[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1414 Reported in Senate (RS)]

<DOC>





                                                       Calendar No. 520
119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 1414

To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide that clinical studies 
 required for licensure of biological products as biosimilar shall not 
       be required to include the assessment of immunogenicity, 
          pharmacodynamics, or comparative clinical efficacy.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 10, 2025

    Mr. Paul (for himself, Mr. Lee, and Ms. Hassan) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

                             July 27, 2026

               Reported by Mr. Cassidy, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide that clinical studies 
 required for licensure of biological products as biosimilar shall not 
       be required to include the assessment of immunogenicity, 
          pharmacodynamics, or comparative clinical efficacy.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``Expedited Access to 
Biosimilars Act''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. ASSESSMENT OF IMMUNOGENICITY, PHARMACODYNAMICS, OR 
              COMPARATIVE CLINICAL EFFICACY IN CLINICAL STUDIES 
              REQUIRED FOR LICENSURE OF BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS AS 
              BIOSIMILAR.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Section 351(k)(2)(A) of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262(k)(2)(A)) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in clause (i)(I)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in item (bb), by striking ``and'' at 
                the end; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by striking item (cc) and inserting 
                the following</DELETED>
                                        <DELETED>    ``(cc) a clinical 
                                        study or studies assessing 
                                        pharmacokinetics that are 
                                        sufficient to demonstrate 
                                        safety, purity, and potency; 
                                        and</DELETED>
                                        <DELETED>    ``(dd) subject to 
                                        clause (iv), a clinical study 
                                        or studies that are sufficient 
                                        to demonstrate safety, purity, 
                                        and potency in 1 or more 
                                        appropriate conditions of use 
                                        for which the reference product 
                                        is licensed and intended to be 
                                        used and for which licensure is 
                                        sought for the biological 
                                        product;''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iv) Clinical studies.--
                        </DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    ``(I) In general.--Subject 
                                to subclause (II), the Secretary may 
                                determine, in the Secretary's 
                                discretion, that a clinical study 
                                required under clause (i)(I)(dd) shall 
                                include the assessment of 
                                immunogenicity, pharmacodynamics, or 
                                comparative clinical 
                                efficacy.</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    ``(II) Requirement.--The 
                                Secretary may only require the 
                                assessment of immunogenicity, 
                                pharmacodynamics, or comparative 
                                clinical efficacy pursuant to a 
                                determination under subclause (I) if 
                                the Secretary provides to the applicant 
                                notice of the requirement, including a 
                                written justification of the basis for 
                                such determination, not later than the 
                                earliest date on which the applicant 
                                may file the application under this 
                                subsection.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Applicability.--The amendments made by subsection (a) 
shall apply with respect to an application submitted under section 
351(k) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262(k)) on or after 
the date of enactment of this Act.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Expedited Access to Biosimilars 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DATA REQUIRED FOR LICENSURE OF BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS AS 
              BIOSIMILAR.

    (a) In General.--Section 351(k)(2)(A) of the Public Health Service 
Act (42 U.S.C. 262(k)(2)(A)) is amended--
            (1) in clause (i)(I)--
                    (A) in item (bb)--
                            (i) by striking ``or (cc)'' and inserting 
                        ``, (cc), or (dd)''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``and'' at the end; and
                    (B) by striking item (cc) and inserting the 
                following
                                            ``(cc) an assessment of 
                                        pharmacokinetics and 
                                        immunogenicity (which may rely 
                                        on, or consist of, a clinical 
                                        pharmacokinetics study or 
                                        studies described in item (aa) 
                                        or (dd)), as appropriate; and
                                            ``(dd) a clinical study or 
                                        studies, if required by the 
                                        Secretary pursuant to clause 
                                        (ii)(II), to support a 
                                        demonstration that there is no 
                                        clinically meaningful 
                                        difference between the 
                                        biological product and the 
                                        reference product in terms of 
                                        safety, purity, and potency of 
                                        such product;''; and
            (2) in clause (ii)--
                    (A) in the clause heading, by striking 
                ``Determination'' and inserting ``Determinations'';
                    (B) by striking ``The Secretary may'' and inserting 
                the following:
                                    ``(I) In general.--The Secretary 
                                may''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                                    ``(II) Procedure for certain 
                                studies.--
                                            ``(aa) In general.--For an 
                                        application for licensure of a 
                                        biosimilar biological product 
                                        submitted under this 
                                        subsection, the Secretary may 
                                        require a clinical study that 
                                        includes an assessment of 
                                        pharmacodynamics or efficacy, 
                                        as described in clause 
                                        (i)(I)(dd), only if the 
                                        Secretary provides a written 
                                        determination, as described in 
                                        item (bb) or (cc), to the 
                                        sponsor of the biosimilar 
                                        biological product that such 
                                        assessments or studies are 
                                        necessary, in combination with 
                                        other information required 
                                        pursuant to clause (i)(I), to 
                                        demonstrate biosimilarity.
                                            ``(bb) Written 
                                        determination.--The Secretary 
                                        shall--

                                                    ``(AA) when the 
                                                Secretary issues 
                                                meeting minutes of a 
                                                biosimilar biological 
                                                product development 
                                                meeting (as such term 
                                                is defined in section 
                                                744G(5) of the Federal 
                                                Food, Drug, and 
                                                Cosmetic Act), provide 
                                                a written determination 
                                                described in item (aa), 
                                                or provide written 
                                                notice to the sponsor 
                                                that describes why such 
                                                a determination can not 
                                                be made at such time; 
                                                and

                                                    ``(BB) if the 
                                                Secretary is unable to 
                                                make a written 
                                                determination described 
                                                in item (aa) at the 
                                                time described in 
                                                subitem (AA), provide 
                                                such determination not 
                                                later than 60 days 
                                                after the date of 
                                                submission of an 
                                                application for 
                                                licensure under this 
                                                section.

                                            ``(cc) Amendment to a 
                                        determination.--A written 
                                        determination under this 
                                        subclause shall not be amended 
                                        to require a clinical study or 
                                        studies described in clause 
                                        (i)(I)(dd) after the date on 
                                        which such a determination is 
                                        made, except--

                                                    ``(AA) by written 
                                                agreement with the 
                                                sponsor; or

                                                    ``(BB) in the case 
                                                that the Secretary 
                                                determines there is a 
                                                scientific 
                                                justification to amend 
                                                the determination, 
                                                provides a detailed 
                                                written justification 
                                                to the sponsor as soon 
                                                as practicable, and, 
                                                upon the request of the 
                                                sponsor, holds a 
                                                biosimilar biological 
                                                product development 
                                                meeting (as such term 
                                                is defined in section 
                                                744G(5) of the Federal 
                                                Food, Drug, and 
                                                Cosmetic Act) to 
                                                discuss the 
                                                amendment.''.

    (b) Streamlining Biosimilar Reviews.--Section 351(k)(5) of the 
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262(k)(5)) is amended--
            (1) by striking subparagraph (B); and
            (2) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subparagraph (B).
    (c) Applicability.--The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) 
shall apply with respect to an application submitted under section 
351(k) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262(k)) on or after 
the date of enactment of this Act.
                                                       Calendar No. 520

119th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 1414

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide that clinical studies 
 required for licensure of biological products as biosimilar shall not 
       be required to include the assessment of immunogenicity, 
          pharmacodynamics, or comparative clinical efficacy.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             July 27, 2026

                       Reported with an amendment