The clinical research phase of drug development, representing the time from beginning human trials to submission of a new drug application seeking permission to market the drug, is the longest portion of the drug development cycle and can last 2 to 10 years. This phase involves 3 stages of clinical trials: Phase 1 evaluates safety and tolerability in a small group of healthy volunteers; Phase 2 determines effectiveness and further evaluates safety in several hundred patients; and Phase 3 assesses efficacy and safety in a large patient population to evaluate the drug compared to standard treatments. After successful completion of preclinical and clinical testing, regulatory approval must be obtained by submitting a new drug application providing evidence of the drug's desired efficacy and safety.
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