Scientific Publications by FDA Staff

Clin Cancer Res 2017 Mar 15;23(6):1368-72

An FDA perspective on the regulatory implications of complex signatures to predict response to targeted therapies.

Beaver JA, Tzou A, Blumenthal GM, McKee AE, Kim G, Pazdur R, Philip R

As technologies evolve, and diagnostics move from detection of single biomarkers toward complex signatures, an increase in the clinical use and regulatory submission of complex signatures is anticipated. However, to date, no complex signatures have been approved as companion diagnostics. In this article, we will describe the potential benefit of complex signatures and their unique regulatory challenges including analytical performance validation, complex signature simulation, and clinical performance evaluation. We also will review the potential regulatory pathways for clearance, approval, or acceptance of complex signatures by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These regulatory pathways include regulations applicable to in vitro diagnostic devices, including companion diagnostic devices, the potential for labeling as a complementary diagnostic, and the biomarker qualification program.