2014: The Year of the Patient

As we reach the end of another year, we once again look back at recent advancements and milestones in the field of personalized medicine. As we celebrated 10 years of progress, we also looked toward the future, identifying changes needed to ensure another decade of discovery. Reflecting upon the highlights of 2014, it is clear that this truly was the year of the patient. A renewed sense of urgency to shift towards a more patient-centered approach to care has been created across the healthcare system.

The following captures highlights from The Age of Personalized Medicine Blog for 2014.

Michael Kolodziej, M.D., National Medical Director for Oncology, Office of the Chief Medical Officer, Aetna, kicked off the year with reflections on the challenges facing the adoption of personalized medicine.

So what are the practical challenges? There are many. And many share the underlying theme that the old paradigms do not work so well. … Perhaps the biggest challenges lie in the area of clinical utility, which impacts providers, payers and regulatory agencies. Patients are impacted in a huge way. Most people have an idea of where we need to go, but we have a shortage of ideas about how to get there. Finally, all of this occurs in the setting of unsustainable growth in health care spending, and the near uniform agreement that we need to spend our money in a more intelligent, impactful way. … We have a lot of work to do together.

In March, we were honored to share the personal and candid story of Stephanie Dunn Haney, a lung cancer survivor, and her experience with molecular testing and targeted therapies. Stephanie’s story continues to remind us of the hope personalized medicine offers to so many.

Molecular testing and personalized medicine gave me my life back, and my sense of a future back. While I’m realistic enough to know that my daughters are fairly certain to lose their mother before they are grown, I also know I have tools to fight with, and a responsibility to share my story.

As we talk about the need to keep the patient at the center of all that we do, we at the Personalized Medicine Coalition (PMC) saw a need to establish a baseline of consumer awareness, knowledge and attitudes about personalized medicine. In July, PMC released a national survey, U.S. Public Opinion About Personalized Medicine, with key findings that will guide future outreach and education efforts.

We’re at the beginning of the golden age of personalized medicine. Armed now with a clear picture of the public’s opinion, we have an opportunity to raise awareness and increase understanding of what personalized medicine is, and how it can transform approaches to healthcare delivery.

Of course, in order to bring molecular tests and targeted therapies to patients, key regulatory and reimbursement areas must be addressed. PMC also published The Future of Coverage and Payment for Personalized Medicine Diagnostics in July, which took a critical look at CMS policies, highlighting specific challenges to the further implementation of personalized medicine diagnostics.  Later that month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) released its long-awaited final guidance on the regulation of companion diagnostic devices, as well as proposed framework for regulating laboratory developed tests (LDTs).

Investors have long argued that clarity is necessary in both regulation and reimbursement for continued advancement of personalized medicine. We now have clarity on FDA’s current thinking although many issues remain unresolved. The community has time to consider this framework and may soon have a chance to provide public comments. And finally, the pharmaceutical industry has the FDA’s assurance that targeted treatments will not be held up by co-development challenges.

In October 2014, the PMC, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), and Feinstein Kean Healthcare (FKH) convened the second national Turning the Tide Against Cancer national conference, which brought together leaders throughout the healthcare and policy communities for a passionate and engaging discussion on the importance of moving towards a more high-value, patient-centric system of cancer care.

Keynote speaker, cancer survivor, and The New York Times Emmy® Award winning columnist of “Life, Interrupted,” Suleika Jaouad, shared insights into communication challenges patients face during a Q&A session. Suleika’s words serve as a reminder that if we are to increase adoption of personalized healthcare, we must ensure patients are given the tools and education needed to properly understand their treatment options.

Communication is the golden ticket. We live in the WebMD age where patients often consult Google before they consult a doctor. This can be dangerous and can lead to misinformation and misunderstandings. Creating an environment where the patient feels comfortable asking questions and talking to their medical team is crucial.

Following the conference, FKH Chairman, Marcia A. Kean, M.B.A., proposed next steps:

I propose that every individual touched by cancer, and every organization concerned about the nation’s cancer burden, take responsibility for three actions.

1. Review the Issue Brief, and share your thoughts/ideas about the policy options and/or propose other options
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2. Involve your organization in the Turning the Tide Against Cancer Through Sustained Medical Innovation initiative, by participating in our activities and events.

3. Join our partners PMC and AACR and advocate for those options that you agree with, integrating them into your own policy platforms and your communications with policymakers in order to drive momentum and catalyze change.

We encourage you to learn more about the Turning the Tide Against Cancer initiative, and the important work we are doing to make a difference for cancer patients.

As an appropriate end to the year, we celebrated the 10th Anniversary Personalized Medicine Conference in November, and conference organizer Raju Kucherlapati, Ph.D., Paul C. Cabot Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, reflected on a decade of developments in personalized medicine.

The past decade has witnessed many exciting new developments in personalized medicine: the significant reduction in the cost of DNA sequencing and related technologies; the use of these technologies for an unprecedented rate of discovery of human disease genes; a near universal acceptance of the importance of genetics and genomics in drug development, especially for cancer; the levels of investment in personalized medicine companies; recognition of the importance of personalized medicine by professional societies; and the deep involvement by the administrative and legislative bodies in the U.S. and throughout the world.

2014 was a milestone year. We look forward to the year ahead, and the continued opportunity to engage with leaders throughout the personalized medicine community, and across the healthcare system, to discuss the future of personalized healthcare and how we can provide the best value to patients.

Required Reading: September 2014

Great stories are published daily about the impact personalized medicine is having on individual patients, and the medical community as a whole, but it can be a challenge to stay on top of the news. With that in mind, we bring to you a monthly roundup of the three to five most thought-provoking articles we are reading, sharing and discussing with our colleagues.

This is the September 2014 installment of Required Reading.

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Medical Calculators Use Big Data to Help Patients Make Choices by Laura Landro, The Wall Street Journal

Michael Kattan, chairman of the department of quantitative health sciences at Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute, discusses sophisticated risk calculators, or “nomograms,” that can combine a patient’s unique characteristics, such as age, gender, race, extent and type of disease and other health factors; compare them with the vast databases of similar cases and studies; and use them to predict probable outcomes depending on the treatment a patient chooses.

FDA’s Shuren Defends Plan to Issue Guidance for LDTs at House Hearing by Michael D. Williamson, Bloomberg BNA

On September 9, the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health held a hearing to examine the regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs) as a continuation of the committee’s 21st Century Cures initiative. Members heard testimonies from various witnesses on recently released guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and its impact on innovation and the practice of precision medicine. Read more about the FDA’s proposed framework for regulating LDTs.

Experts Warn US in Danger of Losing Biotechnology Edge by Chris Casey, Medical Xpress

The United States is in potential danger of losing its biomedical edge to countries that are aggressively funding research into personalized medicine, according to discussion that emerged at the 21st Century Cures Roundtable on September 5. Roundtable panelists noted that biotechnology is at a crossroads in America, and that funding levels for research have flattened in recent years.

Researcher Urges Wider Genetic Screening for Breast Cancer by Rob Stein, NPR Shots Blog

Mary-Claire King, the geneticist who identified the first breast cancer gene, is recommending that all women get tested for genetic mutations that can cause breast cancer, regardless of their personal or family history. According to a paper she recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, women who carry mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2, but have no family history of breast or ovarian cancer, have the same high risks of developing either cancer as those who are identified to be at-risk by virtue of their family history.

FDA Outlines Personalized Medicine Policy with Publication of LDT Draft Guidance Document, Final Guidance on Companion Diagnostics

On July 31, FDA announced drastic changes to regulation for personalized medicine products and services when it coupled the release of the long-awaited final guidance document on the regulation of companion diagnostic devices with a proposed framework for regulating laboratory developed tests (LDTs), which was also long-awaited or long-feared, depending on your perspective.

The final guidance on In Vitro Companion Diagnostic Devices was welcomed by the personalized medicine community because in the document, FDA clarified the path for co-developed drug-diagnostic products, and finalized their assertion that new targeted therapeutics will not be kept from the market if the diagnostic kit is not ready at the same time. This enables promising new drugs to come to market while also allowing the laboratory community to fill testing needs in cases where an FDA-approved kit is not available for therapeutic selection, dosing and avoidance decisions.

However, many issues remain to be addressed.

To address concerns that FDA regulation will pose obstacles to an already challenged laboratory industry, there is a rather long transition phase — nine years — and an initial focus on high-risk. FDA defines high-risk LDTs as those with the same intended use as cleared or approved companion diagnostics, LDTs with the same intended use as an FDA-approved Class III medical device, and certain LDTs for determining the safety and efficacy of blood or blood products. This focus and transition period will allow clinical laboratories and FDA time to adjust. By focusing initial regulation on high-risk LDTs, FDA makes a strong argument for the framework, and slices off a rather small segment of the LDT market.

Many have argued that FDA does not have the bandwidth to regulate LDTs. FDA responded to this claim by reiterating enforcement discretion for the vast majority of LDTs and outlining a process for LDT regulation, which might be less onerous than traditional regulatory pathways for medical devices.

Although FDA made great efforts to address concerns about the Agency’s new regulatory enforcement, it did not address perceived conflicts between laboratory regulation under Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) and this new framework. Furthermore, FDA intends to use an expert advisory panel to provide recommendations to the Agency on LDTs risks and classification on certain categories of LDTs, as appropriate. I suspect that defining those categories will be contentious and, at times, difficult.

Investors have long argued that clarity is necessary in both regulation and reimbursement for continued advancement of personalized medicine. We now have clarity on FDA’s current thinking although many issues remain unresolved. The community has time to consider this framework and may soon have a chance to provide public comments. And finally, the pharmaceutical industry has the FDA’s assurance that targeted treatments will not be held up by co-development challenges.

BREAKING NEWS: FDA Notifies Congress of its Intent to Publish Framework for Regulatory Oversight of Laboratory Developed Tests (LDTs)

Summers in D.C. are notoriously slow. FDA, however, has added excitement to this summer by informing Congress of its intent to publish a long-awaited framework for LDT regulation.

In its notice to Congress, FDA included what appears to be a draft of the document. After the mandatory 60-day Congressional review, the draft guidance document will be formally issued for public comment.

Within the draft framework, FDA proposes a risk-based, phased system of oversight. They recognize community concerns around access and do not intend to interrupt the marketing and sale of currently available tests. Furthermore, FDA expresses the intent to continue using enforcement discretion for forensic and organ transplantation uses, traditional LDTs, and LDTs for unmet needs.

The document outlines the history of LDT regulation, FDA’s policy of enforcement discretion, and how personalized medicine has caused FDA to reconsider that policy.

We will continue to provide updates on the development of framework for regulatory oversight of LDTs, with additional in-depth commentary next week on this issue and the related news of FDA’s final guidance on companion diagnostics.

For additional information on the current regulation of LDTs, please read PMC’s report “Pathways for Oversight of Diagnostics.”

2013: A Year of Innovation, Inspiration

As we look forward to 2014, we engage in the time-honored tradition of reflecting on the year of activities and progress as we bid 2013 farewell.

For personalized medicine, it was another year with big advances, and big questions. The following captures highlights from The Age of Personalized Medicine Blog for 2013.

We started the year with a call to action from Amy Miller, PMC vice president, public policy, about the power of personalized medicine, the need for “accurate and actionable” data, and for a shift in traditional healthcare models. As Amy noted:

…The power of personalized medicine lies not only in treatment, but prevention. The best scenario for personalized medicine in action will come when patients are able to see not only the implications of their genetic dispositions, but also are motivated and empowered to use that information in preventative care.

In May, personalized medicine took the international spotlight as Angelina Jolie shared with the world her genetic prognosis and personal decision to pursue a course of preventative care. The high-profile case inspired much discussion of the value of personalized medicine, as well as the need for access to diagnostic testing for all:

Ms. Jolie’s contribution demonstrates that without patients who are educated, empowered to get tested and to act, the progress and innovation could be for naught. We need to make sure that patients are knowledgeable enough to pursue personalized options for their own health but also so that they are motivated to support policies that foster continued progress in this area.

Kristin Ciriello Pothier, Diagnostics and Life Science Practice lead at Health Advances, shared key take-aways from the PMC/BIO Solutions Summit panel she moderated on “Evidentiary Standards and Data Requirements for Payer Coverage.”

Ms. Ciriello Pothier examined the challenges facing the personalized medicine diagnostics industry and summarized her panel’s conclusions:

First, panelists agreed that there must be more education for all stakeholders so that each stakeholder can actually evaluate novel products appropriately, a key finding echoed throughout the day. Second, the emphasis on outcomes must shift from only clinical outcomes to clinical outcomes and quality of life for patients. Finally, all panelists agreed the ideal situation is open, trusting lines of communication and split of the responsibility according to expertise.

William Chin, M.D., identified research, collaboration, and innovation as critical components to advancing personalized medicine, while Stephen Eck, M.D., Ph.D., cited the need for funding for basic research, diagnostics testing research, increased healthcare provider education, and reimbursement for diagnostic testing as key.

At the mid-point of 2013, pressures to reduce federal spending elevated the need for policy that will support biomedical research and innovation. PMC responded to these concerns through comments submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the charge on regional Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) to set new prices for molecular diagnostic test reimbursement through a process called “gapfilling”:

The Personalized Medicine Coalition (PMC) submitted comments to CMS on the Gapfill Payment Amounts and CLFS, iterating the concerns of PMC members that insufficient payment amounts threaten the sustainability of the laboratory industry and continued investment in the developing field of personalized medicine. As a consequence, this policy has the potential to stifle innovation and progress in healthcare and possibly eliminate the potential for lowering overall costs through the elimination of unnecessary and or ineffective treatments.

In 2013, PMC also released a set of policy principles key to advancing personalized medicine in a deficit-reduction environment. Debuted at a Capitol Hill Briefing, these principles lay the groundwork for consensus-building around key issues to ensure that efforts to contain rising healthcare costs do not undermine continued progress in personalized medicine and protect innovation, the physician-patient relationship, patient values, and choice.

The reality of personalized continues to be realized with patient triumph stories bringing new advances in science, technology, and research to life:

The promise of personalized medicine is very real. Personalized medicine is not an abstract concept for the future of medicine. It is here, it is now, and the true promise has been realized in the lives of Kellie and Stephanie, and the precious days, weeks, months, and years they have taken back from their disease.

I encourage you to read more about Kellie and Stephanie, and to draw inspiration from their strength.

At the 9th Annual Personalized Medicine Conference in November, it was an honor to present Kathy Giusti, founder and CEO of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) with the 2013 Leadership Award. Ms. Giusti’s story of ingenuity in the face of adversity has led to a redefinition of the role of patient advocacy organizations in research:

Clinically, MMRF has funded research and paved the way for FDA approval for six multiple myeloma treatments in 10 years, and doubled the lifespan for many patients. Today in her remarks, Kathy shared that her daughter, who was just one year old when Kathy received her myeloma diagnosis, is now a 19-year-old college student with a younger brother. Incredible results.

2013 was a year of progress and inspiration. We look forward to the new year ahead and personalized medicine advances on the horizon, bringing new treatments and improved outcomes to patients.

Developing Policies to Advance Personalized Medicine

In my previous post, I highlighted a Hill briefing hosted by the Personalized Medicine Coalition (PMC) and the great examples it provided of the impact of personalized medicine on patients. I was reminded why we must advocate for policies that support continued progress against disease and fulfill the promise of personalized medicine.

PMC provided an excellent starting point at the briefing, releasing a set of policy principles that offer a road map for fostering personalized medicine in a deficit-reduction environment.

As the panelists at the briefing emphasized, policy solutions must start with the patient – putting the patient at the center of decision-making, and supporting a shift in care delivery towards patient-centeredness and patient engagement.

Video highlights from the briefing panelists underscore why policy solutions like those advanced by PMC are so important – many patients continue to face significant unmet medical needs that can be effectively, efficiently met through novel targeted therapies; policy must provide adequate incentives for continued progress, recognizing the ways individual advances build on each other and understanding of an intervention’s optimal role and value evolves over time; and research and evaluation must adapt to rapid changes in clinical practice, the science of personalized medicine, and an increasingly robust “learning healthcare system.”

Below are some key, related statements from PMC’s policy principles:

“PMC believes that a deliberate and comprehensive shift away from health care based on population averages and towards patient-centered care is central to improving health care outcomes and addressing a patient’s perception of value.”

“A health system that focuses on care that is predictive, preemptive, and preventive has the potential to revolutionize health care by allowing clinicians to individualize therapy for patients through the early diagnosis of disease and risk assessment in order to optimize clinical outcomes and to better manage patients before disease symptoms appear.”

“Reform assessment tools (in particular, comparative effectiveness research and health technology assessment) to better align with emerging science and patient-centered health care.”

Coverage or reimbursement policy based on “one-size-fits-all” definitions of comparative clinical or cost effectiveness fail to recognize differences in patient needs and preferences and is misaligned with the progress in personalized medicine. This type of policy has resulted in significant barriers to access to the treatment options that are best for the individual and chills medical progress.

New payment models, such as accountable care organizations (ACOs) and bundled payments, which promote coordination and integrated care, hold potential to shift incentives to high-quality, high-value care for patients. However, if improperly designed, such models will set payment based on current standards of care and discourage advances in medical technology and medical practice.

PMC believes that there must be a continual learning system to aggregate, analyze, and apply evidence-based knowledge to patient care. PMC believes that health informatics and electronic health record (EHR) systems must be used to promote continual learning systems that will help improve patient care, reduce costs, and accelerate the process of drug development.

A version of this blog originally appeared in The Catalyst posted at the PhRMA website.

Examining Policy That Will Support Innovation, Personalized Medicine

Policymakers are facing pressure to control federal spending and lower the national debt, with healthcare costs as a focal point of debate to address this pressure. The path that policymakers take will have a significant impact on biomedical progress, the role of U.S. companies as global leaders in life science innovation, and the quality of patient care.

One example of how policy can impact healthcare innovation is playing out right now. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 2013 Gapfill Payment Amounts and Clinical Laboratory Fees Schedule (CLFS) charged regional Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) to set new prices for molecular diagnostic test reimbursement through a process called “gapfilling.” This process has resulted in much lower payment amounts for molecular diagnostics which has had unintended consequences.  Some innovators have reported that drafting cooperation agreements to bring new targeted therapies to market has been stifled. Some clinical labs have reported that they might not be able to offer some tests since new payment rates do not cover the costs of running them, which may negatively impact patient access to diagnostic tests and appropriate treatments.

The Personalized Medicine Coalition (PMC) submitted comments to CMS on the Gapfill Payment Amounts and CLFS, iterating the concerns of PMC members that insufficient payment amounts threaten the sustainability of the laboratory industry and continued investment in the developing field of personalized medicine. As a consequence, this policy has the potential to stifle innovation and progress in healthcare and possibly eliminate the potential for lowering overall costs through the elimination of unnecessary and or ineffective treatments.

With dramatic advances in science, it has become more important than ever to ensure that policymakers understand the value of biomedical innovation and support pathways that encourage continued advancement and yet we see deficit reduction pressures regularly resurfacing in new healthcare policies.

To that end, PMC is hosting a Congressional Briefing on Monday, July 22. We will examine the role personalized medicine plays in healthcare and how our public policy can drive progress and innovation. At the briefing, PMC will unveil policy principles to ensure that proposed cost-containment efforts do not undermine personalized medicine, but instead, protect innovation, the physician-patient relationship, and patient values and choice. We also will hear the diverse perspectives on innovation from lung cancer survivor and patient advocate, Stephanie Haney; drug developer, Dr. Stephen Eck; diagnostic developer, Patrick Balthrop; and physician, Dr. Amy Abernethy.

At PMC, we look forward to our continued collaboration with the stakeholder community to identify opportunities for public policy to drive progress and innovation.

Sustaining Progress in Personalized Medicine

Last week, I had the opportunity to speak at the Harvard Personalized Medicine Conference in Boston, MA. No other conference on personalized medicine brings together the array of scientists, stakeholders, and experts that this event does. This year the conference drove home to me that the potential to improve patient care via personalized medicine is greater than ever – yet the scientific and clinical challenges remain daunting. It is more important than ever to sustain biomedical innovation, and to ensure that health policy is informed by the enormous opportunity, and complexity, of making continued progress in this field.

The event also underscored that biopharmaceutical research companies are deeply committed to advancing the science of personalized medicine and building it into their research and development strategies. It affirms findings of a report released by the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development in 2010 which found that 94% of biopharmaceutical companies surveyed are investing in personalized medicine and 100% are using biomarkers in the discovery stage to learn about compounds. This research has required large up-front investments in new research tools and training. But, as we have seen in the last year-and-a-half with FDA approval of new targeted therapies for lung cancer, melanoma, and cystic fibrosis, it is starting to bear fruit for patients.

I’m hopeful we’ll see more approvals in the months ahead. In the report from Tufts, companies reported that 12-50% of compounds being researched are personalized medicines and over the last five years, they have seen a roughly 75% increase in their investment in personalized medicines. The importance of personalized medicine was illustrated in the reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, which provides FDA with increased resources and staffing to advance the regulatory science in areas such as pharmacogenomics and biomarkers.

This progress, however, doesn’t happen in isolation. The Harvard Conference participants represented, and illustrated, the wide range of organizations and individuals from different sectors that make up the research ecosystem that drives progress in personalized medicine. As the science of personalized medicine advances, research partnerships and collaborations will be more important than ever. To sustain progress in personalized medicine, it is vitally important to ensure that policy and regulation do not erect barriers to these types of partnerships.

Biomedical innovations like personalized medicine will help address major unmet medical needs, and offer a solution to rising healthcare costs.  As we face continued pressure to contain healthcare costs, it is crucial to ensure that healthcare policy sustains the innovation ecosystem and incentivizes continued progress in personalized medicine.

The 8th Annual Personalized Medicine Conference

On November 28th and 29th, Partners HealthCare, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard Business School will host the 8th Annual Personalized Medicine Conference in Boston. As has been customary since the conference began, the meeting is also the venue at which the Personalized Medicine Coalition presents its leadership award. This year, it will go to Randy Scott, Ph.D., a founder and former CEO of Genomic Health, Inc.

During the past seven years, we have seen many changes in personalized medicine. Much of the excitement about personalized medicine continues to be driven by the ever decreasing cost of sequencing DNA and RNA. Whole genome sequencing, estimated to cost a billion dollars or more at the beginning of the century has gone down to a few thousand dollars, and the so called $1,000 genome is not too far behind. All in all, the 20,000 or so genes of the human genome only add up to less than two percent of the genome. If the sequencing cost is directly proportional to the size of DNA that is being sequenced, the cost of sequencing all genes should one day be no more $100. We are not quite there yet, but the rapid decline in costs is fueling the evolution of personalized medicine.

There is also a rapid evolution in our understanding of the genes and genomes of many organisms, including humans. Understanding how a normal gene functions and how changes in it (mutations) alter the cellular function is increasing at a rapid pace. As a result, sequencing whole genomes, whole exomes (all of the coding portions of genes), and subsets of genes for medical purposes is becoming ever more common. The fruits of all of these exciting developments are evident in many specialties of medicine but especially in prenatal testing, diagnosis of newborn and pediatric disorders, and cancer.

This year’s conference will highlight the genomic advances in science and medicine, and how they are being applied to diagnose and treat many disorders. The rapid development of technology also raises many questions about the clinical utility of these advances; about the policy and regulatory issues around what, when, who, and how to regulate; and about how the costs are reimbursed.

Personalized medicine is not just an American issue. Many nations of the world are developing strategies to implement personalized medicine in their own countries, and a number of those efforts will be featured at the conference. Professor Richard Hamermesh of the Harvard Business School and Norman Selby of Perseus LLC developed a business case on companion diagnostics that promises to be thought provoking and, based on previous years’ experience, a highlight of the conference.

Please join us at the end of November and participate in the dialog about how personalized medicine is evolving and what its implications are for your health and that of all peoples of the world.

Register online at www.personalizedmedicineconference.org. Follow the conversation online at @HarvardPMConf and #PMConf.

Approaching One-Year Anniversary at FDA, Stephen Spielberg Highlights Agency’s Progress in Personalized Medicine

In his address to the Personalized Medicine Coalition (PMC) Policy Committee at our most recent meeting, Stephen Spielberg, M.D., Ph.D., Deputy Commissioner for Medical Products and Tobacco at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), announced that the Agency will develop a catalog of personalized medicine-related activities. The catalog, as Dr. Spielberg described, will provide a full accounting of the activities at the agency, including all regulatory divisions and regulatory science.

While reflecting on his 11-month tenure at the agency, Dr. Spielberg also noted that the largest area for advancing personalized medicine was through communication among stakeholders and FDA Centers.  He noted that “PMC is so important because we need dialogue; no one has a lock on complete information.”

The attendees of the policy meeting were pleased to hear that already, less than a year into Dr. Spielberg’s appointment at the agency, he was working to encourage collaboration and communication across divisions.  Dr. Spielberg was previously Director of the Center for Personalized Medicine and Therapeutic Innovation at Children’s Mercy Hospital, one of the founding members of the PMC and so has experience in bringing groups together to advance personalized medicine.

Dr. Spielberg outlined his optimism for personalized medicine at the FDA, noting that one third of the new drug approvals currently in review are for targeted or orphan indications.  He said that by year’s end, we could expect guidance documents on companion diagnostics and co-development, as well as the previously mentioned catalog.

These guidance documents and a FDA catalog may prove to be additional stepping stones to a broader understanding of the impact of personalized medicine on scientific research and clinical medicine.  At PMC, we will continue to work with FDA to promote broader engagement across the ecosystem of stakeholders and greater transparency around research and drug development.  We look forward to the issuance of these materials later this year and will engage a public discourse about them.