Drugs

Inopak, Ltd.

FDA issued a warning letter to Inopak, Ltd. (Ringwood, NJ, United States) on Dec 15, 2023, citing 21 CFR 211.22, 21 CFR 211.137 and 21 CFR 211.84. Subject: CGMP, Finished Pharmaceuticals, Adulterated.

From the letter: “Your quality unit (QU) failed to adequately review these records to ensure required testing was conducted for methanol*1*, before acceptance of components for use in drug manufacture.”

Ringwood, NJ, United StatesIssued Dec 15, 2023Posted Jan 2, 2024No close-out recorded

At a glance

What a reviewer notes before reading: findings, citations, the response deadline and what the letter warns of.

Violations
3 findings · 2 issue types
Response due
Not stated in the letter
FDA asks for
8 actions
Named as possible actions
Seizure, injunction
Issued by
Division of Pharmaceutical Quality Operations I · Office of Inspections and Investigations
Published status
No close-out recorded

AI assisted findings

Model-assisted reading of each issue. Open one to see the FDA text it comes from, and check it against the full letter.

01Quality unit & oversight · 21 CFR 211.22(a)The quality unit failed to adequately review CMO records to ensure required testing for methanol and impurities before accepting components.
Your quality unit (QU) failed to adequately review these records to ensure required testing was conducted for methanol*1*, before acceptance of components for use in drug manufacture. Additionally, you did not ensure that your ethanol had acceptable levels of known impurities such as benzene, acetaldehyde, and acetal.
02Quality unit & oversight · 21 CFR 211.22(a)The firm failed to adequately investigate leaking drug product received from the CMO and lacked procedures requiring such investigation.
You also failed to adequately investigate the leaking drug product received from your CMO. You segregated and labeled the product as rejected as established in your procedures. However, your procedures do not adequately establish a requirement to investigate or communicate to your CMO to investigate non-conformances such as leaking drug products.
03Stability & expiry · 21 CFR 211.137(a)The firm failed to maintain an ongoing stability testing program to support the labeled expiry on distributed drug products.
You failed to maintain an ongoing stability testing program to support the labeled expiry on your distributed drug products. You utilize a contract testing laboratory to manage your stability testing program and discontinued your ongoing stability program with your contract testing laboratory on January 6, 2023. However, the last lot of drug product manufactured at your facility is labeled with expiration dates through July 29, 2024. There is no assurance that your drug products will remain acceptable throughout their labeled expiry period without an ongoing stability program.

Additional FDA passages

3 extracted findings

Selected FDA passages, not the complete letter.

01

Your firm failed to establish an adequate quality unit and the responsibilities and procedures applicable to the quality control unit are not in writing and fully followed (21 CFR 211.22(a) and 211.22(d)).

02

Your firm failed to assure that the drug product bore an expiration date that was supported by appropriate stability testing (21 CFR 211.137(a)).

03

Failure to address violations may also cause FDA to withhold issuance of Export Certificates. 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 address any violations.

What FDA requested

  • Provide a comprehensive assessment and remediation plan to ensure the QU has authority and resources to function effectively.
  • Provide a determination of whether procedures used by the firm are robust and appropriate.
  • Provide provisions for QU oversight throughout operations to evaluate adherence to appropriate practices.
  • Provide a complete and final review of each lot and related information before QU disposition decision.
  • Provide oversight and approval of investigations and discharging of all other QU duties.
  • Provide investigation and communication to CMO to investigate non-conforming product and supporting documentation of destruction of leaking drug product.
  • Provide plan for continuing stability studies through expiry, including detailed timelines and assessment of stability of product on U.S. market.
  • Provide action plan to address product quality or patient safety risks for products in U.S. distribution, including potential customer notifications and recalls.

FDA Warning Letter

35 paragraphs · 6 sections

Text as published on FDA.gov, retrieved Sep 8, 2026. Layout added for reading; the wording is FDA’s. View on FDA.gov (opens in a new tab)

1WARNING LETTER CMS # 667411

6 paragraphs

December 15, 2023 Dear Mr. Sampath:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspected your drug manufacturing facility, Inopak, Ltd., FEI # 1000122232, at 24 Executive Pkwy., Ringwood, New Jersey, from July 24 to August 3, 2023.

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 August 24, 2023 response to our Form FDA 483 in detail and acknowledge receipt of your subsequent correspondence.

During our inspection, our investigators observed specific violations including, but not limited to, the following.

21. Your firm failed to establish an adequate quality unit and the responsibilities and procedures applicable to the quality control unit are not in writing and fully followed (21 CFR 211.22(a) and 211.22(d)).

7 paragraphs

Your firm utilizes a contract manufacturing organization (CMO) to manufacture your over-the-counter (OTC) drug products such as SaniGuard SF foam hand sanitizer alcohol 70%. Your quality agreement with your CMO stipulates that you are responsible for reviewing documentation including, but not limited to, formulations, specifications, laboratory results, executed “batch records,” and certificates of analysis (COAs). Your quality unit (QU) failed to adequately review these records to ensure required testing was conducted for methanol1, before acceptance of components for use in drug manufacture. Additionally, you did not ensure that your ethanol had acceptable levels of known impurities such as benzene, acetaldehyde, and acetal.

You also failed to adequately investigate the leaking drug product received from your CMO. You segregated and labeled the product as rejected as established in your procedures. However, your procedures do not adequately establish a requirement to investigate or communicate to your CMO to investigate non-conformances such as leaking drug products.

Your response states that you will use a sampling plan to review representative records for your drug products manufactured by your CMO. You state that prior to approving release, you will review each formulation and specification to verify acceptable ranges on the COAs and test results and review each lot’s COA, “(b)(4),” shipping results, and inspection results. You state that you will revise your standard operating procedures (SOPs) to reflect your current operations as a private label distributor of drug products. You also state that all finished drug products damaged in shipping has been destroyed and removed.

Your response is inadequate because your proposed sampling commitment does not conform with your established procedures and quality agreement with your CMO. Your quality agreement appears to contain ambiguities of responsibilities with your CMO that should be addressed to reflect your current operations as stated in your response. Regardless of your established quality agreement as the owner of your drug products, you are ultimately responsible for the quality of your drug products. You also did not provide an investigation for the leaking drug product or communication to your CMO to conduct an investigation. You provided no documentation supporting the claimed destruction of the leaking drug product.

Your firm’s quality system is 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/media/71023/download.

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: o A determination of whether procedures used by your firm are robust and appropriate o Provisions for QU oversight throughout your operations to evaluate adherence to appropriate practices o A complete and final review of each lot and its related information before the QU disposition decision o Oversight and approval of investigations and discharging of all other QU duties to ensure identity, strength, quality, and purity of all products • Your investigation and communication to your CMO to investigate non-conforming product received from your CMO and supporting documentation of the destruction of the leaking drug product.

32. Your firm failed to assure that the drug product bore an expiration date that was supported by appropriate stability testing (21 CFR 211.137(a)).

3 paragraphs

You failed to maintain an ongoing stability testing program to support the labeled expiry on your distributed drug products. You utilize a contract testing laboratory to manage your stability testing program and discontinued your ongoing stability program with your contract testing laboratory on January 6, 2023. However, the last lot of drug product manufactured at your facility is labeled with expiration dates through July 29, 2024. There is no assurance that your drug products will remain acceptable throughout their labeled expiry period without an ongoing stability program.

In response to this letter, provide:

• Your plan for continuing stability studies for your drug products through expiry, including detailed timelines. This plan should also include an assessment of the stability of drug product currently on the U.S. market. • Your action plan to address any product quality or patient safety risks for your drug products in U.S. distribution, including potential customer notifications and recalls.

4Use of Contract Manufacturers

2 paragraphs

Drugs must be manufactured in conformance with CGMP. FDA is aware that many drug manufacturers use independent contractors such as production facilities, testing laboratories, packagers, and labelers. FDA regards contractors as extensions of the manufacturer.

You are responsible for the quality of your drugs regardless of agreements in place with your contract facility. You are required to ensure that drugs are made in accordance with section 501(a)(2)(B) of the FD&C Act to ensure safety, identity, strength, quality, and purity. See FDA’s guidance document Contract Manufacturing Arrangements for Drugs: Quality Agreements at https://www.fda.gov/media/86193/download.

5Drug Production Ceased

2 paragraphs

We acknowledge your commitment to cease production of all drugs at this facility.

If you plan to resume any manufacturing operations regulated under the FD&C Act, notify this office before resuming your drug manufacturing operations. You are responsible for resolving all deficiencies and systemic flaws to ensure your firm is capable of ongoing CGMP compliance. In your notification to the Agency, provide a summary of your remediations to demonstrate that you have appropriately completed all corrective action and preventive action (CAPA).

6Conclusion

5 paragraphs

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. Failure to promptly and adequately address this matter may result in regulatory or legal action without further notice including, without limitation, seizure, and injunction. Unresolved violations may also prevent other Federal agencies from awarding contracts.

Failure to address violations may also cause FDA to withhold issuance of Export Certificates. 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 address any violations.

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 orapharm1_responses@fda.hhs.gov. Your written notification should refer to the Warning Letter, CMS # 667411 and reference: FEI 1000122232.

If you have any questions, contact Compliance Officer CAPT Liatte Closs at Liatte.Closs@fda.hhs.gov.

Sincerely, /S/

Craig Swanson Deputy Program Division Director U.S. Food and Drug Administration OPQO Division I

_______________

1 See 21 CFR 211.84; The use of ethanol contaminated with methanol has resulted in various lethal poisoning incidents in humans worldwide. See FDA’s guidance document Policy for Testing of Alcohol (Ethanol) and Isopropyl Alcohol for Methanol at: https://www.fda.gov/media/173005/download.

Citations and trends

Each 21 CFR section, ISO 13485 clause and issue type in this letter, how often it appears across all letters, and its trend by the year FDA issued the letters. 2026 runs to Nov 3, 2026, compared with the same dates last year. Select a row or a bar to see those letters in Letters. As cited in this historical letter, not a statement of current requirements.

Regulations

Also cited: 21 CFR 210

Issue types

Stability & expiryAI-assigned issue type142letters1finding here
21 letters issued this year vs 34 by the same date last year · -38%

Record details

Issuing center
Office of Inspections and Investigations
Issuing office
Division of Pharmaceutical Quality Operations I
Location
Ringwood, NJ, United States
Letter posted date
Jan 2, 2024
Letter issue date
Dec 15, 2023
Addressed to
Chief Executive Officer
Inspection dates
Jul 24, 2023 to Aug 3, 2023
Response window
Not verified in this snapshot. Consult the original letter.
Record length
1,393 words · 1 recorded redactions
Published status
No published close-out
FDA reference
667411
Original letter
View on FDA.gov (opens in a new tab)
Dataset last checked
Nov 11, 2026 · How this is built

A response window is not a calculated due date. Source excerpts are selected passages. Finding interpretations and categories are model-assisted. Verify the original letter before relying on a finding.

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