The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday it is launching a program under which its commissioner can issue vouchers to companies to shorten their review time for a drug application to 1-2 months from the typical timeline of about 10-12 months.

The new Commissioner's National Priority Voucher (CNPV) program convenes experts from the regulator's offices for a team-based review, instead of using the standard review system, where a drug application is sent to numerous FDA offices, the agency said.

The FDA plans to give a limited number of vouchers to companies aligned with U.S. national priorities in the first year of the program.

The new program aims to accelerate the drug review process while maintaining the FDA's rigorous standards for safety, efficacy and quality, the regulator said.