Source: https://www.fda.gov/iceci/enforcementactions/warningletters/2014/ucm385288.htm
Timestamp: 2017-09-23 09:28:33
Document Index: 270310257

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 353', 'art 3', '§ 321', '§ 351', 'art 820', 'art 4']

Amgen, Inc. 1/27/14
WL # 11-14
During an inspection of your firm located at One Amgen Center Drive, Thousand Oaks, California, from June 4, 2013 through June 17, 2013, an investigator from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined that your firm manufactures Prolia with prefilled syringe and manual needle guard, Enbrel lyophilized vial and diluent with vial adapter, and Enbrel prefilled syringe with “Sureclick 1.5” auto injector. These products are combination products under section 503(g) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act), 21 U.S.C. § 353(g), and 21 CFR Part 3. These combination products include device constituent parts, which are “devices” under section 201(h) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. § 321(h), because they are intended for use in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions or in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or to affect the structure or any function of the body.
This inspection revealed that the device constituent parts of the combination products are adulterated within the meaning of section 501(h) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. § 351(h), in that the methods used in, or the facilities or controls used for, their manufacture, packing, storage, or installation are not in conformity with the current good manufacturing practice requirements of the Quality System regulation found at Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 820.
We received a response from Martin VanTrieste, Senior Vice President for Quality, dated June 28, 2013, concerning our investigator’s observations noted on the Form FDA 483 (FDA 483), List of Inspectional Observations, that was issued to your firm. We address this response below, in relation to each of the noted violations. These violations include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Your firm failed to establish (i.e., define, document, and implement) and maintain design validation procedures to ensure that devices conform to defined user needs and intended uses and shall include testing of production units under actual or simulated use conditions, as required by 21 CFR 820.30(g).
For example, your firm failed to implement its established procedure for design validation. Your firm’s Device Design Validation Procedure (SOP (b)(4): Version (b)(4) dated December 31, 2008) requires that (b)(4) However, prior to commercially releasing Prolia (denosumab) on June 1, 2010, your firm failed to conduct design validation of the device constituent part of this combination product, as required by SOP (b)(4).
In your response you committed to ensure that the design validation for the current presentation of products be established by objective evidence, which you claim is (b)(4). You indicated that (b)(4) studies will be used to document that products conform to user needs and intended use. However, your firm’s response is inadequate because you did not describe the actions you will take to ensure that established procedures will be followed in the future. Also, you should consider whether reviewing the (b)(4) will ensure that currently marketed combination products conform to user needs and intended use, and whether your firm should conduct validation studies under actual use conditions to verify that your marketed combination products adequately conform to their prescribed user needs and intended use.
2. Your firm failed to establish and maintain procedures for the identification, documentation, validation or where appropriate verification, review, and approval of design changes before their implementation, as required by 21 CFR 820.30(i).
For example, your firm failed to implement its established procedure for the identification, documentation, validation or where appropriate verification, review, and approval of design changes before their implementation, for the device constituent part of the Enbrel with vial adapter. Your firm’s Device Design Validation Procedure (SOP (b)(4) Version (b)(4) dated December 31, 2008) requires that design validation be performed when (b)(4) However, prior to implementing a design change (i.e., change request/orders IECO (b)(4) to the device constituent part of the Enbrel with vial adapter combination product, in January 2010, your firm failed to validate this design change, as required by SOP- (b)(4). By switching from a (b)(4) vial adapter to a (b)(4) vial adapter, the design of the Enbrel combination product was changed, which, according to your data, resulted in a significant increase in product complaints (i.e., (b)(4)). Between the release of the redesigned combination product in January 2010, and July 2011, the complaint rate for Enbrel increased from (b)(4) complaints (b)(4) to (b)(4) complaints (b)(4).
In your response you indicate that Amgen stopped using the (b)(4) vial adapter. You also stated that the Enbrel lyophilized multiple-use vial kit was redesigned in April 2012, which you claim has been effective in reducing the number of device related complaints. However, your response is inadequate because you did not describe the actions you will take to ensure that established procedures will be followed in the future. Further, you did not provide evidence for FDA to confirm that the (b)(4) vial adapter is no longer in use. Please consider whether your firm should conduct an evaluation of those design changes made to the device constituent parts of your currently marketed combination products to ensure that the processing of those changes complied with 21 CFR 820.30(i) prior to implementation.
3. Your firm failed to establish and maintain the requirements that must be met by suppliers, contractors, and consultants. Your firm failed to evaluate and select potential suppliers, contractors, and consultants on the basis of their ability to meet specified requirements, including quality requirements, and document the evaluation, as required by 21 CFR 820.50(a).
For example your firm failed to implement its established procedures for purchasing controls. The Amgen Operating Standard for Managing Contractors ((b)(4), version (b)(4), dated December 1, 2012) requires that contractors be evaluated, monitored, and approved. With regards to the (b)(4) located in Building (b)(4) of your firm’s facility, upon request, your firm could not certify that (b)(4), the contractor that serviced the equipment on May 22, 2013, had been evaluated.
In your response you commit to ensuring that service providers conducting preventive maintenance for the X-ray equipment “are evaluated and maintained to the appropriate quality standard.” However, your response is not adequate because you did not describe how appropriate employees will be trained on the new procedures, and you did not provide in your response whether your firm intends to review its records to ensure that those suppliers, contractors, and consultants currently being used by your firm have been appropriately evaluated.
If, as a result of receiving this warning letter or for other reasons, you are considering a decision that could reduce the number of finished combination products produced by your manufacturing facilities, FDA requests that you contact CDER's Drug Shortages Program immediately, as you begin your internal discussions, at drugshortages@fda.hhs.gov so that we can work with you on the most effective way to bring your operations into compliance with the law. Contacting the Drug Shortages Program also allows you to meet any obligations you may have to report discontinuances in the manufacture of your products under 21 U.S.C. 356C(a)(1), and allows FDA to consider, as soon as possible, what actions, if any, may be needed to avoid shortages and protect the health of patients who depend on your products. In appropriate cases, you may be able to take corrective action without interrupting supply, or to shorten any interruption, thereby avoiding or limiting product shortages.
Your firm should take prompt action to correct the violations addressed in this letter. Failure to promptly correct these violations may result in regulatory action being initiated by the FDA without further notice. These actions include, but are not limited to, seizure, injunction, and civil money penalties. Also, federal agencies may be advised of the issuance of Warning Letters about devices so that they may take this information into account when considering the award of contracts. Requests for Certificates to Foreign Governments will not be granted until the violations related to the subject devices have been corrected. FDA may re-inspect to verify corrective actions have been completed.
In addition, please be advised that as a combination product manufacturer, you are subject to the requirements in 21 CFR Part 4, Current Good Manufacturing Practice Requirements for Combination Products, effective July 22, 2013. For example, you are required to have DHF’s for your combination products under 21 CFR 820.30(j). See 21 CFR 4.4(b)(1)(ii).
Please notify this office in writing within fifteen business days from the date you receive this letter of the specific steps your firm has taken to correct the noted violations, as well as an explanation of how your firm plans to prevent these violations, or similar violations, from occurring again. Include documentation of the corrections and/or corrective actions (which must address systemic problems) that your firm has taken. If your firm’s planned corrections and/or corrective actions will occur over time, please include a timetable for implementation of those activities. If corrections and/or corrective actions cannot be completed within fifteen business days, state the reason for the delay and the time within which these activities will be completed. Your firm’s response should be comprehensive and address all violations included in this Warning Letter. Please identify your response with FEI # 2026154.
Mr. Blake Bevill, Director
Hugo Cornejo, Acting Branch Chief
Amgen, Inc. - Close Out Letter 1/9/15