Accelerated therapeutic development during COVID-19: insights, regulatory strategies, and recommendations for future pandemic preparedness

Products with clinical study data for other indications are advantageous for early approval. However, early approval of new molecular entities is also important because they may not be sufficiently effective against new infectious diseases. It would be effective to approve a product promptly for a limited target population at first and then gradually expand it as data becomes more abundant. To prepare for future pandemics, we recommend establishing a framework for identifying candidates from existing products, managing and disseminating information in emergencies at various levels, and clarifying the conditions for applying regulatory flexibility to encourage pharmaceutical companies to make early decisions regarding clinical development.