Contains Nonbinding Recommendations
10
If a sponsor believes its product is appropriate for classification into class I
31
or class II,
32
it may
submit a request for De Novo classification.
33
If the sponsor demonstrates that the criteria in
section 513(a)(1)(A) or (B) of the FD&C Act are met, FDA grants the request for De Novo
classification and issues a written order classifying the specific product and product type in class
I or class II. If the product is classified as class II, it is granted marketing authorization subject
to general controls, as well as identified special controls which provide a reasonable assurance of
safety and effectiveness.
34
Such a product may serve as a legally marketed (predicate)
35
product
for future 510(k) submissions. If the product cannot be classified as class I or II, the De Novo
request is declined and the product remains in class III and subject to PMA approval.
Special controls set forth criteria for class II products that are necessary to provide the assurance
of safety and effectiveness to justify classification in class II. To be class II by being within the
same type as the product that was the subject of the De Novo, future products must be found
substantially equivalent and comply with general controls and applicable special controls for the
product type; a failure to comply with special controls will cause the product to be class III and
subject to PMA approval.
36
A sponsor may request De Novo classification without submitting a 510(k) first; FDA may
decline to undertake such request if FDA identifies a predicate product that could provide a
reasonable basis for review of substantial equivalence, or if FDA determines either that the
product submitted is not of low to moderate risk or that general controls would be inadequate to
control the risks and special controls to mitigate the risks cannot be developed.
37
Among other
considerations, understanding of the biological product or drug constituent parts, including
limitations of such understanding, need to be considered when determining the suitability of the
De Novo pathway for such device-led combination products. Because certain products present
unique concerns (such as, for certain biological products,
38
considerations associated with
infectious disease transmission and challenges associated with ensuring reproducibility of such
31
Class I products are subject to a set of regulatory authorities called general controls (see section 513(a)(1)(A) of
the FD&C Act). General controls include, but are not limited to, provisions that relate to establishment registration
and listing, premarket notification, prohibitions against adulteration and misbranding, records and reports, and good
manufacturing practices.
32
Class II products are products for which general controls, by themselves, are insufficient to provide reasonable
assurance of the safety and effectiveness of the product, and for which there is sufficient information to establish
special controls necessary to provide such assurance (see section 513(a)(1)(B) of the FD&C Act). Special controls
are product type-specific and may include promulgation of performance standards, requirements for postmarket
surveillance, patient registries, labeling, and performance testing and clinical/non-clinical data.
33
See section 513(f)(2) of the FD&C Act and 21 CFR part 860, subpart D (86 FR 54826, October 5, 2021). See also
the guidance for industry and Food and Drug Administration staff De Novo Classification Process (Evaluation of
Automatic Class III Designation) (October 2021).
34
Such special controls will generally be established through consultation and alignment with the non-lead center.
35
A legally marketed (predicate) device to which a new device may be compared for a determination regarding
substantial equivalence is a device that was legally marketed prior to May 28, 1976, or a device which has been
reclassified from class III to class II or I, or a device which has been found to be substantially equivalent through the
510(k) premarket notification process (see 21 CFR 807.92(a)(3)).
36
See sections 513(a)(1)(B), 513(f)(1), 513(i), and 515(a)(2) of the FD&C Act; S. REP. NO. 105-43 at 35 (1997).
37
See section 513(f)(2)(A)(ii) and (iv) of the FD&C Act.
38
For example, blood, gene therapies, or human cellular or tissue products.