Unveiled Clinical Trials For Drugs: Exploring Research for New Treatments

“New drug” means, (i) a drug, including active pharmaceutical ingredient or phytopharmaceutical drug, which has not been used in the country to any significant extent, except in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the rules made thereunder, as per conditions specified in the labelling thereof and has not been approved as safe and efficacious by the Central Licencing Authority with respect to its claims; or (ii) a drug approved by the Central Licencing Authority for certain claims and proposed to be marketed with modified or new claims including indication, route of administration, dosage and dosage form; or (iii) a fixed dose combination of two or more drugs, approved separately for certain claims and proposed to be combined for the first time in a fixed ratio, or where the ratio of ingredients in an approved combination is proposed to be changed with certain claims including indication, route of administration, dosage and dosage form; or (iv) a modified or sustained release form of a drug or novel drug delivery system of any drug approved by the Central Licencing Authority; or (v) a vaccine, recombinant Deoxyribonucleic Acid (r-DNA) derived product, living modified organism, monoclonal anti-body, stem cell derived product, gene therapeutic product or xenografts, intended to be used as drug; Explanation: The drugs, other than drugs referred to in sub-clauses (iv) and (v), shall continue to be new drugs for a period of four years from the date of their permission granted by the Central Licencing Authority and the drugs referred to in sub-clauses (iv) and (v) shall always be deemed to be new drugs;

Yes. As per clause (w) of rule 2 of the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules, 2019 modified/sustained/prolonged/controlled release and NDDS of an approved drug are always considered as new drug and hence, require prior permission from CLA before obtaining the manufacturing license from the SLA for such products.

Any new drugs or investigational new drugs imported for the purpose of clinical trial shall be kept in containers bearing labels, indicating the name of the drug or code number, batch or lot number, wherever applicable, date of manufacture, use before date, storage conditions, name of the institution or organisation or the centre where the clinical trial is proposed to be conducted, name and address of the manufacturer, and the purpose for which it has been imported. Where a new drug or an investigational new drug is imported by the licencee on behalf of another person, the licencee shall indicate on the label of the container of the such drug, the name and address of the importer and the person to whom it is being supplied along with the scientific name of such drug, if known, or the reference which shall enable such drug to be identified and the purpose for which it is manufactured. No person or importer shall alter, obliterate or deface any inscription or mark made on the container, label or wrapper of any new drug imported without permission of the Central Licencing Authority.

A subsequent new drug means a drug approved by the Central Licencing Authority for certain claims and proposed to be marketed with modified or new claims including indication, route of administration, dosage and dosage form. A subsequent new drug also includes a new drug already approved in the country.

Any person or institution or organisation having permanent establishment in India who intends to conduct clinical trial study of a new drug or an investigational new drug can submit application for clinical trial study

Yes. Any sponsor or investigator intended to initiate a clinical trial for new drug or investigational new drug shall obtain permission from CLA in Form CT-06. The applicant shall submit application in Form CT-04 along with all other necessary documents specified under Second Schedule and fees as specified under Sixth Schedule of CT Rules 2019.

In general, the timeline for disposal of an application for conduct of clinical trial study is 90 working days from the date of receipt of application. However, if the drug is discovered in India or research and development of the drug are being done in India and also the drug is proposed to be manufactured and marketed in India then the timeline for disposal of an application for conduct of such clinical study is 30 working days from the date of receipt of application. In such case, if no response is issued by the CDSCO within 30 working days, the clinical trial will be considered to be deemed approved.

Minimum of seven members from medical, non-medical, scientific and non-scientific areas with at least, one lay person; one woman member; one legal expert; one independent member from any other related field such as social scientist or representative of non-governmental voluntary agency or philosopher or ethicist or theologian. At least 50% of members not affiliated with the institute or organization in which EC is constituted. Every member of the EC shall be required to undergo such training and development programs.

An application for grant of permission to conduct clinical trial of new drug or investigational new drug shall be made in Form CT-04. The application should be accompanied by the necessary documents as specified under Second Schedule along with the fees as specified under Sixth Schedule of the NDs & CTs Rules, 2019. Order issued by CDSCO on 10th Apr 2019, Form CT-04 (and other Forms) can be manually completed and uploaded in SUGAM, till all the new Forms are integrated into the online submission portal.