WARNING LETTER
reBom Co., Ltd. MARCS-CMS 682811 —
- Delivery Method:
- VIA EMAIL WITH READ RECEIPT
- Reference #:
- 320-24-49
- Product:
- Drugs
- Recipient:
-
Recipient NameMr. Kwangjeon Lee
-
Recipient TitleManager
- reBom Co., Ltd.
6 Myeonghaksandanseo-ro
Yeondong-myeon
Sejong
30068
South Korea-
- jake@rebom.kr
- Issuing Office:
- Center for Drug Evaluation and Research | CDER
United States
Warning Letter 320-24-49
June 26, 2024
Dear Mr. Lee:
Your facility is registered with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a manufacturer of over-the-counter (OTC) drug products. FDA has reviewed the records you submitted in response to our November 9, 2022, and February 26, 2024, requests for records and other information pursuant to section 704(a)(4) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) for your facility, reBom Co., Ltd., FEI 3013693278, at 6 Myeonghaksandanseo-ro, Yeondong-Myeon, Sejong.
This warning letter summarizes significant violations of Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) regulations for finished pharmaceuticals. See Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations, parts 210 and 211 (21 CFR, parts 210 and 211).
Because your methods, facilities, or controls for manufacturing, processing, packing, or holding of drugs as described in your responses to our 704(a)(4) request 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)).
Following the review of records and other information provided pursuant to section 704(a)(4) of the FD&C Act, significant violations were observed including, but not limited to, the following:
1. 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)).
The records and information you provided did not demonstrate that your firm has an adequate stability program for the OTC drug products that you manufacture. For example, your firm’s stability test report only included three months of stability data for one batch of dermaFit Athlete Muscle Maintenance Cream. This drug product is labeled with a 2-year expiration date. In addition, you failed to provide data demonstrating appropriate chemical and microbiological testing is performed on your drug products during your stability studies.
Without appropriate stability studies, you do not have scientific evidence to support whether your drug products meet established specifications and retain their quality attributes through their labeled expiry.
2. Your firm failed to test samples of each component for identity and conformity with all appropriate written specifications for purity, strength, and quality (21 CFR 211.84(d)(1) and 211.84(d)(2)).
Your firm manufactured OTC drug products including dermaFit Athlete Muscle Maintenance Cream. Based on the records and information provided, you did not demonstrate that you are adequately testing the identity of incoming components used in the manufacture of your drug products.
Additionally, you did not ensure each component met appropriate specifications for purity. Specifically, you did not demonstrate you are testing (b)(4), your active ingredient, for (b)(4). Also, your component identity testing did not include a limit test for diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG) on all lots of glycerin before use in the manufacture of your drug products.
Without adequate testing you do not have scientific evidence that your raw materials conform to appropriate specifications prior to use in the manufacture of your drug products. As a manufacturer, you have a responsibility to sample, test, and examine drug components before use in production to assure adequate quality, including testing for the presence of (b)(4) in (b)(4).
Products Contain (b)(4) ((b)(4) Risk)
You manufacture drugs that contain (b)(4). The use of (b)(4) contaminated with (b)(4) has resulted in various lethal poisoning incidents in humans worldwide. (b)(4).
Products Contain Glycerin
You manufacture drugs that contain glycerin. The use of glycerin contaminated with DEG and 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/media/167974/download.
Finished Drug Product Testing
Based on the records and information provided, you did not demonstrate that you conducted adequate finished drug product testing on your drug products. For example, the certificates of analysis that you provided for dermaFIT Athlete Muscle Maintenance Cream did not include an appropriate assay test for active ingredient content or microbiological testing.
Full release testing, including strength and identity testing of the active ingredient, must be performed before drug product release and distribution. Without adequate testing, you do not have adequate scientific evidence to assure that your drug products conform to appropriate specifications before release.
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. The qualified consultant should also perform a comprehensive six-system audit of your entire operation for CGMP compliance and evaluate the completion and efficacy of your corrective actions and preventive actions (CAPA) before you pursue resolution of your firm’s compliance status with FDA.
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 reBom Co., Ltd., Sejong, South Korea 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 3013693278 and ATTN: Joseph Lambert.
Sincerely,
/S/
Francis Godwin
Director
Office of Manufacturing Quality
Office of Compliance
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research