DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration New England District WARNING LETTER NWE-11-08W

Transcription

1 1 l,9 ~ J DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration New England District One Montvale Avenue Stoneham, Massachuse tts (781) FAX: (781) WARNING LETTER NWE-11-08W April 25, 2008 VIA FEDERAL EXPRESS Mark A. Philip, Ph.D. President Stryker Biotech 35 South Street Hopkinton, MA Dear Dr. Philip : During an inspection of your firm located in Hopkinton, Massachusetts on September 24 through October 18, 2007, investigators from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined that your firm manufactures Calstrux, OP-1 Implant and OP-1 Putty. Under section 201(h) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act), 21 U.S.C. 321(h), these products are devices 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 are intended to affect the structure or function of the body. This inspection revealed that you failed to obtain an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) prior to initiating a clinical investigation of the OP-1 implant. 21 CFR (a)(2), The FDA approved indication for the OP-1 Implant states, "It is authorized by Federal law for use as an alternative to autograft in recalcitrant long hone nonunions where use of autograft is unfeasible and alternative treatments have failed." Thus the approved indication is for use of the OP-1 Implant alone. Contracts you entered into with clinical investigators indicate that you initiated studies to determine the safe and/or efficacy of the OP-1 Implant in combination with either a n The clinical investigation of the safety and effectiveness of a new ~ndication for the OP-1 Implant requires an FDA approved IDE. 21 CFR (a)(2). You failed to obtain an IDE prior to the conduct of this investigation.

2 , Page 2 Your introduction of the OP-1 Implant into interstate commerce for a new intended use is a violation of the law. Specifically, these devices were adulterated under section 501(f)(1)(B) of the Act [21 U.S. C. 351 (f)(1)(13)) because you did not have an approved application for premarket approval, (PMA), in effect pursuant to section 515(a) [21 U.S. C. 360e(a)] of the Act, and you did not have an approved application for investigational device exemption (IDE) under section 520(g) of the Act [21 U.S. C. 360j(g)] for the intended use under investigation. These devices were also misbranded under section 502(o) of the Act [21 U.S. C. 352(o)] because you did not notify the agency of your intent to introduce the device into commercial distribution, as required by section 510(k) of the Act [21 U.S. C. 360(k)]. For a device requiring premauket approval, the notification required by section 510(k) of the Act is deemed satisfied when - a PMA is pending before the agency. 21 C.F.R (b). This inspection revealed that your devices 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 (CGMP) requirements of the Quality System (QS) regulation found at 21 CFR Part 820. We received a response from Judith Sematinger, Vice President, Regulatory Affairs and Quality, dated November 8, 2007, concerning our investigator's observations noted on the Form FDA 483, List of Inspectionai Observations that was issued to you. We address this response below, in relation to each of the noted violations. These violations include, but are not limited to, the following : 1. Failure to adequately establish and maintain procedures analyzing processes, work operations, concessions, quality audits reports, quality records, service records, complaints, returned product, and other sources of quality data to identify existing and potential causes of nonconforming product, or other quality problems, as required by 21 CFR (a)(1). For example, neither the Corrective and Preventive Action procedures (Corrective and Preventive Action Quality System Element QS-03 1 Rev A, and Investigation and Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) Procedure QA-003 Rev R) nor the complaint handling procedure (Triage and Classification of Global Commercial Customer Complaints and Adverse Events RA-014 Rev A) define the terms "trending" and 'statistical methods." Defining trending and statistical methods assists in applying a consistent methodology in analyzing quality problems and adverse events. Trending and statistical methods that are not sufficiently robust may not be sensitive enough to detect significant increases in quality problems and adverse events. Furthermore, the complaint procedure indicates that quarterly trending of complaints will occur and links the trending to the CAPA procedure. However, neither procedure establishes when quarterly complaint analysis results are considered significant enough to warrant inclusion in the Stryker Biotech CAPA subsystem.

3 Page 3 We have reviewed the Stryker Biotech response dated 11/8/07 and have determined that it is not adequate. While your firm has instituted a new procedure Product Complaint and Adverse Event Trending, RA-020 Rev A to address deficiencies in the complaint handling p rocess at Stryker Biotech, the definition for trending of complaints incorporates a difference fro m the mean complaint occurrence level that is so large, as to miss most, if not all increases in complaints ; this will likely result in inadequate complaint information feeding back into the quality system via the CAPA subsystem. Furthermore, your firm has not updated the CAPA or the complaint procedures to include the definition or reference the new RA-020 procedure. More importantly, your firm has not reviewed the other p rocedures related to the evaluation of quality problems to ensure that important definitions, such as "trend" and "actionable levels are clearly defined for inclusion as CAPA items in the St ryker Biotech CAPA subsystem. 2: Failure to adequately implement changes in methods and procedures needed to correct and prevent identified quality problems, as required by 21 CFR (a)(5). For example, Corporate CAPA # was closed on 12/15/06 although one of the action items, updating the ri sk analysis for OP-1 Implant, was not implemented. Your response to this observation appears to be adequate. 3. Failure to document all activities required under 21 CFR and their results, as required by 21 CFR (b). For example, an informational letter dated 9/7/05 sent to customers regarding off-label use of Calstrux was a corrective action taken in response to the quality problem identified in complaints received regarding adverse events associated with off-label use of Calstrux. These actions were not documented in the Stryker Biotech CAPA system. Your response to this observation appears to be adequate. 4. Failure to adequately establish and maintain compliant procedures and to ensure that complaint files are maintained, as required by 21 CFR (a). For example, complaint files , and were missing data on page 2 of the Complaint Incident Report and Evaluation Form. The missing information includes completely blank pages and undocumented decisions on the form, such as the need for a recall or an investigation. We have reviewed the Stryker Biotech response dated 11/8/07 and have determined that it is not adequate. Your firm indicates that it has : retroactively completed the complaint files ; has revised all complaints files for completeness of data with regard to completion of the QA-007-1F form ; signed and dated the forms as Late Entry Forms ; modified the process to require that all complaint files are the subject of a review by Quality Assurance before they are closed ; and trained relevant personnel on the

4 Page 4 change. However, your firm did not provide copies of the retroactively completed forms for our review. 5. Failure to adequately ensure that all equipment used in the manufacturing process meets specified requirements and is appropriately designed, constructed, placed and installed to facilitate maintenance, adjustment, cleaning and use, as required by 21 CFR (g). For example, the drain hose below the hot water for injection valve number HV81109, and the drain pipe from th e 4~ vial washer (equipment #EZ-009) did not have air gaps to the drain. Instead, the pipe and hose hung below the upper rim around the drain. Your response to this observation appears to be adequate. In addition, our inspection revealed that your Calstrux, OP-1 Implant and OP-1 Putty devices are also misbranded under section 502(t)(2) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. 352(t)(2), in that your firm failed or refused to fumish material or information respecting the device that is required by or under section 519 of the Act, 21 U.S.C. 360i, and 21 C.F.R. Part Medical Device Reporting regulation. Significant deviations include, but are not limited to, the following : 1. Failure to submit a Medical Device Report (MDR) no later than 30 calendar days within receiving or otherwise becoming aware of information that reasonably suggests that the firm's device may have caused or contributed to a death or serious injury, as required by 21 CFR (a)(1). For example, the inspection documented at least 33 MDR reportable events where Stryker Biotech either failed to file an MDR or filed the MDR late. We have reviewed your response and have concluded that it is inadequate because the response did not address how you will bring Stryker Biotech into compliance with the MDR requirements of 21 CFR Part 803. In addition, it refers to outdated MDR regulations. References to citations such as 21 CFR 803.3(bb)(1)(2) are outdated. Upon review of your MDR complaint files, we noted the following violations, which are described below : 2. Failure to conduct an investigation of each event and evaluate the cause of the event, as required by 21 CFR (b)(3). For example, the investigation documented approximately 28 complaint files that do not contain sufficient, if any, follow up information about patient outcome, and address treatment in ambiguous terms ( e.g., "washout" as follow-up treatment for product migration). Follow up information is relevant in determining the cause of the event.

5 Page 5 3. Failure to establish and maintain MDR files that contain information in your possession or references to information related to the adverse event, including all documentation of your deliberations and decision making processes used to determine if a device-related death, serious injury, or malfunction was or was not reportable under this part, as required by 21 CFR (b}(1)(i). For example, in complaint file # , Stryker was aware the patient showed signs of an infection and "residual TCP extruding out of the wounds," which was treated by irrigation. Such treatment indicates that the injury required "medical or surgical intervention to preclude permanent impairment of a body function or permanent damage to a body structure ;" however, the evaluator of the complaint file determined that such treatment did not require "medical or surgical intervention to preclude permanent impairment of a body function or permanent damage to a body structure" without providing any documentation of deliberation regarding reaching that outcome. We acknowledge that because these issues were not expressly cited in the FDA-483, your response does not specifically address these issues. FDA is aware of falsified IRB documentation submitted by some of the sales force prior to the initiation of the inspection. FDA is in receipt of your plan to identify the scope of the problem and your proposed plan to correct it. Your most recent correspondence to us on the matter dated 1/9/2008 indicated that you are continuing to investigate those sites that have not responded to your inquiries. We look forward to hearing how your firm continues to implement corrective actions to ensure proper documentation of IRB approval for the Humanitarian Device Exemption devices, OP-1 Implant and OP-1 Putty prior to distribution. In addition to the violations listed above, we note that during our inspection of your facility, our investigators determined that your firm utilizes software to ensure approval of each device shipment. OP-1 Implant was distributed to two facilities after Stryker Biotech employees overrode the distribution software and there was no written justification for this deviation. Specifically: #Ashii ment of OP-1 Implant was made on 3/15/05 to customer # in ipmen~-t of OP-1 Implant was made on 6/20/05 to customer # in FDA has reviewed the Stryker Biotech response dated and determined that while your firm has acknowledged that this matter requires a modification to the software to ensure that employees cannot override error messages, your firm has not provided evidence that the CAPA actions, including a software modification and retraining, have been irriplemented. Further, your response did not address that your

6 Page 6 current software, without a CAPA implemented to prevent overrides, can be overri dden without w ritten jus tification. You should take prompt action to correct the violation(s) addressed in this letter. Failure to promptly correct these violation(s) may result in regulatory action being initiated by the Food and Drug Administration without further notice. These actions include, but are not limited to, seizure, injunction, and/or civil money penalties. Also, federal agencies are advised of the issuance of all Warning Letters about devices so that they may take this information into account when considering the award of contracts. Additionally, premarket approval applications for Class III devices to which the Quality System regulation deviations are reasonably related will not be approved until the violations have been corrected. Requests for Certificates to Foreign Governments will not be granted until the violations related to the subject devices have been corrected. Please notify this office in writing within fifteen (15) working days from the date you receive this letter of the specific steps you have taken to correct the noted violations, including an explanation of how you plan to prevent these violation(s), or similar violation(s), from occurring again. Inciude documentation of the corrective action you have taken. If your planned corrections will occur over time, please include a timetable for implementation of those corrections. If corrective action cannot be completed within 15 working days, state the reason for the delay and the time within which the corrections will be completed. Your response should be sent to : Karen N. Archdeacon, Food and Drug Administration, One Montvale Avenue, Fourth Floor, Stoneham, Massachusetts If you have any questions about the content of this letter please contact : Ms. Archdeacon at (781) Finally, you should know that this letter is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of the violation(s) at your facility. It is your responsibility to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations administered by FDA. The specific violation(s) noted in this letter and in the Inspectional Observations, Form FDA 483 (FDA 483), issued at the closeout of the inspection may be symptomatic of serious problems in your firm's manufacturing and quality assurance systems. You should investigate and determine the causes of

7 Page 7 the violation(s), and take prompt actions to correct the violation(s) and to bring your products into compliance. Sincerely yours, William S. Boivin Acting, District Director New England District A ttachment: FDA-483 dated October 18, Cc: Mr. James E. Kemler Group President Stryker Biotech, Spine, Osteosynthesis, Development One Broadway, 16trh Floor Cambridge, MA Mr. Stephen P. MacMillan President and CEO Stryker Corporatio n 2835 Airview Blvd. Kalamazoo, MI 49002