The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Complete Response Letter (CRL) to Nuvo Research's US licensing partner, Mallinckrodt, following the review of Mallinckrodt's New Drug Application (NDA) for diclofenac sodium topical solution, 2% w/w (PENNSAID 2%).
FDA in the letter mentioned that it requires Mallinckrodt's complete pharmacokinetic study comparing PENNSAID 2% to original PENNSAID 1.5%.
FDA denied to review the similar pharmacokinetic studies submitted by Mallinckrodt with the NDA, as the reserve samples were not retained at the clinical site.
Pharmacokinetic studies are standard studies conducted during a drug development program to identify the total exposure or the amount of drug that reaches the blood stream after a patient receives both single and multiple doses of the product.
Mallinckrodt has suggested Nuvo that it expects to complete the study and submit the results to the FDA in the third quarter of 2013, and that it anticipates the FDA will provide a formal response to the filing within 6 months thereafter.
Nuvo's Pain Group president Dr. Bradley Galer said with the new FDA's letter the firm was disappointed that PENNSAID 2% will not be approved in this review cycle.
"We are pleased that the FDA has outlined a clear pathway to approval that we believe can be completed in a relatively short time frame," Galer added.
"Upon approval, PENNSAID 2% will be the first and only topical NSAID in the U.S. featuring twice per day dosing and a metered dose pump bottle."
