Aseptic Processing

FDA Warning Letter: Baxter cited for cross-contamination and aseptic control failures

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FDA states that its March 23–April 2, 2026, inspection of Baxter Healthcare Corporation’s Round Lake drug facility found significant CGMP violations in sterile injectable manufacturing. The facility did not achieve complete separation between cephalosporin and other drug production: environmental monitoring repeatedly detected cephalosporin outside the beta-lactam area, while sampling locations, swab recovery qualification, sample timing, and finished-product sampling were inadequate. Multiple failing environmental samples were mistakenly discarded. FDA also identified deficient aseptic controls, including recurring biological indicator growth accepted during requalification, insufficiently representative media fills, inadequate ISO 5 environmental monitoring, incomplete airflow visualization studies, and turbulent non-unidirectional airflow around processing equipment. Manual visual inspection was unreliable because operator qualification, challenge particles, and inspection speed were inadequate; particulate complaints included confirmed cardboard contamination. Investigations into rising container-closure leaks and a 2025 cefazolin sterility failure were also inadequate, and the sterility result was invalidated without adequate scientific justification before lot release. FDA found the company’s responses insufficient and its quality systems inadequate.

FDA Warning Letter: Rohto cited for falsified monitoring records and aseptic processing failures

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FDA’s April 2026 inspection of Rohto-Mentholatum (Vietnam) Co., Ltd. identified significant CGMP violations in the manufacture of aseptically processed OTC ophthalmic drugs. FDA observed systemic falsification of environmental monitoring, personnel monitoring, and cleaning records, including submission of unexposed plates and documentation of cleaning that management confirmed was not performed. After FDA discussed these deficiencies with management, monitoring conducted during the inspection produced numerous samples with microbial growth, including approximately 25 ISO 5 excursions. FDA also observed poor aseptic practices, undocumented interventions, deficient gowning, reuse of opened sterile component bags, infrequent decontamination, inadequate supervisory oversight, and equipment placement that obstructed unidirectional airflow. Investigations of two batches exceeding visual-inspection reject limits did not adequately identify the nature or source of particles, yet the batches were released to the U.S. market. FDA found the company’s response inadequate, citing reliance on unreliable monitoring data and insufficient consideration of systemic data integrity failures. The company subsequently initiated recalls due to lack of sterility assurance and suspended U.S.-market production.

FDA Warning Letter: Hanlim Pharm cited for sterile manufacturing and quality system deficiencies

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FDA cited significant CGMP violations following an April 2026 inspection of Hanlim Pharm’s drug manufacturing facility. Inspectors observed poor aseptic practices, including operators obstructing first air, working directly over exposed components, and wearing a visibly stained gown. Dynamic smoke studies did not demonstrate adequate unidirectional airflow protection and indicated possible entrainment of lower-quality air into the ISO 5 processing line. FDA also found that critical container-closure contact surfaces were wiped with sporicidal disinfectants rather than sterilized. Environmental monitoring locations and frequencies were not adequately justified or sufficient to detect contamination risks near containers, closures, and barriers facing ISO 5 areas. The visual inspection program lacked routine defect categorization and appropriate acceptance criteria despite significant defect rates. FDA further stated that the quality unit lacked adequate authority and oversight, citing failures involving the stability program and contemporaneous documentation of environmental and personnel monitoring data. FDA considered the company’s responses inadequate and noted similar violations in a previous warning letter.

FDA Warning Letter: SCA Pharmaceuticals cited for aseptic processing and contamination-control deficiencies

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FDA states that its October 20–30, 2025, inspection of SCA Pharmaceuticals’ Little Rock outsourcing facility found serious deficiencies in production of drugs intended or expected to be sterile. Investigators cited inadequate certification and dynamic airflow visualization of ISO 5 areas, airflow and HEPA-supplied positive-pressure concerns, poor aseptic practices, deficient material disinfection, and environmental monitoring that was not representative of production conditions. FDA also found inadequate evaluation of microbial contamination in ISO 5 areas and insufficient investigations, CAPA, and batch-impact assessments. Component and visual inspection controls did not adequately identify, classify, investigate, trend, or address particles and foreign material between syringe stopper ribs. Laboratory controls and Quality Unit procedures were cited as inadequate. Production videos used in investigations were overwritten after approximately a redacted period, with only still images retained. FDA found some responses deficient and could not fully evaluate others because supporting documentation was inadequate, and recommended a comprehensive aseptic operations assessment assisted by a qualified sterile-manufacturing consultant.

EU GMP Non-Compliance (4 reports published for the same company- see previous posts): Het Nederlands Kanker Instituut-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Ziekenhuis Stichting – inadequate OOS and aseptic controls

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Following inspections on 10–12 February and 22–23 April 2026, the Netherlands Health and Youth Care Inspectorate found the hospital pharmacy GMP non-compliant. The NCA recorded one critical, seven major and 14 other deficiencies. The critical deficiency concerned an inadequate OOS process: multiple batches of registered finished products were released despite moisture or assay results outside specified limits, and an ATMP was released despite a failed in-process sterility test. The OOS procedure could permit certification and release without thorough investigation or sufficient justification. Major findings included inadequate aseptic controls, contamination control strategy, process simulations, microbiological investigation and trending, cleanroom behaviour and gowning. Weaknesses also affected the PQS, deviations, CAPA, change control, complaints, self-inspection, PQRs, computerized system validation, data integrity and documentation. The NCA’s stated action was withdrawal of four GMP certificates covering Plesmanlaan and Louwesweg. An unscheduled re-inspection is planned based on the company’s action plan. For the M22BOL study, the NCA described limited impact and left decisions to concerned Member States; no implemented suspension was reported.

EU GMP Non-Compliance: Het Nederlands Kanker Instituut-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Ziekenhuis Stichting – Inadequate OOS controls and release after failing results

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The Netherlands Health and Youth Care Inspectorate found the hospital pharmacy GMP non-compliant after inspections on 10–12 February and 22–23 April 2026. The conclusion was based on one critical, seven major and 14 other deficiencies. The critical deficiency concerned an inadequate OOS process: several registered finished-product batches were released despite moisture-content or assay results outside specified limits, and an investigational ATMP was released after a failed in-process sterility test. The OOS procedure could also permit certification and release without thorough investigation or sufficient justification. Major findings covered incomplete aseptic controls and contamination strategy, inadequate process simulations, weak microbiological investigation and trending, operator and gowning practices, deficiencies across the pharmaceutical quality system, inadequate computerized-system validation and data integrity, and poor documentation practices. The Inspectorate withdrew current GMP certificates, including certificates covering Louwesweg 6. A re-inspection, not yet scheduled, is planned against the company’s action plan; a new certificate would follow a positive outcome. For study EU CT 2023-505039-11-00, the NCA considered impact limited and left market decisions to concerned Member States.

EU GMP Non-Compliance: Het Nederlands Kanker Instituut-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Ziekenhuis Stichting – Inadequate OOS handling and aseptic controls

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Following inspections on February 10–12 and April 22–23, 2026, the Netherlands Health and Youth Care Inspectorate concluded that the hospital pharmacy was GMP non-compliant, citing one critical, seven major and fourteen other deficiencies. The critical deficiency concerned inadequate OOS handling: registered finished-product batches were released outside moisture or assay limits, and an ATMP was released despite a failed in-process sterility test. Major findings covered incomplete contamination controls, inadequate aseptic process simulations, deficient microbiological investigation and trending, poor cleanroom behaviour and gowning, and weaknesses in the pharmaceutical quality system, computerized system validation, data integrity and documentation. The NCA stated withdrawal of four current GMP certificates, including certificates for Plesmanlaan 121. A reinspection is planned but not yet scheduled; successful reinspection would support a new certificate and withdrawal of the non-compliance statement. For trial EU CT 2023-505039-11-00, the NCA assessed the impact as limited and left market decisions to concerned Member States; no trial suspension was reported.

EU GMP Non-Compliance: Het Nederlands Kanker Instituut-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Ziekenhuis Stichting – inadequate OOS handling allowed release of non-compliant batches

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Following its 2026 inspection, the Netherlands Health and Youth Care Inspectorate found the hospital pharmacy GMP non-compliant for sterile, non-sterile, biological and packaging operations. The NCA recorded one critical, seven major and 14 other deficiencies. The critical deficiency concerned an inadequate OOS process: several registered finished-product batches were released outside moisture or assay limits, and an ATMP was released after a failed in-process sterility test; ambiguous procedures could permit certification without adequate investigation or justification. Major findings covered incomplete aseptic controls and contamination strategy, inadequate process simulations, weak microbiological test design, investigation and trending, operator and gowning deficiencies, an insufficient pharmaceutical quality system, inadequate computerized-system validation and data integrity, and poor documentation practices. For the sole EU-facing study, DS-8201a relabeling and repackaging, the NCA considered impact limited but said systemic deficiencies could affect it. It left market decisions to concerned Member States; no trial suspension was stated. The NCA withdrew four GMP certificates and plans an as-yet-unscheduled re-inspection. Positive re-inspection would permit recertification and withdrawal of the statement.

FDA Warning Letter: Pine Pharmaceuticals cited for aseptic control, investigation, and validation deficiencies

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FDA inspected Pine Pharmaceuticals’ outsourcing facility from November 4–14, 2025, and found evidence of insanitary conditions and CGMP violations in production of drugs intended to be sterile. Operators did not sanitize materials, equipment, hands, or sleeves appropriately when moving from the ISO 7 area into the ISO 5 critical area. FDA also found that routine environmental monitoring did not cover manually handled, high-touch staging trays with a difficult-to-clean design. The letter cites inadequate investigations, deficient aseptic and sterilization process procedures and validation, inadequate personnel qualification, and deficient yield and reject-rate controls. FDA said particulate defects could bypass investigation triggers, while undefined “cosmetic” defects could be returned to batches. Responses were considered unsupported or deficient, including failure to establish root causes for particulates and recurring closure or inspection defects, reliance on reinspection and retrospective risk assessments, and incomplete CAPAs. FDA also found inadequate change control and requalification of visual inspectors, incomplete reject-rate corrections, and undefined, operator-dependent mixing parameters without a detailed validation plan.

FDA Cites Sterile Injectable CGMP Violations at Fresenius Kabi Facility

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FDA issued a warning letter to Fresenius Kabi AG after a January 27 to February 18, 2026 inspection identified significant CGMP violations at its Melrose Park sterile injectable facility. FDA cited inadequate investigations of endotoxin and bioburden signals, media fill failures, complaints, and biological particulate contamination; deficient aseptic process simulations and cleanroom practices; and inadequate visual inspection, facility, and equipment controls. The letter states that investigations overrelied on passing finished-product tests and lacked supported root causes, broad scope, and CAPA effectiveness checks. It also describes recalls of three famotidine injection batches and, following FDA discussions, six batches of other injectable products. FDA requested independent assessments, retrospective reviews, remediation plans, and a response within 15 business days.