(a) A sponsor's request for written recommendations from FDA concerning the nonclinical and clinical investigations necessary for approval of a marketing application shall be submitted in the form and contain the information required in this section. FDA may require the sponsor to submit information in addition to that specified in paragraph (b) of this section if FDA determines that the sponsor's initial request does not contain adequate information on which to base recommendations.

(b) A sponsor shall submit two copies of a completed, dated, and signed request for written recommendations that contains the following:

(1) The sponsor's name and address.

(2) A statement that the sponsor is requesting written recommendations on orphan-drug development under section 525 of the act.

(3) The name of the sponsor's primary contact person and/or resident agent, and the person's title, address, and telephone number.

(4) The generic name and trade name, if any, of the drug and a list of the drug product's components or description of the drug product's formulation, and chemical and physical properties.

(5) The proposed dosage form and route of administration.

(6) A description of the disease or condition for which the drug is proposed to be investigated and the proposed indication or indications for use for such disease or condition.

(7) Current regulatory and marketing status and history of the drug product, including:

(i) Whether the product is the subject of an IND or a marketing application (if the product is the subject of an IND or a marketing application, the IND or marketing application numbers should be stated and the investigational or approved indication or indications for use specified);

(ii) Known marketing experience or investigational status outside the United States;

(iii) So far as is known or can be determined, all indications previously or currently under investigation anywhere;

(iv) All adverse regulatory actions taken by the United States or foreign authorities.

(8) The basis for concluding that the drug is for a disease or condition that is rare in the United States, including the following:

(i) The size and other known demographic characteristics of the patient population affected and the source of this information.

(ii) For drugs intended for diseases or conditions affecting 200,000 or more people in the United States, or for a vaccine, diagnostic drug, or preventive drug that would be given to 200,000 or more persons per year, a summary of the sponsor's basis for believing that the disease or condition described in paragraph (b)(6) of this section occurs so infrequently that there is no reasonable expectation that the costs of drug development and marketing will be recovered in future sales of the drug in the United States. The estimated costs and sales data should be submitted as provided for in § 316.21(c).

(9) A summary and analysis of available data on the pharmacologic effects of the drug.

(10) A summary and analysis of available nonclinical and clinical data pertinent to the drug and the disease to be studied including copies of pertinent published reports. When a drug proposed for orphan drug designation is intended to treat a life-threatening or severely debilitating illness, especially where no satisfactory alternative therapy exists, the sponsor may wish voluntarily to provide this information. A sponsor of such a drug may be entitled to expeditious development, evaluation, and marketing under 21 CFR part 312, subpart E.

(11) An explanation of how the data summarized and analyzed under paragraphs (b)(9) and (b)(10) of this section support the rationale for use of the drug in the rare disease or condition.

(12) A definition of the population from which subjects will be identified for clinical trials, if known.

(13) A detailed outline of any protocols under which the drug has been or is being studied for the rare disease or condition and a summary and analysis of any available data from such studies.

(14) The sponsor's proposal as to the scope of nonclinical and clinical investigations needed to establish the safety and effectiveness of the drug.

(15) Detailed protocols for each proposed United States or foreign clinical investigation, if available.

(16) Specific questions to be addressed by FDA in its recommendations for nonclinical laboratory studies and clinical investigations.

(a) FDA will provide the sponsor with written recommendations concerning the nonclinical laboratory studies and clinical investigations necessary for approval of a marketing application if none of the reasons described in § 316.14 for refusing to do so applies.

(b) When a sponsor seeks written recommendations at a stage of drug development at which advice on any clinical investigations, or on particular investigations would be premature, FDA's response may be limited to written recommendations concerning only nonclinical laboratory studies, or only certain of the clinical studies (e.g., Phase 1 studies as described in § 312.21 of this chapter). Prior to providing written recommendations for the clinical investigations required to achieve marketing approval, FDA may require that the results of the nonclinical laboratory studies or completed early clinical studies be submitted to FDA for agency review.

(a) FDA may refuse to provide written recommendations concerning the nonclinical laboratory studies and clinical investigations necessary for approval of a marketing application for any of the following reasons:

(1) The information required to be submitted by § 316.10(b) has not been submitted, or the information submitted is incomplete.

(2) There is insufficient information about:

(i) The drug to identify the active moiety and its physical and chemical properties, if these characteristics can be determined; or

(ii) The disease or condition to determine that the disease or condition is rare in the United States; or

(iii) The reasons for believing that the drug may be useful for treating the rare disease or condition with that drug; or

(iv) The regulatory and marketing history of the drug to determine the scope and type of investigations that have already been conducted on the drug for the rare disease or condition; or

(v) The plan of study for establishing the safety and effectiveness of the drug for treatment of the rare disease or condition.

(3) The specific questions for which the sponsor seeks the advice of the agency are unclear or are not sufficiently specific.

(4) On the basis of the information submitted and on other information available to the agency, FDA determines that the disease or condition for which the drug is intended is not rare in the United States.

(5) On the basis of the information submitted and on other information available to the agency, FDA determines that there is an inadequate basis for permitting investigational use of the drug under part 312 of this chapter for the rare disease or condition.

(6) The request for information contains an untrue statement of material fact.

(b) A refusal to provide written recommendations will be in writing and will include a statement of the reason for FDA's refusal. Where practicable, FDA will describe the information or material it requires or the conditions the sponsor must meet for FDA to provide recommendations.

(c) Within 90 days after the date of a letter from FDA requesting additional information or material or setting forth the conditions that the sponsor is asked to meet, the sponsor shall either:

(1) Provide the information or material or amend the request for written recommendations to meet the conditions sought by FDA; or

(2) Withdraw the request for written recommendations. FDA will consider a sponsor's failure to respond within 90 days to an FDA letter requesting information or material or setting forth conditions to be met to be a withdrawal of the request for written recommendations.