A Review on: Phase '0' Clinical Trials or Exploratory Investigational New Drug

In a move to speed up the development of new medicines, the Food and Drug Administration announced in January 2006 the creation of the exploratory Investigational New Drug (IND), the so-called phase '0' clinical trials. This guidance is intended to clarify what preclinical and clinical approaches, as well as chemistry, manufacturing, and controls information, should be considered when planning exploratory studies in humans, including studies of closely related drugs or therapeutic biological products, under an IND application (21 CFR 312). Existing regulations allow a great deal of flexibility in the amount of data that needs to be submitted with an IND application, depending on the goals of the proposed investigation, the specific human testing proposed, and the expected risks. The agency believes that sponsors have not taken full advantage of that flexibility and often provide more supporting information in INDs than is required by regulations. This guidance is intended to clarify what manufacturing controls, preclinical testing, and clinical approaches can be considered when planning limited, early exploratory IND studies in humans.