Influence of Expedited Programs in the United States on Oncology Drug Development in Japan.

BACKGROUND

Recent trends in globalization and the complexity of drug development have resulted in the possibility that expedited programs in one country may now influence drug development in another. We examined the effects of expedited programs in the United States on the development of oncology drugs in Japan.

METHODS

Among oncology drugs approved in Japan between 2007 and 2016, we analyzed those that were approved in both the United States and Japan. The development period was calculated by subtracting the start date of the first clinical study or the investigational new drug application date from the drug approval date in the respective country. All data were obtained from publicly disclosed information.

RESULTS

We analyzed a total of 108 approvals for oncology drugs. The difference in the development start date between the United States and Japan for drugs granted Breakthrough Therapy designation was smaller than that for drugs without this designation ( P < .01). The development period in Japan for drugs granted Breakthrough Therapy, Accelerated Approval or Fast Track designations was significantly shorter than that for drugs without these designations ( P < .05). In addition, the development period of oncology drugs in Japan tended to be significantly shorter as the number of expedited program designations increased ( P < .006 for trend).

CONCLUSIONS

The characteristics and the target disease of the drug that could be eligible for expedited program(s) in the United States, which was supported by the designation, were one of the factors influencing the development of oncology drugs in Japan.