How Long Does It Take to Bring a Medical Device to Market?
- Beng Ee Lim
- 20 hours ago
- 13 min read
For most Class II medical devices cleared through the 510(k) pathway, companies should plan for multiple years from concept to commercial launch, not months. While every product is different, 18–36 months is a common planning range once design complexity, testing, and regulatory realities are accounted for.
FDA does not publish end-to-end “time-to-market” timelines. Delays usually come from underestimating development effort, testing lead times, and regulatory iteration, not FDA review alone. This guide shows you an estimated timeline for medical device commercialization, what causes delays you didn't anticipate, and which phases you can actually accelerate.
The Timeline Reality Check
Why Medical Device Timelines Slip
Most medical device timelines fail not because teams are incompetent, but because early plans ignore how design controls, testing dependencies, and FDA interaction actually work.
Below is a reality-based planning lens, not FDA-mandated timing.
Class II Device — Traditional 510(k)
What teams often plan: A single year from concept to launch.
What typically happens: Multi-year timelines once design iteration, testing lead times, and FDA interaction are accounted for.
Why timelines slip:
Design is rarely frozen when teams think it is
Verification and validation uncover rework
Additional Information (AI) requests pause FDA’s review clock
Manufacturing readiness happens after clearance, not before
Key takeaway: For Class II devices, calendar time is driven more by testing and iteration than by FDA’s nominal 90-day review clock.
De Novo — Novel Devices
What teams often plan: Slightly longer than a 510(k).
What typically happens: Longer timelines due to device novelty, broader data expectations, and classification work.
Why timelines slip:
Novel indications and technology trigger deeper FDA questions
Testing scope expands mid-program
Submission preparation is heavier than expected
Key takeaway: De Novo programs are commonly longer and less predictable than traditional 510(k)s, even for moderate-risk devices.
PMA — Class III Devices
What teams often plan: A couple of years.
What typically happens: Multi-year programs dominated by clinical evidence generation.
Why timelines slip:
Clinical trial planning and execution take years
Data analysis and follow-up extend beyond enrollment
FDA review involves iterative questions even within the statutory clock
Key takeaway: For PMA devices, clinical timelines, not FDA review alone, determine time to market.
Class I — 510(k)-Exempt Devices
What teams often plan: A few months.
What typically happens: Faster than other pathways, but still constrained by design validation, supplier qualification, and quality system readiness.
Why timelines slip:
Underestimating design controls
Delayed manufacturing readiness
Late quality system implementation
Key takeaway: “Exempt” does not mean “instant.” Regulatory submission is removed, not development rigor.
The Planning Rule That Actually Works
Instead of fixed multipliers or month-by-month schedules, effective teams ask:
What testing steps are sequential vs parallel?
Where can design changes invalidate prior work?
Which activities depend on FDA feedback?
What must be complete after clearance before launch?
Teams that map regulatory strategy, predicate selection, and testing dependencies early tend to build timelines that survive contact with reality. Complizen helps surface these dependencies upfront so plans reflect how FDA workflows actually unfold, not how business plans wish they would.
Phase 1: Development (Concept to Design Freeze)
This phase consistently takes longer than planned, especially for first-time medical device teams. FDA does not regulate how long development should take, but design control requirements make iteration unavoidable.
Early Development: Concept and Strategy Definition
Typical activities:
Define clinical need and intended use
Identify potential predicate devices
Conduct early competitive and regulatory landscape analysis
Develop initial design concepts
Outline preliminary regulatory pathway
Key deliverables:
Product requirements or user needs document
Early design concepts or sketches
Initial predicate and regulatory strategy assessment
Common failure points:
The “ideal” predicate is later recalled or withdrawn
Intended use proves harder to define precisely
Regulatory pathway uncertainty triggers the need for FDA feedback (e.g., Pre-Submission)
Reality: Regulatory uncertainty at this stage often forces teams to revisit foundational assumptions later, compounding downstream delays.
Prototype Development and Iteration
Typical activities:
Build functional prototypes
Conduct informal bench and feasibility testing
Collect early user feedback
Iterate design based on performance and usability findings
Begin sourcing key components
Key deliverables:
One or more working prototypes
Preliminary performance observations
User feedback summaries
Initial component and supplier specifications
Common failure points:
Supplier lead times are longer than expected
Prototype performance does not meet requirements
Usability issues surface only after hands-on testing
Cost or manufacturability constraints emerge late
Illustrative example (not universal): A startup developing a drug delivery device required multiple pump redesigns after failing to meet flow accuracy targets. Component sourcing delays and repeated usability iterations extended prototype development far beyond initial expectations.
Design Refinement and Design Freeze
Typical activities:
Finalize design based on accumulated feedback
Apply design-for-manufacturing principles
Perform risk management activities per ISO 14971
Conduct design verification testing
Complete Design History File documentation
Key deliverables:
Finalized design specifications and drawings
Bill of materials
Risk management file
Design verification evidence
Formal design freeze under change control
Common failure points:
“One more tweak” syndrome prevents design freeze
Manufacturing constraints require redesign
Risk analysis identifies hazards requiring mitigation
Late changes in predicate or regulatory strategy
Critical insight: Delaying design freeze cascades into verification, validation, testing, and manufacturing. Formal testing performed before design stabilization is frequently invalidated by later changes.
Development Phase Reality Check
What teams underestimate:
How many iterations are needed to satisfy user needs
How early design choices affect downstream testing
How regulatory strategy influences design decisions
What helps shorten this phase:
Early FDA Pre-Submission to confirm regulatory direction
Parallel user feedback and technical development
Identifying backup predicates from the start
Freezing design under formal change control once requirements are met
What cannot be accelerated:
Supplier lead times
Iterative learning from real users
The team’s first-time experience curve
Phase 2: Testing and Validation
This phase is where most medical device timelines break. While teams often plan testing as a short, linear step, FDA expectations and real-world lab constraints make testing iterative, interdependent, and delay-prone.
Why Testing Takes Longer Than Expected
Testing delays usually come from systemic issues, not poor execution:
External test lab capacity fluctuates seasonally
Failures trigger redesign and retesting
Certain tests must run sequentially, not in parallel
Some testing cannot start until design, packaging, or processes are finalized
A common planning error is assuming test duration equals lab execution time, while ignoring scheduling lead time, sample preparation, report generation, and rework.
Core Testing Streams (Often Overlapping)
Performance and Comparative Testing
Typical scope:
Bench and functional testing
Durability and environmental testing
Software verification (if applicable)
Side-by-side comparison against predicate devices
Common failure points:
Performance gaps discovered late
Predicate devices unavailable for comparison
Predicate test methods unclear or undocumented
Sample sizes or acceptance criteria questioned
Failures here often cascade into redesign, invalidating downstream testing.
Biocompatibility and Specialized Testing
Applies when relevant:
Biocompatibility evaluation per ISO 10993-1
Electrical safety and EMC testing for powered devices
Sterilization and packaging validation for sterile products
Critical reality: Sterilization validation frequently sits on the critical path. It often cannot begin until:
Design is stable
Materials and manufacturing processes are defined
Packaging configuration is finalized
Failures in this stream are particularly disruptive because they can invalidate multiple prior tests.
Software Validation and Human Factors
Software validation (when applicable):
Scope and documentation depth scale with software risk classification
Verification, validation, and traceability must align with intended use
Requires a near-final device, labeling, and training materials
Often scheduled late, limiting ability to absorb design changes
Common failure points:
Use errors discovered during validation
Labeling or interface changes triggering revalidation
Difficulty recruiting representative users
What Makes Testing Delays So Expensive
Testing failures rarely add “a little time.” They often:
Force design changes
Invalidate prior test results
Require new samples, new scheduling, and new reports
This is why testing delays disproportionately impact overall time-to-market.
Testing Phase Reality Check
What helps shorten this phase:
Reserving lab capacity early
Running independent test streams in parallel where possible
Performing informal feasibility testing before formal submission testing
Aligning test methods closely with predicate precedent
What cannot be accelerated:
Sterilization process development
Aging and shelf-life validation
Lab capacity constraints
Redesign after failure
Teams that treat testing as a coordinated program rather than a checklist are better able to manage dependencies. Complizen helps teams map testing requirements, predicate precedents, and sequencing constraints in one workspace, so schedules reflect regulatory reality before labs are booked.
Phase 3: Regulatory Submission Preparation
This phase is often dramatically underestimated, especially by teams submitting their first 510(k). FDA does not regulate how long submission preparation should take, but the scope and quality of documentation directly determine whether review even begins.
Submission Compilation and Assembly
Typical activities include:
Compiling all finalized test reports
Drafting the substantial equivalence comparison
Preparing the device description and intended use
Finalizing labeling (IFU, device labels, packaging text)
Summarizing risk management activities
Including software and human factors documentation where applicable
What consistently takes longer than expected:
Writing a clear, defensible substantial equivalence rationale
Discovering undocumented decisions or missing evidence
Aligning documentation across engineering, QA, and regulatory teams
Formatting content correctly within FDA’s eSTAR submission structure
Key reality: Submission preparation is not clerical work. It is where regulatory logic is tested.
Internal Review and Revision Cycles
Typical activities include:
Quality system and design control review
Cross-functional review (engineering, clinical, QA, regulatory)
Addressing gaps, inconsistencies, or weak rationales
Final leadership sign-off
Common failure points:
Internal review identifies missing testing or incomplete justification
Predicate strategy is challenged late
Software or cybersecurity documentation is incomplete
Labeling does not align with intended use claims
Each revision cycle often uncovers additional dependencies, extending preparation time.
Critical mistake: Submitting before thorough internal review. This frequently leads to a Refuse to Accept (RTA) determination, restarting the process entirely.
FDA Submission and Acceptance Review
What happens:
Final submission compiled in eSTAR format
User fee paid and submission transmitted electronically
FDA conducts an acceptance review to determine whether the submission is administratively complete
FDA’s Refuse to Accept (RTA) policy outlines common reasons submissions are rejected before substantive review begins.
Common RTA triggers include:
Missing required sections
Incomplete or draft test reports
Insufficient software documentation
Incorrect submission type or administrative errors
An RTA delays review and forces resubmission, often costing more time than an additional round of internal review would have.
Submission Preparation Reality Check
What helps shorten this phase:
Starting documentation during development rather than after testing
Using cleared predicate submissions as structural references
Conducting rigorous internal QA review before submission
Resolving predicate and testing strategy questions early (e.g., via Pre-Submission)
What cannot be accelerated:
FDA’s acceptance review process
Time required to correct genuine documentation gaps
Teams that centralize predicate comparisons, testing evidence, and design rationale reduce late-stage surprises. Complizen helps teams organize this information early, so submission preparation becomes assembly, not damage control.
Phase 4: FDA Review
While FDA’s performance goal for a Traditional 510(k) is 90 FDA review days, the calendar time to clearance is often significantly longer due to pauses, information requests, and review sequencing. FDA days are not the same as calendar days, and misunderstanding this distinction leads to unrealistic planning.
Understanding FDA Days vs. Calendar Time
FDA review clocks operate under specific rules:
The review clock pauses when FDA issues an Additional Information (AI) request
The clock resumes only after FDA accepts your response
FDA days do not include weekends or federal holidays
FDA may place a submission on administrative hold while coordinating internal reviews
Key takeaway: A “90-day review” rarely means three calendar months.
Acceptance Review (Initial Screening)
Before substantive review begins, FDA conducts an acceptance review to confirm the submission is administratively complete.
FDA checks for:
Required sections present
Correct submission type
Proper device classification
User fee payment
Basic completeness of supporting documentation
Outcomes:
Accepted for substantive review
Refuse to Accept (RTA), requiring correction and resubmission
An RTA does not reflect scientific judgment, but it resets the process and delays substantive review.
Substantive Review Without Additional Information Requests
In the best-case scenario, FDA:
Agrees with your predicate strategy
Accepts your substantial equivalence rationale
Finds testing adequate and appropriately justified
This outcome is more likely when:
Predicate choice is straightforward
Comparative testing is clear and complete
Labeling aligns tightly with intended use
Substantive Review With Additional Information (AI) Requests
More commonly, FDA issues one or more Additional Information requests during review.
Frequent AI triggers include:
Predicate suitability concerns
Insufficient comparative performance data
Missing or incomplete test reports
Software documentation gaps
Labeling inconsistencies
Human factors validation questions
When FDA issues an AI request:
The review clock pauses
The sponsor has up to 180 days to respond
FDA resumes review only after accepting the response
AI requests typically extend the overall timeline by months, especially if new testing, revised analyses, or predicate changes are required.
Multiple AI Requests
In some cases, FDA may issue more than one AI request, particularly when:
The initial response introduces new data or changes strategy
Predicate selection shifts mid-review
Testing methods are revised
Software or human factors issues cascade
Each additional cycle compounds delays and increases regulatory risk.
FDA Review Reality Check
What helps reduce review delays:
Clear predicate strategy validated before submission
Comprehensive comparative testing upfront
Internally consistent documentation
Fast, well-structured AI responses
Professional communication with FDA reviewers
What you cannot control:
FDA workload and staffing
Internal FDA coordination across divisions
Holiday schedules and year-end slowdowns
Teams that track predicate status, testing gaps, and FDA questions in one workspace respond faster and avoid compounding delays. Complizen helps teams organize review-critical evidence so AI responses don’t become mini re-submissions.
Phase 5: Post-Clearance Activities
While business plans often assume commercial launch immediately after FDA clearance, real-world post-clearance activities typically take several additional months, driven by manufacturing scale-up, supply chain readiness, and quality system execution.
Manufacturing Scale-Up (Commonly Underestimated)
During development, most teams build dozens of units. Commercial launch requires hundreds to thousands, under controlled, repeatable conditions.
Three common paths:
Scale with Prototype Manufacturer
Timeline: Typically a few months
Pros: Minimal tech transfer
Risks:
Limited production capacity
Incomplete quality system
Inconsistent yields at volume
Transfer to Contract Manufacturer
Timeline: Often several months
Pros: Established quality systems, scalable capacity
Risks:
Technology transfer errors
Process variability
Tooling and qualification delays
Build Internal Manufacturing
Timeline: Often the longest path
Pros: Full control
Risks:
Facility, equipment, staffing ramp
Learning curve on regulated production
Reality: Manufacturing readiness should be assessed before FDA clearance, not after.
Supply Chain and Component Readiness
Prototype sourcing does not reflect production reality.
Typical lead-time expansion:
Electronics: weeks → months
Custom molded parts: prototype → tooling → validation
Specialty materials: longer qualification cycles
FDA expectations (QMS perspective):
Supplier qualification and controls
Component traceability
Risk-based supplier oversight
Documented equivalence for any supplier changes
FDA does not mandate backup suppliers, but they do expect you to manage supply risk under your quality system.
Process Validation and Quality System Execution
Before commercial distribution, manufacturers must demonstrate repeatable, controlled production.
Typical requirements include:
Process validation (commonly three consecutive successful runs)
Operator training and qualification
Finalized production procedures
Complaint handling and CAPA readiness
Post-market surveillance processes
These activities fall under FDA’s quality system requirements (21 CFR Part 820 / QMSR).
If your quality system was built “just enough” for submission, expect additional work post-clearance.
Commercial Launch Preparation (Often Overlooked)
Even after manufacturing is ready, teams still need to finalize:
Labeling control and release
UDI implementation (if applicable)
Distribution agreements
Sales and support training
Complaint intake and escalation workflows
Regulatory clearance allows marketing, but operational readiness determines whether you can actually sell.
Post-Clearance Reality Check
Typical outcomes:
Best case: Manufacturing-ready, limited scale → a few months
Typical case: Contract manufacturer + supply chain setup → several months
Worst case: New manufacturer, complex device → longer delays
You can accelerate by:
Selecting manufacturers during FDA review
Locking suppliers early
Parallelizing quality system and commercial prep
You cannot accelerate:
Tooling timelines
Supplier lead times
Process validation requirements
What Causes the Biggest Delays (Examples)
These are not edge cases. These are the most common ways medical device timelines collapse, even for experienced teams.
Delay #1: Design Changes After Testing Starts
Scenario: Company freezes design and begins $80K of biocompatibility and performance testing. Midway through, marketing requests “one small feature addition.” Engineering implements it in two weeks.
What actually happened: The change alters material composition and user interaction. Existing biocompatibility and performance data are no longer valid.
Impact:
Retesting required
Timeline delay: ~4 months
Cost: ~$60K in repeat testing
Prevention: Freeze all regulatory-impacting design elements before formal testing. Improvements go into Version 2, not the cleared device.
Delay #2: Predicate Issues Discovered Late
Scenario: Company builds entire submission around Predicate A. During final submission prep, they discover the predicate was recalled months earlier.
What actually happened: FDA reviewers monitor predicate safety history. A recalled predicate immediately undermines substantial equivalence.
Impact:
New predicate selection
New comparative testing
SE section rewrite
Timeline delay: ~5 months
Cost: ~$40K
Prevention: Continuously monitor predicate status throughout development and review. Always maintain backup predicates.
Complizen’s Predicate Monitoring alerts teams when predicates are recalled, withdrawn, or flagged with safety communications, before FDA does.
Delay #3: Sterilization Validation Breaks the Device
Scenario: Device passes performance, software, and biocompatibility testing. Ethylene oxide sterilization validation begins. EO degrades polymer material, device no longer meets specs.
What actually happened: Sterilization compatibility was never tested during design.
Impact:
Material redesign or sterilization method change
New biocompatibility testing
New performance testing
New sterilization validation
Timeline delay: 8–12 months
Cost: $100K+
Prevention: Evaluate sterilization effects early. Treat sterilization compatibility as a design requirement, not a post-design checkbox.
Delay #4: FDA Challenges Software Classification
Scenario: Company submits minimal software documentation, asserting software is “minor.” FDA reviewer disagrees and classifies it as higher risk.
What actually happened: FDA applies IEC 62304 risk logic. Software that can affect therapy or diagnosis is rarely “minor.”
Impact:
Full software lifecycle documentation required
Requirements, architecture, traceability, V&V built retroactively
Timeline delay: 4–6 months
Cost: $50K–$80K
Prevention: Clarify software safety classification via Pre-Submission for software-driven devices. Assume FDA will classify higher than you expect.
Delay #5: Manufacturing Cannot Scale Post-Clearance
Scenario: Company receives 510(k) clearance. Prototype manufacturer cannot meet commercial volumes. New contract manufacturer required.
What actually happened: Manufacturing readiness was never assessed during FDA review.
Impact:
Manufacturer search
Technology transfer
Process qualification
Timeline delay: ~7 months to first sale
Prevention: Identify and qualify commercial manufacturing pathways during FDA review. Clearance does not equal production readiness.
Delay #6: Supply Chain Surprise
Scenario: Company places first production order for 1,000 units. Key supplier quotes 16-week lead time.
What actually happened: Prototype lead times were mistaken for production lead times.
Impact:
Inventory delay
Launch pushed by ~4 months
Prevention: Communicate production forecasts early. Lock long-lead components months in advance. Build safety stock where risk is high.
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Critical Takeaways
Your business plan timeline is wrong.
From concept to launch, most Class II 510(k) devices realistically take 18–36 months, not 12–15. Plan accordingly.
Design freeze delays cascade.
Delaying design freeze often triggers downstream rework, frequently adding multiple months to the overall timeline.
Testing hides major delays.
Lab backlogs (2–8 weeks), failed tests requiring retesting (3–6 months), and sequential tests that can’t be parallelized are common.
Post-clearance is not the finish line.
Manufacturing scale-up, supply chain validation, and commercial launch prep typically add 3–9 months after FDA clearance.
Pre-Submission meetings are high-ROI.
Early FDA feedback often prevents misaligned testing or predicate strategies and can save months of rework, at no FDA cost.
Additional Information requests are normal.
Roughly half or more of 510(k)s receive at least one AI request. Budget 2–4 extra months and respond quickly.
Sterilization is often the critical path.
Validation takes 3–6 months and cannot begin until design is frozen. Test sterilization compatibility early.
First-time teams move slower.
Inexperienced teams frequently take significantly longer due to learning curve, documentation gaps, and strategy resets.
Manufacturing is underestimated.
Transitioning from prototype builds to commercial production typically takes 4–8 months. Qualify manufacturers during FDA review, not after.
Parallel work compresses timelines.
Running manufacturing prep, supply chain setup, and commercial planning during FDA review can meaningfully reduce post-clearance delays when managed carefully.