United States v. 50 Boxes [OF] ... Cafergot P-B Suppositories

721 F. Supp. 1462, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11824, 1989 WL 117750
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedSeptember 1, 1989
DocketCiv. A. 86-1630-WF
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 721 F. Supp. 1462 (United States v. 50 Boxes [OF] ... Cafergot P-B Suppositories) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. 50 Boxes [OF] ... Cafergot P-B Suppositories, 721 F. Supp. 1462, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11824, 1989 WL 117750 (D. Mass. 1989).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

WOLF, District Judge.

This is an in rem forfeiture action brought by the United States under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FDA Act”), 21 U.S.C. § 301 et seq., seeking that the seized defendant drug, Cafer-got P-B Suppository (“CPB Suppository”) be forfeited and destroyed. The complaint alleges that CPB Suppository is a “new drug” within the meaning of 21 U.S.C. § 321(p), which may not be introduced into interstate commerce without Federal Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) approval.

Claimant Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Corporation (“Sandoz” or “claimant”) opposes forfeiture on the grounds that CPB Suppository is exempted from the FDA approval requirement asserting (1) CPB Suppository is not a “new drug” because it has been generally recognized as safe and effective; and (2) CPB Suppository is covered by a 1962 “grandfather clause,” which exempts from the approval requirements some drugs that were on the United States market before the 1962 amendments to the FDA Act.

The United States has moved for summary judgment, arguing that neither exception to the FDA approval requirement is met in this case. A hearing on that motion has been held. Based upon consideration of the voluminous submissions of the parties and the arguments of each side, the court concludes that plaintiff's motion for summary judgment must be allowed.

I. Facts

Unless otherwise indicated, the following facts are undisputed.

CPB Suppository is a drug within the meaning of 21 U.S.C. § 321(g)(1), and the CPB Suppository that has been seized was shipped in interstate commerce. See 21 U.S.C. § 355(a); Complaint and Answer ¶ 1. There are four active ingredients in CPB Suppository: 2 mg. ergotamine tartrate; 100 mg. caffeine; 60 mg. pentobarbital; and 0.25 mg. bellafoline. It also contains four inactive ingredients: tartaric acid; malic acid; lactose; and cocoa butter. See Affidavit of Dr. Robert Temple, Director, Office of Drug Evaluation, Food and Drug Administration ¶ 10 (October 19, 1988). Two of the active ingredients (ergotamine tartrate and caffeine) are found in identical amounts in Sandoz’s Cafergot Suppository, which has received FDA approval. Both Cafergot and CPB Suppository are sold for the treatment of vascular headaches, including migraines. The two additional active ingredients in CPB (the “P-B”) were apparently designed to treat the tension and gastrointestinal distress that were sometimes side-effects of Cafergot. See Affidavit of Dr. James D. Dexter, University of Missouri School of Medicine M 7-8 (January 27, 1989).

Sandoz first marketed CPB Suppository in the United States in 1955. Temple Aff., Exh. 1. Sandoz did not submit or receive approval of a new drug application (“NDA”) for the drug prior to marketing, [1464]*1464perhaps because the FDA had informally advised the firm that CPB Suppository was not a new drug.1 See Id. ITU 13-14. On July 27, 1972, the FDA published a drug efficacy study implementation (DESI) notice2 in the Federal Register stating that Sandoz’s Cafergot Suppository (as opposed to CPB Suppository) had been reviewed and found to be effective for relief of vascular headaches. DESI Notice 9529, 37 Fed.Reg. 15,032 (1972); Affidavit of Rudolph Apodaca, Director, Division of Drug Labeling Compliance, Exh. 3 (October 14, 1988). In 1977, the FDA informed Sandoz that the agency considered CPB Suppository to be an unapproved new drug that was related to Cafergot Suppository, and that CPB Suppository was subject to regulatory action — that is, seizure — because of its unapproved new drug status. Apodaca Aff., Exh. 4.

In 1985, the FDA sent Sandoz a “Regulatory Letter,” which again advised Sandoz that CPB Suppository was an unapproved new drug subject to seizure. The FDA advised Sandoz that it should discontinue the sale of CPB Suppository and recall significant stocks of the drug from the market. Apodaca Aff., Exh. 5.

In response, Sandoz sent a series of letters to the FDA in an attempt to persuade the FDA to take no regulatory action against its drug. Apodaca Aff., 111119, 20, 21. Sandoz also submitted an NDA for CPB Suppository. The FDA viewed this application as incomplete and returned it to Sandoz. Temple Aff., MI 15-20.

After the FDA refused to accept the NDA for CPB Suppository, the agency conducted an inspection to determine whether Sandoz was continuing to ship CPB Suppository in interstate commerce. Upon determining that Sandoz was continuing to market the drug, the government instituted this forfeiture action.

Additional relevant facts are discussed in the following conclusions of law.

II. Conclusions of Law

A. Summary Judgment Standard

The court’s discretion to grant summary judgment is governed by Rule 56 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Rule 56(c) provides that the court may grant summary judgment only “if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” In addition, “the court must look at the record in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion and must indulge all inferences favorable to that party.” Stepanischen v. Merchants Despatch Transportation Corp., 722 F.2d 922, 928 (1st Cir.1983).

However, to survive a summary judgment challenge on the basis of disputed material facts, the plaintiff must produce substantial evidence, going beyond the allegations of the complaint and supporting the claimed dispute, which would require a judge or jury to resolve the conflicting versions of the truth at trial. Hahn v. Sargent, 523 F.2d 461, 464 (1st Cir.1975), cert. denied, 425 U.S. 904, 96 S.Ct. 1495, 47 L.Ed.2d 754 (1976). See also Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, 477 U.S. 242, 247-48, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2509-10, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986); Matsushita Electrical Industrial Co. v. Zenith Radio, 475 U.S. 574, 586, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 1356, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986) (opponent must “do more than simply show that there is some metaphysical doubt as to material facts”).

In deciding motions for summary judgment, the court must make two inquiries: (1) whether the factual disputes are genuine, and (2) whether any fact genuinely in dispute is material. Anderson, 477 U.S. at 248, 106 S.Ct.

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721 F. Supp. 1462, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11824, 1989 WL 117750, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-50-boxes-of-cafergot-p-b-suppositories-mad-1989.