Pii named as manufacturer of drug withdrawn by Sun Pharma

By Gareth Macdonald

- Last updated on GMT

Pii, Sun, Taro, Caraco, FDA
US CMO Pharmaceutics International (Pii) has been named as the manufacturer of the cranial bleeding treatment voluntarily withdrawn by India’s Sun Pharmaceutical Industries earlier this week.

Mumbai-based Sun pulled two lots nimodipine – previously sold by its US subsidiary Caraco -after quality tests showed the drug’s active ingredient had crystalized within the capsules.

Sun told​ the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the withdrawal, which was prompted by a complaint, was a precautionary move and that the “product may no longer be bioequivalent and may potentially affect patients who are being treated for a medical emergency​.”

The Indian firm also named Maryland-based Pii as the contract manufacturing organisation (CMO) that made the drug on its behalf.

Pii – which is adding capacity​ at the manufacturing site where the affected nimodipine was produced – has not yet issued a statement on the recall.

Regulatory difficulties

The news will be a bitter pill – or capsule - for Sun, which last week finally seemed to be making some progress in addressing the long-running regulatory difficulties it faced in the US.

In a statement issued on August 28, Sun announced that the FDA had given the OK for production of certain drugs to resume at two Caraco sites in Michigan that were issued with a consent decree in 2009 following a number of quality concern​s.

Sun said that the FDA – which is yet to post any corroboration of the information or close out letter on its website – “has notified [it] that Caraco may resume operations at its manufacturing facility and packaging sites in Detriot and Wixom, Michigan.

During their inspection, the USFDA reviewed the certification reports for production of Carvedilol USP as well as Paramomycin USP, and subsequently reviewed corrective actions on 483's. Currently, Caraco may resume production of only these two products​.”

Distraction

The nimodipine recall also comes as Sun faces yet another hurdle in its long-running battle​ to buy Israeli drugmaker Taro Pharmaceuticals.

According to a number of reports in India’s Business Standard newspaper earlier this week some Taro shareholder​ groups​ want to reject the Sun takeover offer and open the sale up to other bidders.

Related news

Show more

Related product

Understanding the hidden value of quality

Understanding the hidden value of quality

Content provided by Thermo Fisher Scientific – Production Chemicals and Services | 16-Jan-2023 | White Paper

The raw material supply is too vital to leave to chance, and quality-related supply chain activities are cornerstones to your success.

Follow us