Regulatory Aspects for Translating Gene Therapy Research into the Clinic

Gene therapy products are highly regulated, therefore moving a promising candidate from the laboratory into the clinic can present unique challenges. Success can only be achieved by proper planning and communication within the clinical development team, as well as consultation with the regulatory scientists who will eventually review the clinical plan. Regulators should not be considered as obstacles but rather as collaborators whose advice can significantly expedite the product development. Sound scientific data is required and reviewed by the regulatory agencies to determine whether the potential benefit to the patient population outweighs the risk. Therefore, compliance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) principles to ensure quality, safety, purity, and potency of the product, and to establish “proof of concept” for efficacy, and for safety information, respectively, is essential. The design and conduct of the clinical trial must adhere to Good Clinical Practice (GCP) principals. The clinical protocol should contain adequate rationale, supported by nonclinical data, to justify the starting dose and regimen, and adequate safety monitoring based on the patient population and the anticipated toxicities. Proper review and approval of gene therapy clinical studies by numerous committees, and regulatory agencies before and throughout the study allows for ongoing risk assessment of these novel and innovative products. The ethical conduct of clinical trials must be a priority for all clinical investigators and sponsors. As history has shown us, only a few fatal mistakes can dramatically alter the regulation of investigational products for all individuals involved in gene therapy clinical research, and further delay the advancement of gene therapy to licensed medicinal products.