The Food and Drug Administration opened applications for a new pilot program intended to reduce the time required to move experimental drugs into first-in-human clinical trials.
The Expedited Investigational New Drug Pilot will connect participating companies with qualified research institutions that can help develop IND applications. The FDA says some first-in-human programs can currently take as long as two years to launch in the United States.
Applications for the pilot are open through Oct. 30. The agency says the program is designed to remove avoidable regulatory delays while maintaining safety and scientific review.