in a larger number of subjects, to further refine the appropriate dosing regimen and evaluate safety.

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Post-market requirements

In this section

Post-market requirements

C.08.002.01

  1. (2) Subject to subsections (3) and (5), an extraordinary use new drug submission shall contain sufficient
    1. (b) information and material to enable the Minister to assess the safety and effectiveness of the new drug, including the following:
      1. (ix) a plan for monitoring and establishing the safety and effectiveness of the new drug under the conditions of use recommended that includes procedures for gathering and analyzing data.

The market authorization of EUNDs will be based on limited clinical information. Therefore, sponsors should provide information on the process and procedures for post-market surveillance to establish the efficacy and safety in human subjects under the intended conditions of use.

Study plan and suspension of a Notice of Compliance

Sponsors must include "a plan for monitoring and establishing the safety and effectiveness of the new drug under the conditions of use recommended that includes procedures for gathering and analysing data" (C.08.002.01(2)(b)(ix)) for both an EUNDS and AEUNDS. This plan is essentially a clinical study or studies, intended to verify the effectiveness of the EUND under the conditions of use (its indications). The plan should be tailored to suit the conditions under which the EUND will be used (its indications). This plan should describe in detail the study design (e.g. registry, cohort, case-control, etc.) and the procedures to gather and analyze information on the effectiveness and safety under the proposed conditions of use. The plan(s) should include a rationale for the study design, a description of population to be studied, including any vulnerable or special populations (e.g. pediatric, elderly etc.), procedures for collecting information, and the proposed statistical analysis. Criteria for determining lack of efficacy should be clearly stated.

This study plan should also include the procedures for collecting and monitoring adverse events, the methods for determining the causal relationship between the EUND and the adverse event, and for assessing the effect of adverse reactions on the benefit-risk profile of the EUND. Where the EUND is being used prophylactically, a separate study may be required for monitoring the safety in subjects who are not exposed to CBRN substances.

To enhance subject safety and ensure data quality, the study or studies should be conducted in accordance with Good Clinical Practices as outlined in the Guidance Document: Good Clinical Practice: Integrated Addendum to E6(R1) ICH Topic E6(R2), published by Health Canada.

C.08.006

  1. (2) The Minister may, by notice to a manufacturer, suspend, for a definite or indefinite period, a notice of compliance issued to that manufacturer in respect of a new drug submission, an extraordinary use new drug submission, an abbreviated new drug submission, an abbreviated extraordinary use new drug submission or a supplement to any of those submissions if the Minister considers
    1. (g) that, in the case of a new drug for extraordinary use, the manufacturer has not adhered to the plan referred to in subparagraph C.08.002.01(2)(b)(ix).

Failure to adhere to the study plan may result in suspension of the notice of compliance (C.08.006(2)(g)) i.e. a suspension of market authorization for a definite or indefinite period

Risk management plan

According to Health Canada's Notice Regarding Implementation of Risk Management Planning including the adoption of the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) Guidance Pharmacovigilance Planning - ICH Topic E2E, sponsors should also submit a Risk Management Plan (RMP). The RMP should describe the known and potential risks of the EUND under the proposed conditions of use, and contain a pharmacovigilance plan (PvP) for monitoring the safety, including any studies submitted under sections C.08.002.01(2)(b)(ix), and proposed risk mitigation strategies, including labelling, to enhance the safe and effective use of the EUND. The European Union (EU) Risk Management Plan (RMP) format represents an acceptable approach to fulfilling requests by Health Canada for RMPs. If there are special considerations related to medical practice or populations in Canada, the manufacturer should also provide a Canadian context to the submitted RMP. Other recognised formats are accepted as long as they cover the essential elements outlined in the EU RMP format. Sponsors should refer to the Guidance Document: Submission of Risk Management Plans and Follow-up Commitments.

Serious adverse drug reaction reporting

The manufacturer must submit reports of any serious adverse drug reaction that occurred in Canada within 15 days of receiving the information (C.01.017). When an authorized EUND is sold to a Canadian (government) buyer (C.08.002.02) who provided the drug to a Canadian serving outside of Canada, the reaction should be treated as if it occurred in Canada.

Annual safety report

C.08.008.1 Where a manufacturer has received a notice of compliance issued in respect of an extraordinary use new drug submission, an abbreviated extraordinary use new drug submission or a supplement to either of those submissions, the manufacturer

  1. (a) shall adhere to the plan referred to in subparagraph C.08.002.01(2)(b)(ix); and
  2. (b) shall, before the first day of October in each year and whenever requested to do so by the Minister for the purposes of assessing the safety and effectiveness of the drug to which the notice of compliance relates, provide a report on the use of the drug, including a critical analysis of any available updated information respecting the drug's safety and effectiveness.

On the first of October each year, or as requested by the Minister, the manufacturer shall submit a report on the use of the EUND and a critical analysis of updated information on the safety and effectiveness of the EUND. The report should contain sufficient detail to allow determination of the adherence to the plan referred to in subsection C.08.002.01(2)(b)(ix).

The report should include information on the amount of the EUND sold, and the patient exposure for the indication (i.e. under the conditions of use specified for the EUND product), for the preceding year and cumulatively. The report should contain any new non-clinical and clinical information on the safety and effectiveness of the drug, and an analysis of the impact of this information on the known effectiveness profile of the drug under the proposed conditions of use. Adverse events observed in clinical use should also be listed, and sufficient detail provided for serious adverse events to allow evaluation of the causal relationship with the EUND. The observed safety information should be assessed in relation to the previously known safety profile of the EUND, and the impact of the new safety information on the benefit-risk profile of the EUND must be analysed.

When a drug has been authorized for multiple indications following both the EUNDS and NDS pathways, the manufacturer must prepare and submit a report for the EUND indication (C.08.008.1 (b)). The report for the EUND indication should be inclusive of safety information for all the indications of a drug. For the indication(s) (of a product) with a regular NOC, the manufacturer must prepare an annual report as per C.01.018. Information related to the safety for the EUND indication should be included in that report. When the drug has received an EUND NOC only, the manufacturer must prepare and submit a report for the EUND indication (C.08.008.1(b)).

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Labelling

In this section

Labelling

C.01.004

  1. (1) The inner and outer labels of a drug shall show
    1. (c) on any panel
      1. (vi) in the case of a new drug for extraordinary use in respect of which a notice of compliance has been issued under section C.08.004.01, the following statement, displayed in capital letters and in a legible manner:

        "HEALTH CANADA HAS AUTHORIZED THE SALE OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY USE NEW DRUG FOR [naming purpose] BASED ON LIMITED CLINICAL TESTING IN HUMANS.

        SANTÉ CANADA A AUTORISÉ LA VENTE DE CETTE DROGUE NOUVELLE POUR USAGE EXCEPTIONNEL AUX FINS DE [indication de la fin] EN SE FONDANT SUR DES ESSAIS CLINIQUES RESTREINTS CHEZ L'ÊTRE HUMAIN."

C.04.019 The provisions of section C.01.004 do not apply to a drug as defined in this Division but every package of such drug shall carry

  1. (b) on the outer label
    1. (vi) in the case of a new drug for extraordinary use in respect of which a notice of compliance has been issued under section C.08.004.01, the following statement, displayed in capital letters and in a legible manner:

      "HEALTH CANADA HAS AUTHORIZED THE SALE OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY USE NEW DRUG FOR [naming purpose] BASED ON LIMITED CLINICAL TESTING IN HUMANS.

      SANTÉ CANADA A AUTORISÉ LA VENTE DE CETTE DROGUE NOUVELLE POUR USAGE EXCEPTIONNEL AUX FINS DE [indication de la fin] EN SE FONDANT SUR DES ESSAIS CLINIQUES RESTREINTS CHEZ L'ÊTRE HUMAIN."

For the EUND indication, sponsors must include the mandatory warning statement C.01.004(1)(c)(vi) on both the inner and outer labels and the mandatory warning statement C.04.019(b)(vi) on the outer label of biologic EUNDs with the prescribed wording indicating that the NOC has been issued based on limited clinical testing in humans. The intent is to have the warning appear on both the inner and outer labels, but if the inner label is too small, the warning need not appear. Most biologic EUNDs are packaged in small containers, so the warning does not fit on the inner label.

For add-on EUND indications to already marketed products, sponsors must update their Product Monograph with information on the EUND indication(s) (See Section 2.5.1).

Product Monograph

The Product Monograph (PM) must contain the standard information as outlined in Health Canada's Guidance for Industry: Product Monograph. For an AEUNDS, sponsors should consult with the Draft Guidance Document: Preparation of Comparative Bioavailability Information for Drug Submissions in the CTD Format. For biosimilars, sponsors should consult the Guidance Document: Information and Submission Requirements for Biosimilar Biologic Drugs.

The Mandatory Warning Label required under C.01.004(1)(c)(vi) and C.04.019(b)(vi) should appear in boxed text in the following areas of the Product Monograph (PM):

  • Immediately following product - specific information on the PM Cover.
  • At the beginning of each major section of the PM for Part I, and Part III.
  • Part II Clinical Information, should include any clinical trial information or data of relevance

In each section of the PM (Indication and Clinical Uses, Adverse Reactions, Dosage and Administration) that refers to the EUND indication, the EUND status should be identified by an "EUND" symbol in the left margin.

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Changes following authorization/post Notice of Compliance (Post-NOC) changes

In this section

Changes following authorization/post Notice of Compliance (Post-NOC) changes

A sponsor may submit additional post-market information on an EUND for changes that are significantly different from those contained in the original submission. There shall be sufficient information to enable the Minister to make the decision on the safety and effectiveness of the drug. Supplements are to be filed, along with the recommended supporting data, to Health Canada as a Supplement to an Extraordinary Use New Drug Submission (SEUNDS) or Supplement to an Abbreviated Extraordinary Use New Drug Submission (SAEUNDS). The change may not be implemented by the sponsor until a NOC has been issued. For additional information regarding the process to file supplements, please consult the following documents:

Post-market guidance

Restricted sale (distribution)

In this section

Restricted sale (distribution)

C.08.002.02 Despite sections C.08.002 and C.08.003, no manufacturer or importer shall sell a new drug for extraordinary use in respect of which a notice of compliance has been issued under section C.08.004.01 except to

  1. (a) the Government of Canada or the government of a province for the use of a department or agency of that government, on receipt of a written order signed by the minister responsible for the department or by the person in charge of the agency, or by their duly authorized representative; or
  2. (b) a municipal government, or an institution of such a government, on receipt of a written order signed by a senior official of the government or institution or by his or her duly authorized representative.

The sale of an authorized EUND is restricted to authorized entities such as the federal, provincial, territorial and municipal government(s).

Contact information

In this section

Office of Regulatory Affairs

Office of Regulatory Affairs
Biologic and Radiopharmaceutical Drugs Directorate
Health Products and Food Branch
Health Canada
200 Tunney's Pasture Driveway
Address Locator 0701B
Tunney's Pasture
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9

Telephone: 613-957-1722
Fax: 613-946-9520
E-mail: hc.brdd.ora.sc@canada.ca

Office of Submissions and Intellectual Property

General inquiries

Office of Submissions and Intellectual Property
101 Tunney's Pasture Driveway
Address Locator: 0201A1
Health Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0K9

E-mail: hc.osip-bppi.sc@canada.ca
Telephone: 613-941-7281
Fax: 613-941-0825
Teletypewriter: 1-800-465-7735 (Service Canada)

Cost Recovery (for human drug submissions)

E-mail: hc.cost.recovery.sc@canada.ca
Telephone: 613-941-7283
Fax: 613-941-0285

Drug Identification Number Unit

E-mail: hc.din.sc@canada.ca

Drug Master Files

E-mail: hc.dmf.enquiries-fmm.sc@canada.ca

eReview

E-mail: hc.ereview.sc@canada.ca

Office of Patented Medicines and Liaison

E-mail: hc.opml-bmbl.sc@canada.ca
Fax: 613-946-5610

Office of Clinical Trials

Therapeutic Products Directorate
Health Products and Food Branch
Address Locator: 3105A
Health Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0K9

E-mail: hc.oct.enquiries-requetes.bec.sc@canada.ca
Telephone: 613-954-6493
Fax: 613-946-7996
Teletypewriter: 1-800-465-7735 (Service Canada)

A list of relevant guidance documents

In this section

General guidance

CTA guidance

New drug submission guidance

Drug establishment licensing

Post-market guidance

GCP guidance

GLP guidance

GMP guidance

Quality-specific guidance

Page details

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