FDA warns against high levels of NDMA in extended release Metformin

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned that Some extended-release forms of metformin contain unacceptably high levels of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a probable human carcinogen.The FDA spokesperson noted that the impurity has not been found in immediate-release versions of metformin.

Previously, angiotensin-receptor blockers and ranitidine were recalled because of high NDMA levels.

N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a common contaminant found in water and foods including cured and grilled meats, dairy products and vegetables. Everyone is exposed to some level of NDMA.

Food and Drug Administration has announcing that the testing by the agency laboratory has revealed levels of the nitrosamine impurity N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) above the agency's acceptable intake limit in several lots of the extended-release (ER) formulation of metformin.

Metformin is a one of the largest selling prescription drug used to control high blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Food and Drug Administration has advised that Patients should continue taking metformin tablets even after recalls occur, until they consult with their health care professional who can prescribe a replacement. Patients with type 2 diabetes could face dangerous health risks if they stop taking their prescribed metformin.

The Food and Drug Administration recommends that health care professionals continue to prescribe metformin when clinically appropriate; FDA testing has not shown NDMA in immediate release (IR) metformin products (the most commonly prescribed type of metformin).

The Food and Drug Administration is in contact with five firms to recommend they voluntarily recall their products. Company recall notices will be posted on FDA's website. There are additional manufacturers of the metformin ER formulation that supply a significant portion of the U.S. market, and their products are not being recalled. The FDA is continuing to work closely with manufacturers to ensure appropriate testing. Assessments are underway to determine whether metformin ER recalls will result in shortages and the agency will work closely with manufacturers to prevent or reduce any impact of shortages.

"The Food and Drug Administration has strict standards for safety, effectiveness and quality, and the agency makes every effort based on science and data to help keep the U.S. drug supply safe. We understand that patients may have concerns about possible impurities in their medicines, and want to assure the public that we have been looking closely at this problem over many months in order to provide patients and health care professionals with clear and accurate answers," said Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., acting director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "Now that we have identified some metformin products that do not meet our standards, we're taking action. As we have been doing since this impurity was first identified, we will communicate as new scientific information becomes available and will take further action, if appropriate."

The agency is working with manufacturers of the recalled tablets to identify the source of the NDMA impurity. At this time, the elevated levels of NDMA have been found in some finished-dose tablets of the ER formulation but have not been detected NDMA in samples of the metformin active pharmaceutical ingredient.

The agency is also asking all manufacturers of metformin containing ER products to evaluate the risk of excessive NDMA in their product and to test each batch before it is released into the U.S. market. If testing shows NDMA above the acceptable intake limit, the manufacturer should inform the agency and should not release the batch to the U.S. market.

In late 2019, the Food and Drug Administration announced it had become aware of NDMA in some metformin products in other countries. The agency immediately began testing to determine whether the metformin in the U.S. supply was at risk, as part of the ongoing investigation into nitrosamine impurities across medication types. By February 2020, the agency had identified very low levels of NDMA in some samples, but at that time, no FDA-tested sample of metformin exceeded the acceptable intake limit for NDMA. The Food and Drug Administration has maintained that it would continue with ongoing testing of metformin and other medications, and if any levels of NDMA or other impurities were identified, swift action would be taken.

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration became aware of reports of higher levels of NDMA in certain ER formulations of metformin via a citizen petition filed by a private laboratory. FDA laboratories tested the same metformin lots that the private laboratory found to contain NDMA above the acceptable intake limit. The agency confirmed unacceptable NDMA levels in some, but not all, of those lots. In other instances, our laboratory detected NDMA in lots that the private laboratory did not. The agency also found that the levels of NDMA, when present, were generally lower than reported by the private laboratory.

Given Food and Drug Administration scientists' deep experience quantifying these impurities in drugs, the agency is confident in the reliability of the FDA's testing method and results and will continue to take action based on the latest scientific information. The results have also been consistent with the findings of other regulatory agencies' laboratories around the world.

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