New technology assessment and current and upcoming therapies for underactive bladder

Stakeholders from around the world came together to address the unmet needs of underactive bladder (UAB) at the 3rd International Congress for Underactive Bladder.

The main recommendation from the regulatory working group is a need for a meeting of UAB stakeholders and regulatory agencies including the FDA to discuss guidance for regulatory trial design for devices, drugs, and/or biologics for UAB.

The following issues to be discussed and agreed upon for UAB trials: 1) Appropriate inclusion and exclusion criteria. 2) Should residual urine volume be the primary outcome parameter and how often should it be measured? 3) Are there secondary measures that should have a place in UAB trials, such as change in the number of catheterizations, quality of life measures, etc.? 4) Use and format of bladder voiding and catheterization diary for trials. 5) Define role and technique of urodynamics in UAB trials. Are urodynamics required to monitor, and possibly exclude, individuals with high pressure voiding induced by bladder prokinetic therapies? 6) Development and use of UAB questionnaires.

The UAB regulatory working group recognizes the path forward should include engaging the FDA and other regulatory organizations that may harmonize and formalize guidance for regulatory trial designs for therapeutics for UAB.