Getting a medical device to the market is not always straightforward and simple. Often a medical device has no predicate device or needs a clinical study to obtain clearance. Situations such as these are candidates for the FDA pre-submission program.
What is a pre-submission?
Pre-submission allows device manufacturers to request feedback from the FDA regarding planned or potential medical device submissions. A typical pre-submission involves building a document illustrating the device, proposed testing, and the proposed regulatory strategy to the FDA.
How long does it take, and is there a fee?
It takes approximately 60-70 days to receive a written FDA response to a pre-submission. There are no fees to submit.
What is the advantage of a pre-submission over a traditional submission?
If you are unsure of your regulatory strategy, pursuing a novel regulatory pathway, or what to reach a consensus with FDA on preclinical and clinical study requirements, a pre-submission will get you written feedback on your proposed regulatory path and requirements for testing, as well as a teleconference and informational meetings with the FDA, which may lead to a quicker approval when you do submit traditionally.
Q: Traditional FDA 510(k) submission or FDA De Novo 510(k)?
An international client wanted to introduce a medical device with innovative technology to the US market. The novelty of the device meant that it had no predicate devices to compare to, and initial informal feedback from the FDA indicated an FDA De Novo submission as the correct path forward. If the client were to follow the FDA De Novo process it would cost them significant time and money, expenses they were not prepared to endure. This is why they came to RQMIS for guidance.
How did RQMIS handle this situation? Our experienced consultants did the following:
- Identified the problem
- Filed a Pre-submission with the FDA
- Arranged for the entire client team to teleconference with the FDA to ensure everyone was on the same page
- Negotiated with the FDA on the client’s behalf
The Pre-submission we submitted requested that the FDA consider the possibility of the client using a Traditional FDA 510(k) submission instead of an FDA De Novo, and supported this with additional device verification testing. This demonstrated that although the product had a novel technology, the device itself was as safe and effective as the other devices currently on the market with closely related technology.
The outcome: During the teleconference and negotiations with the FDA it was concluded that a Traditional FDA 510(k) submission with additional testing would be suitable for the client's medical device and that the FDA De Novo process was actually not needed. RQMIS was able to save the client time, money, resources, and an unnecessary headache!