S. 415Senate117th Congress (2021-2023)Enacted

A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to the scope of new chemical exclusivity.

Introduced February 24, 2021

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 7, 2026 at 11:10 PM UTC

The bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to clarify the definition of a new chemical entity by replacing the term “active ingredient” with “active moiety.” It applies to both drugs and biological products, changing how exclusivity periods and rare‑pediatric‑disease designations are determined. It also requires the FDA to refer certain new‑moiety applications to an advisory committee before approval.

Key Provisions

  • Replace “active ingredient” with “active moiety” in section 505 and related subsections, redefining the basis for new chemical entity status.
  • Update similar language in sections 512, 524, 529, and 565A to align drug and biologic exclusivity rules with the active‑moiety definition.
  • Require the FDA Secretary to refer any drug or biologic containing a newly approved active moiety (or active ingredient for biologics) to an advisory committee before approval, and to explain in the action letter if not referred.
  • Modify rare pediatric disease designation criteria to reference the active‑moiety standard for drugs and the active‑ingredient standard for biologics.
  • Include technical corrections that repeal obsolete clauses and adjust cross‑references.

Legislative Activity

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16 earlier actions
Became Law Latest Action

Became Public Law No: 117-9.

April 23, 2021

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

February 24, 2021

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

February 24, 2021

SenateCommittee

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent.(consideration: CR S1435)

March 10, 2021

SenateDischarge

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discharged by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S1435)

March 10, 2021

SenateFloor

Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text: CR S1435)

March 10, 2021

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

March 11, 2021

HouseFloor

Received in the House.

March 12, 2021 • 10:37 AM

HouseFloor

Held at the desk.

March 12, 2021 • 10:58 AM

HouseFloor

Mr. Pallone moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

April 14, 2021 • 1:17 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1755-1756)

April 14, 2021 • 1:17 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 415.

April 14, 2021 • 1:17 PM

SenateFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H1755)

April 14, 2021 • 1:23 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1755)

April 14, 2021 • 1:23 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

April 14, 2021 • 1:23 PM

President

Presented to President.

April 20, 2021

Became Law

Signed by President.

April 23, 2021

Became Law

Became Public Law No: 117-9.

April 23, 2021

Floor Debate

4 members

What members said about S. 415 on the floor

1 Republican3 Democrats
Frank Pallone, Jr.
Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr.D-NJ-6 · Apr 14, 2021

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 415) to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to the scope of new chemical exclusivity. Mr. Speaker, I ask…

Kurt Schrader
Rep. Kurt SchraderD-OR-5 · Apr 14, 2021

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of S. 415, a bill that has the same policy as my own and Mr. Guthrie's here in the House, H.R. 1857, the Protecting Access to Safe and Effective…

Gus M. Bilirakis
Rep. Gus M. BilirakisR-FL-12 · Apr 14, 2021

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 415, the Ensuring Innovation Act. This legislation is the bipartisan companion to H.R. 1857 led by…

Charles E. Schumer
Sen. Charles E. SchumerD-NY · Mar 10, 2021

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions be discharged from further consideration of S. 415 and the Senate proceed to its immediate…

Bill Text

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One Hundred Seventeenth Congress of the United States of America

1st Session

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Sunday, the third day of January, two thousand and twenty one

S. 415

AN ACT

To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to the scope of new chemical exclusivity.

1.

Clarifying the meaning of new chemical entity

(a)

In general

Chapter V of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act is amended—

(1)

in section 505 (21 U.S.C. 355)—

(A)

in subsection (c)(3)(E), by striking active ingredient (including any ester or salt of the active ingredient) each place it appears and inserting active moiety (as defined by the Secretary in section 314.3 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulations));

(B)

in subsection (j)(5)(F), by striking active ingredient (including any ester or salt of the active ingredient) each place it appears and inserting active moiety (as defined by the Secretary in section 314.3 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulations));

(C)

in subsection (l)(2)(A)—

(i)

by amending clause (i) to read as follows:

(i)

not later than 30 days after the date of approval of such applications—

(I)

for a drug, no active moiety (as defined by the Secretary in section 314.3 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulations)) of which has been approved in any other application under this section; or

(II)

for a biological product, no active ingredient of which has been approved in any other application under section 351 of the Public Health Service Act; and

; and

(ii)

in clause (ii), by inserting or biological product before the period;

(D)

by amending subsection (s) to read as follows:

(s)

Referral to advisory committee

The Secretary shall—

(1)

refer a drug or biological product to a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee for review at a meeting of such advisory committee prior to the approval of such drug or biological if it is—

(A)

a drug, no active moiety (as defined by the Secretary in section 314.3 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulations)) of which has been approved in any other application under this section; or

(B)

a biological product, no active ingredient of which has been approved in any other application under section 351 of the Public Health Service Act; or

(2)

if the Secretary does not refer a drug or biological product described in paragraph (1) to a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee prior to such approval, provide in the action letter on the application for the drug or biological product a summary of the reasons why the Secretary did not refer the drug or biological product to an advisory committee prior to approval.

; and

(E)

in subsection (u)(1), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)—

(i)

by striking active ingredient (including any ester or salt of the active ingredient) and inserting active moiety (as defined by the Secretary in section 314.3 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulations)); and

(ii)

by striking same active ingredient and inserting same active moiety;

(2)

in section 512(c)(2)(F) (21 U.S.C. 360b(c)(2)(F)), by striking active ingredient (including any ester or salt of the active ingredient) each place it appears and inserting active moiety (as defined by the Secretary in section 314.3 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulations));

(3)

in section 524(a)(4) (21 U.S.C. 360n(a)(4)), by amending subparagraph (C) to read as follows:

(C)

is for—

(i)

a human drug, no active moiety (as defined by the Secretary in section 314.3 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulations)) of which has been approved in any other application under section 505(b)(1); or

(ii)

a biological product, no active ingredient of which has been approved in any other application under section 351 of the Public Health Service Act.

;

(4)

in section 529(a)(4) (21 U.S.C. 360ff(a)(4)), by striking subparagraphs (A) and (B) and inserting the following:

(A)

is for a drug or biological product that is for the prevention or treatment of a rare pediatric disease;

(B)
(i)

is for such a drug—

(I)

that contains no active moiety (as defined by the Secretary in section 314.3 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulations)) that has been previously approved in any other application under subsection (b)(1), (b)(2), or (j) of section 505; and

(II)

that is the subject of an application submitted under section 505(b)(1); or

(ii)

is for such a biological product—

(I)

that contains no active ingredient that has been previously approved in any other application under section 351(a) or 351(k) of the Public Health Service Act; and

(II)

that is the subject of an application submitted under section 351(a) of the Public Health Service Act;

; and

(5)

in section 565A(a)(4) (21 U.S.C. 360bbb–4a(a)(4)), by amending subparagraph (D) to read as follows:

(D)

is for—

(i)

a human drug, no active moiety (as defined by the Secretary in section 314.3 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulations)) of which has been approved in any other application under section 505(b)(1); or

(ii)

a biological product, no active ingredient of which has been approved in any other application under section 351 of the Public Health Service Act.

.

(b)

Technical corrections

Chapter V of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 351 et seq.) is amended—

(1)

in section 505 (21 U.S.C. 355)—

(A)

in subsection (c)(3)(E), by repealing clause (i); and

(B)

in subsection (j)(5)(F), by repealing clause (i); and

(2)

in section 505A(c)(1)(A)(i)(II) (21 U.S.C. 355a(c)(1)(A)(i)(II)), by striking (c)(3)(D) and inserting (c)(3)(E).

Speaker of the House of Representatives

Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate