WARNING LETTER
The Tranzonic Companies/Innocore Sales & Marketing Inc.
MARCS-CMS 712258 —
October 16, 2025
Delivery Method:
Via Electronic Mail - Delivery and Read Receipt Requested
Reference #:
320-26-07
Product:
Drugs
Recipient:
Recipient Name
Mr. Robert Kibbe
Recipient Title
President and CEO
The Tranzonic Companies/Innocore Sales & Marketing Inc.
26301 Curtiss Wright Parkway
Cleveland
,
OH
44143
United States
Issuing Office:
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER)
United States
Warning Letter
320-26-07
October 16, 2025
Dear Mr. Kibbe:
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected your drug manufacturing facility, Innocore Sales & Marketing, Inc., FEI 3010034070, located at 399 Woodall Way, Woodstock, N4T 0K9, Ontario, Canada, from April 22 to 25, 2025.
This warning letter summarizes significant violations of Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations for finished pharmaceuticals. See Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), parts 210 and 211 (21 CFR parts 210 and 211).
Because your methods, facilities, or controls for manufacturing, processing, packing, or holding do not conform to CGMP, your drug products are adulterated within the meaning of section 501(a)(2)(B) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), 21 U.S.C. 351(a)(2)(B).
We reviewed your May 16, 2025, response to our Form FDA 483 in detail.
During our inspection, our investigator observed specific violations including, but not limited to, the following.
1. Your firm failed to have, for each batch of drug product, appropriate laboratory determination of satisfactory conformance to final specifications for the drug product, including the identity and strength of each active ingredient, prior to release. Your firm also failed to conduct, for each batch of drug product, appropriate laboratory testing, as necessary, required to be free of objectionable microorganisms (21 CFR 211.165(a) and 211.165(b)).
Your firm manufactures over-the-counter drug products such as
(b)(4)
. You failed to conduct adequate finished product release testing for each batch of your drug product including, but not limited to, testing the identity and strength of the active ingredient,
(b)(4)
, and testing for objectionable microorganisms.
In your response, you state that you developed and will validate the titration and Fourier- transform infrared spectroscopy test methods, used for the
(b)(4)
assay and identification. You also state that you will investigate microbiological testing options for your finished drug products prior to release.
Your response is inadequate because it lacks sufficient details regarding specific tests for each finished drug batch and fails to include a risk assessment or retrospective review of products released without appropriate testing.
Without adequate finished product release testing, you do not have scientific evidence that each batch of drug product conforms to appropriate specifications before release.
In your response to this letter, provide:
A comprehensive, independent assessment of your laboratory practices, procedures, methods, equipment, documentation, and analyst competencies. Based on this review, provide a detailed plan to remediate and evaluate the effectiveness of your laboratory system.
A list of chemical and microbiological specifications, including test methods, used to analyze each lot of your drug products before a lot disposition decision.
o An action plan and timelines for conducting full chemical and microbiological testing of retain samples to determine the quality of all batches of drug product distributed to the United States that are within expiry as of the date of this letter.
o A summary of all results obtained from testing retain samples from each batch. If such testing reveals substandard quality drug products, take rapid corrective actions, such as notifying customers and product recalls.
2. Your firm failed to conduct at least one test to verify the identity of each component of a drug product (21 CFR 211.84(d)(1)).
You failed to conduct adequate testing on incoming components, including an appropriate identity test of
(b)(4)
, a component at higher risk for diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG) contamination. Identity testing for
(b)(4)
, and certain other high-risk drug components includes a limit test in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) to ensure that the component meets the relevant safety limits for levels of DEG or EG. Because you did not perform adequate identity testing on each shipment of each lot using the USP identification test that detects these hazardous impurities, you failed to assure the acceptability of these components for use in manufacture of your drug product.
The use of ingredients contaminated with DEG or EG has resulted in various lethal poisoning incidents in humans worldwide. See FDA’s guidance document
Testing of Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Maltitol Solution, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sorbitol Solution, and Other High-Risk Drug Components for Diethylene Glycol and Ethylene Glycol
to help you meet the CGMP requirements when manufacturing drugs containing ingredients at high-risk for DEG or EG contamination at https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/testing-glycerin-propylene-glycol-maltitol-solution-hydrogenated-starch-hydrolysate-sorbitol.
In your response, you state you have revised your raw material procedures regarding the component,
(b)(4)
.
Your response is inadequate because you failed to include a comprehensive review of your entire materials system, including test methods and compendial requirements. Furthermore, you did not consider testing retains of your
(b)(4)
and lacked a risk assessment of using inadequately tested
(b)(4)
in the manufacture of your distributed drug products.
Without adequate testing, you lack scientific evidence that the components or drug products conform to appropriate specifications prior to use in the drug products you manufacture.
In your response to this letter, provide:
A commitment to provide DEG and EG test results, no later than 30 calendar days from the date of this letter, from testing retains for all lots of high-risk drug components used in the manufacture of drug products. Alternatively, if a retain of a component lot is unavailable, perform retain sample testing of all implicated finished drug product batches for the presence of DEG and EG.
A full risk assessment for drug products that are within expiry which contain any ingredient at risk for DEG or EG contamination (including, but not limited to, glycerin). Take prompt and appropriate actions to determine the safety of all lots of the component(s) and any related drug product that could contain DEG or EG, including customer notifications and product recalls for any contaminated lots. Identify additional appropriate corrective actions and preventive actions that secure supply chains in the future, including, but not limited to, ensuring that all incoming raw material lots are from fully qualified manufacturers and free from unsafe impurities. Detail these actions in your response to this letter.
A description of how you will test each component lot for conformity with all appropriate specifications for identity, strength, quality, and purity. If you intend to accept any results from your supplier’s certificate of analysis (COA) instead of testing each component lot for strength, quality, and purity, specify how you will robustly establish the reliability of your supplier’s results through initial validation as well as periodic revalidation. In addition, include a commitment to always conduct at least one specific identity test for each incoming component lot. In the case of
(b)(4)
, and certain additional high-risk components we note that this includes the performance of parts A, B, and C of the USP monograph.
The chemical quality control specifications you use to test each incoming lot of high-risk drug components to determine acceptability for use in manufacturing.
A comprehensive, independent review of your material system to determine whether all suppliers of components, containers, and closures, are each qualified and the materials are assigned appropriate expiration or retest dates. The review should also determine whether incoming material controls are adequate to prevent use of unsuitable components, containers, and closures.
A summary of results obtained from testing all components to evaluate the reliability of the COA from each component manufacturer. Include your standard operating procedure (SOP) that describes this COA validation program.
3. Your firm failed to establish and follow an adequate written testing program designed to assess the stability characteristics of drug products (21 CFR 211.166(a)).
You lacked an adequate stability testing program for your drug products. For example, you lacked sufficient data to support the labeled expiry. You also lacked stability chambers to adequately store your stability samples. Further, the stability samples are not stored in the same container closure system in which your drug product is marketed.
In your response, you state that you updated your stability program SOP to include requirements for finished packaged drug product stability data and that you anticipate commencing your stability program by
(b)(4)
.
Your response is inadequate because it lacks sufficient detail and does not provide a retrospective risk assessment for your drug products released without adequate stability testing.
Without appropriate stability studies, you do not have scientific evidence to support whether your drug products meet established specifications and retain their quality attributes throughout their assigned shelf life.
In response to this letter, provide:
A comprehensive, independent assessment and corrective action and preventive action plan to ensure the adequacy of your stability program. Your remediated program should include, but not be limited to:
o Stability-indicating methods
o Stability studies for each drug product in its marketed container-closure system before distribution is permitted
o An ongoing program in which representative batches of each product are added each year to the program to determine if the shelf-life claim remains valid
o Detailed definition of the specific attributes to be tested at each station (timepoint).
All procedures that describe these and other elements of your remediated stability program.
4. Your firm’s quality control unit failed to exercise its responsibility to ensure drug products manufactured are in compliance with CGMP, and meet established specifications for identity, strength, quality, and purity (21 CFR 211.22).
Your firm failed to establish an adequate quality unit (QU) with the responsibilities and authority to oversee the manufacturing of drug products. For example, the QU failed to ensure:
Establishment of an adequate cleaning and maintenance program for your manufacturing equipment and instruments. (21 CFR 211.67(a))
Establishment of adequate batch records to include verification checks, appropriately detailed instructions, and labeling. (21 CFR 211.188)
Adequate investigations with sustainable corrective actions including, but not limited to, unknown residues on equipment and out of specification cleaning rinse samples. (21 CFR 211.192)
Your firm’s quality systems are inadequate. See FDA’s guidance document
Quality Systems Approach to Pharmaceutical CGMP Regulations
for help implementing quality systems and risk management approaches to meet the requirements of CGMP regulations 21 CFR, parts 210 and 211 at https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/quality-systems-approach-pharmaceutical-current-good-manufacturing-practice-regulations.
In response to this letter, provide a comprehensive assessment and remediation plan to ensure your QU is given the authority and resources to effectively function. The assessment should also include, but not be limited to:
A determination of whether procedures used by your firm are robust and appropriate
Provisions for QU oversight throughout your operations to evaluate adherence to appropriate practices
A complete and final review of each batch and its related information before the QU disposition decision
Oversight and approval of investigations and discharging of all other QU duties to ensure identity, strength, quality, and purity of all products.
Also, describe how top management supports quality assurance and reliable operations including, but not limited to, timely provision of resources to proactively address emerging manufacturing/quality issues and to assure a continuing state of control.
Repeat Observations at Facility
In a June 2019 inspection, FDA cited similar CGMP observations. You proposed specific remediation for these observations in your response. Repeated failures demonstrate that executive management oversight and control over the manufacture of drugs is inadequate.
CGMP Consultant Recommended
Based upon the nature of the violations we identified at your firm, you should engage a consultant qualified as set forth in 21 CFR 211.34 to evaluate your operations and to assist your firm in meeting CGMP requirements.
Your use of a consultant does not relieve your firm’s obligation to comply with CGMP. Your firm’s executive management remains responsible for resolving all deficiencies and systemic flaws to ensure ongoing CGMP compliance.
Conclusion
The violations cited in this letter are not intended to be an all-inclusive list of violations that exist at your facility. You are responsible for investigating and determining the causes of any violations and for preventing their recurrence or the occurrence of other violations.
Correct any violations promptly. FDA may withhold approval of new applications or supplements listing your firm as a drug manufacturer until any violations are completely addressed and we confirm your compliance with CGMP. We may re-inspect to verify that you have completed corrective actions to any violations.
Failure to address any violations may also result in the FDA refusing admission of articles manufactured at Innocore Sales & Marketing, Inc., 399 Woodall Way, Woodstock, N4T 0K9, Ontario, Canada, into the United States under section 801(a)(3) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. 381(a)(3). Articles under this authority that appear to be adulterated may be detained or refused admission in that the methods and controls used in their manufacture do not appear to conform to CGMP within the meaning of section 501(a)(2)(B) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. 351(a)(2)(B).
This letter notifies you of our findings and provides you an opportunity to address the above deficiencies. After you receive this letter, respond to this office in writing within 15 working days. Specify what you have done to address any violations and to prevent their recurrence. In response to this letter, you may provide additional information for our consideration as we continue to assess your activities and practices. If you cannot complete corrective actions within 15 working days, state your reasons for delay and your schedule for completion.
Send your electronic reply to CDER-OC-OMQ-Communications@fda.hhs.gov. Identify your response with FEI 3010034070 and ATTN: Christopher M. Jenner.
Sincerely,
/S/
Francis Godwin
Director
Office of Manufacturing Quality
Office of Compliance
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
Content current as of:
10/28/2025
Regulated Product(s)
Drugs