# Determination That Four Heparin Sodium In Sodium Chloride In Plastic Container (Heparin Sodium) Drug Products Were Not Withdrawn From Sale for Reasons of Safety or Effectiveness
**AGENCY:**
Food and Drug Administration, HHS.
**ACTION:**
Notice.
**SUMMARY:**
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency) has determined that HEPARIN SODIUM 12,500 UNITS IN SODIUM CHLORIDE 0.45% IN PLASTIC CONTAINER (heparin sodium) injectable, 5,000 units/100 milliliters (mL); HEPARIN SODIUM 25,000 UNITS IN SODIUM CHLORIDE 0.45% IN PLASTIC CONTAINER (heparin sodium) injectable, 5,000 units/100 mL; HEPARIN SODIUM 25,000 UNITS IN SODIUM CHLORIDE 0.45% IN PLASTIC CONTAINER (heparin sodium) injectable, 10,000 units/100 mL; and HEPARIN SODIUM 25,000 UNITS IN SODIUM CHLORIDE 0.9% IN PLASTIC CONTAINER (heparin sodium) injectable, 5,000 units/100 mL under new drug application (NDA) 019802 were not withdrawn from sale for reasons of safety or effectiveness. This determination will allow FDA to approve abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) that refer to these products if all other legal and regulatory requirements are met.
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Madeleine Giaquinto, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Ave., Bldg. 51, Rm. 6219, Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002, 240-863-8976, *[email protected].*
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
Section 505(j) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) (21 U.S.C. 355(j)) allows the submission of an ANDA to market a generic version of a previously approved drug product. To obtain approval, the ANDA applicant must show, among other things, that the generic drug product: (1) has the same active ingredient(s), dosage form, route of administration, strength, conditions of use, and (with certain exceptions) labeling as the listed drug, which is a version of the drug that was previously approved, and (2) is bioequivalent to the listed drug. ANDA applicants do not have to repeat the extensive clinical testing otherwise necessary to gain approval of a new drug application (NDA).
Section 505(j)(7) of the FD&C Act requires FDA to publish a list of all approved drugs. FDA publishes this list as part of the “Approved Drug Products With Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations,” which is known generally as the “Orange Book.” Under FDA regulations, drugs are removed from the list if the Agency withdraws or suspends approval of the drug's NDA or ANDA for reasons of safety or effectiveness or if FDA determines that the listed drug was withdrawn from sale for reasons of safety or effectiveness (21 CFR 314.162).
A person may petition the Agency to determine, or the Agency may determine on its own initiative, whether a listed drug was withdrawn from sale for reasons of safety or effectiveness. This determination may be made at any time after the drug has been withdrawn from sale, but must be made prior to approving an ANDA that refers to the listed drug (21 CFR 314.161). FDA may not approve an ANDA that does not refer to a listed drug.
HEPARIN SODIUM 12,500 UNITS IN SODIUM CHLORIDE 0.45% IN PLASTIC CONTAINER (heparin sodium) injectable, 5,000 units/100 mL; HEPARIN SODIUM 25,000 UNITS IN SODIUM CHLORIDE 0.45% IN PLASTIC CONTAINER (heparin sodium) injectable, 5,000 units/100 mL; HEPARIN SODIUM 25,000 UNITS IN SODIUM CHLORIDE 0.45% IN PLASTIC CONTAINER (heparin sodium) injectable, 10,000 units/100 mL; and HEPARIN SODIUM 25,000 UNITS IN SODIUM CHLORIDE 0.9% IN PLASTIC CONTAINER (heparin sodium) injectable, 5,000 units/100 mL are the subject of NDA 019802, held by B. Braun Medical Inc., and initially approved on July 20, 1992. These drug products are indicated for anticoagulant therapy in prophylaxis and treatment of venous thrombosis and its extension; for prophylaxis and treatment of pulmonary embolism; in atrial fibrillation with embolization; for diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic consumptive coagulopathies (disseminated intravascular coagulation); for prevention of clotting in arterial and heart surgery; and in prophylaxis and treatment of peripheral arterial embolism.
The HEPARIN SODIUM IN SODIUM CHLORIDE IN PLASTIC CONTAINER (heparin sodium) drug products listed in this document are currently listed in the “Discontinued Drug Product List” section of the Orange Book. In the *Federal Register* of June 21, 2017 (82 FR 28322), FDA announced that it was withdrawing approval of NDA 019802, effective July 21, 2017.
B. Braun Medical Inc. submitted a citizen petition dated January 10, 2022 (Docket No. FDA-2022-P-0060), under 21 CFR 10.30, requesting that the Agency determine whether the following drug products were withdrawn from sale for reasons of safety or effectiveness:
• HEPARIN SODIUM 12,500 UNITS IN SODIUM CHLORIDE 0.45% IN PLASTIC CONTAINER (heparin sodium) injectable, 5,000 units/100 mL;
• HEPARIN SODIUM 25,000 UNITS IN SODIUM CHLORIDE 0.45% IN PLASTIC CONTAINER (heparin sodium) injectable, 5,000 units/100 mL;
• HEPARIN SODIUM 25,000 UNITS IN SODIUM CHLORIDE 0.45% IN PLASTIC CONTAINER (heparin sodium) injectable, 10,000 units/100 mL; and
• HEPARIN SODIUM 25,000 UNITS IN SODIUM CHLORIDE 0.9% IN PLASTIC CONTAINER (heparin sodium) injectable, 5,000 units/100 mL.
After considering the citizen petition and reviewing Agency records and based on the information we have at this time, FDA has determined under § 314.161 that the four HEPARIN SODIUM IN SODIUM CHLORIDE IN PLASTIC CONTAINER (heparin sodium) drug products listed in this document were not withdrawn for reasons of safety or effectiveness. The petitioner has identified no data or other information suggesting that these drug products were withdrawn for reasons of safety or effectiveness. We have carefully reviewed our files for records concerning the withdrawal from sale of the four HEPARIN SODIUM IN SODIUM CHLORIDE IN PLASTIC CONTAINER (heparin sodium) drug products listed in this document. We have also independently evaluated relevant literature and data for possible postmarketing adverse events. We have found no information that would indicate that this drug product was withdrawn from sale for reasons of safety or effectiveness.
Accordingly, the Agency will continue to list the four HEPARIN SODIUM IN SODIUM CHLORIDE IN PLASTIC CONTAINER (heparin sodium) drug products listed in this document in the “Discontinued Drug Product List” section of the Orange Book. The “Discontinued Drug Product List” delineates, among other items, drug products that have been discontinued from marketing for reasons other than safety or effectiveness. ANDAs that refer to these drug products may be approved by the Agency as long as they meet all other legal and regulatory requirements for the approval of ANDAs. If FDA determines that labeling for these drug products should be revised to meet current standards, the Agency will advise ANDA applicants to submit such labeling.
Grace R. Graham,
Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Legislation, and International Affairs.