Goodby NeeS!

Sounds like EMEA stayed busy through the holiday season as they posted four new or updated guidance documents at the end of December. Most significantly, EMEA implementation of electronic-only submissions and mandatory eCTD submissions in the centralised procedure: Statement of Intent tells us:

"From 1 January 2010, the EMEA will mandate the use of the eCTD format for all electronic-only submissions for all applications (new and existing) and all submission types. Rapporteurs and CHMP members will not receive paper copies or other electronic formats."

As with the rest of the EMEA's statements and guidelines pertaining to eCTD, this only applies to the Centralised Procedure.

A "matching" statement of intent for non-eCTD electronic submissions tells of the retirement of NeeS. It also announces the introduction of a set of specific guidelines on submission structure, format and presentation, which non-eCTD submissions should adhere to for the centralised procedure from 1 February 2009 until such time as the eCTD format is mandatory. These guidelines are found in EMEA implementation of electronic-only submissions eCTD submission: Practical guidelines relating to Non-eCTD submissions.

Finally, the highly useful document EMEA Implementation of Electronic Submissions and eCTD Submissions Statement of Intent Q&A Relating to Practical and Technical Aspects has been re-issued. Changes are minor and include asking for virus checking information in the cover letter instead of a reviewer guide, and acknowledging a discrepancy between the eCTD file naming
convention and the PDF file naming requirements for EPAR (product information) documents (you are advised to use eCTD file naming conventions for the time being).

My collegue discussed this announcement with EMEA representatives this week, and they have indicated that although they are not in a legal position to require electronic submissions, they strongly recommend against paper submissions.

(P.S. After an internal struggle, I suppressed the urge to label this post "It's Been NeeS".)