[Title 21 CFR 620]
[Code of Federal Regulations (annual edition) - April 1, 1996 Edition]
[Title 21 - FOOD AND DRUGS]
[Chapter I - FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION,]
[Subchapter F - BIOLOGICS]
[Part 620 - ADDITIONAL STANDARDS FOR BACTERIAL PRODUCTS]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




  21
  FOOD AND DRUGS
  7
  1996-04-01
  1996-04-01
  false
  ADDITIONAL STANDARDS FOR BACTERIAL PRODUCTS
  620
  PART 620
  
    FOOD AND DRUGS
    FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION,
    BIOLOGICS
  


PART 620--ADDITIONAL STANDARDS FOR BACTERIAL PRODUCTS--Table of Contents




                      Subpart A--Pertussis Vaccine

Sec.
620.1  Pertussis Vaccine.
620.2  Production.
620.3  U.S. Standard preparations.
620.4  Potency test.
620.5  Mouse toxicity test.

[[Page 71]]

620.6  General requirements.

                       Subpart B--Typhoid Vaccine

620.10  Typhoid Vaccine.
620.11  Production.
620.12  U.S. Standard preparations.
620.13  Potency test.
620.14  General requirements.

                   Subpart C--Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed

620.20  Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed.
620.21  Production.
620.22  U.S. Reference preparation.
620.23  Potency test.
620.24  General requirements.

                       Subpart D--Cholera Vaccine

620.30  Cholera Vaccine.
620.31  Production.
620.32  U.S. Standard preparations.
620.33  Potency tests.
620.34  Mouse toxicity test.
620.35  General requirements.

        Subpart E--Bacillus of Calmette and Guerin (BCG) Vaccine

620.40  BCG Vaccine.
620.41  Establishment and personnel requirements.
620.42  Production.
620.43  Reference BCG Vaccine.
620.44  Potency tests.
620.45  Test for freedom from virulent mycobacteria.
620.46  General requirements.
620.47  Labeling.
620.48  Samples; protocols; official release.

    Authority: Secs. 201, 501, 502, 503, 505, 510, 701 of the Federal 
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321, 351, 352, 353, 355, 360, 
371); secs. 215, 351, 352, 353, 361 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 216, 262, 263, 263a, 264).

    Source: 38 FR 32064, Nov. 20, 1973, unless otherwise noted.

    Cross References: For U.S. Customs Service regulations relating to 
viruses, serums, and toxins, see 19 CFR 12.21--12.23. For U.S. Postal 
Service regulations relating to the admissibility to the United States 
mails see parts 124 and 125 of the Domestic Mail Manual, that is 
incorporated by reference in 39 CFR part 111.



                      Subpart A--Pertussis Vaccine



Sec. 620.1  Pertussis Vaccine.

    The proper name of this product shall be ``Pertussis Vaccine'', 
which shall be an aqueous preparation of killed whole Bordetella 
pertussis bacteria. The vaccine may be precipitated or adsorbed and may 
be combined with other antigens.

[56 FR 63410, Dec. 4, 1991]



Sec. 620.2   Production.

    (a) Propagation of bacteria. Human blood shall not be used in 
culture medium for propagating bacteria either for seed or for vaccine. 
The culture medium for propagating bacteria for vaccine shall not 
contain ingredients known to be capable of producing allergenic effects 
in human subjects, except blood or blood products from lower animals 
other than the horse. When blood or a blood product is used, it shall be 
removed by washing the harvested bacteria. The bacterial concentrate 
shall be free of extraneous bacteria, fungi, and yeasts, as demonstrated 
by microscopic examination and cultural methods.
    (b) Bacterial content. (1) The opacity of the bacterial concentrate 
shall be determined in terms of the U.S. Opacity Standard not later than 
2 weeks after the harvest of the bacteria and before any treatment 
capable of altering the opacity of the bacterial concentrate.
    (2) The total immunizing dose of a vaccine prepared with whole 
bacteria shall contain (i) in the case of nonadsorbed vaccine no more 
bacteria than the equivalent of 60 opacity units and (ii) in the case of 
adsorbed vaccine no more than the equivalent of 48 opacity units.
    (c) Detoxification. After removing a sample for purity testing, the 
bacteria shall be killed and detoxified either (1) by heating, (2) by 
addition of a chemical agent and appropriate aging, or (3) by any 
combination of the stated procedures. The procedure used shall be one 
that has been shown to have no adverse effect on required safety, 
purity, and potency.
    (d) Preservative. The vaccine shall contain a preservative.



Sec. 620.3   U.S. Standard preparations.

    (a) The U.S. Standard Pertussis Vaccine shall be used for 
determining the potency of Pertussis Vaccine.
    (b) The U.S. Opacity Standard shall be used in estimating the 
bacterial content of the vaccine and of the challenge culture.

[[Page 72]]



Sec. 620.4   Potency test.

    The number of protective units of the total human immunizing dose 
shall be estimated for each lot of vaccine from the results of 
simultaneous intracerebral mouse protection tests of the vaccine under 
test and the U.S. Standard Pertussis Vaccine. The potency test shall be 
performed as follows:
    (a) Mice. Healthy mice shall be used, all from a single strain and 
of the same sex, or an equal number of each sex in each group, with 
individual weight varying no more than 4 grams in a single test. In no 
event shall any of the mice weigh less than 10 grams or more than 20 
grams. A system of randomization shall be used to distribute the mice 
into the groups, with respect to shelf position and to determine the 
order of challenge. There shall be at least 3 groups consisting of no 
less than 16 mice each, for each vaccine. In addition, there shall be at 
least 4 groups consisting of no less than 10 mice each, for control 
purposes: one group for the challenge dose and 3 groups for titrating 
the virulence of the challenge dose.
    (b) Vaccination. (1) Five-fold serial dilutions of the vaccine to be 
tested and of the standard vaccine shall be made in 0.85 percent sodium 
chloride solution. The dilutions of the vaccine under test shall have 
the same protective unitage, based on an estimate of 12 units per total 
human immunizing dose, as the unitage of the corresponding dilution of 
the standard vaccine. Each mouse in each group for vaccination shall be 
injected intraperitoneally with 0.5 ml. of the appropriate dilution.
    (2) The interval between vaccination and challenge shall be 14 to 17 
days. At least 87.5 percent of the mice in each group shall survive the 
period between vaccination and challenge and each mouse challenged shall 
appear healthy.
    (c) The challenge. (1) The challenge culture of Bordetella pertussis 
for each test shall be taken from a batch of cultures which have been 
maintained by a method, such as freeze-drying, that retains constancy of 
virulence.
    (2) The challenge and virulence titration doses shall be prepared as 
follows: The bacteria shall be harvested from a 20 to 24 hour culture 
grown on Bordet-Gengou medium seeded from a rapidly growing culture less 
than 48 hours old and uniformly suspended in a solution containing 1.0 
percent casein peptone and about 0.6 percent sodium chloride at pH 
7.1plus-minus0.1. The suspension, freed from agar particles and 
clumps of bacteria, and adjusted to an opacity of 10 units, shall be 
diluted in the solution used for suspending the bacteria, to provide in 
a volume of 0.03 ml. (i) a challenge dose of 0.0001 opacity units 
(1:3000) and (ii) virulence titration doses of \1/50\, \1/250\ and \1/
1250\ respectively of the challenge dose.
    (3) Each vaccinated mouse shall be injected intracerebrally with the 
challenge dose. The four groups of control mice shall be injected 
intracerebrally with the challenge dose and its three dilutions, 
respectively. The challenge-dose control mice shall be injected last. 
The interval between the removal of the bacteria from the culture medium 
and the injection of the last mouse shall not exceed 2\1/2\ hours.
    (d) Recording the results. The mice shall be observed for 14 days. 
Mice dying within 72 hours after challenge shall be excluded from the 
test. Records shall be maintained of the number of mice that die after 
72 hours and of the number of mice showing both paralysis and 
enlargement of the head at the end of 14 days. All mice that show both 
paralysis and enlargement of the head shall be considered as deaths for 
the purposes of determining the ED50.
    (e) Validity of the test. The test shall be valid provided (1) the 
ED50 of the vaccine under test and the standard vaccine is between 
the largest and smallest vaccinating doses; (2) the limits of one 
standard deviation of each ED50 fall within the range of 64 percent 
to 156 percent; (3) the protective response is graded in relation to the 
vaccinating doses; (4) the dose-response curves of the vaccine under 
test and the standard vaccine are parallel; (5) the challenge dose 
contains approximately 200 LD50; (6) the LD50 contains no more 
than 300 colony forming units; and (7) the \1/1250\ dilution of the 
challenge dose contains no less than 10 and no more than 50 colony 
forming units.
    (f) Estimate of the potency. The ED50 of each vaccine shall be 
calculated by a

[[Page 73]]

method that provides an estimate of the standard deviation. The 
protective unit value per total human immunizing dose of the vaccine 
under test shall be calculated in terms of the unit value of the 
standard vaccine.
    (g) Potency requirements. The vaccine shall have a potency of 12 
units per total human immunizing dose based upon either a single test 
estimate of no less than 8 units or a two-, three- or four-test 
geometric mean estimate of no less than 9.6, 10.8, or 12 units, 
respectively, except that for the vaccine in a multiple antigen product 
containing Poliovirus Vaccine Inactivated, the estimate shall be no less 
than 14 units. In no event shall the estimate be more than 36 units.
    (h) Test design variation. Variations in the design of the potency 
test may be permitted providing the results are demonstrated to be of 
equal or greater precision.

[38 FR 32064, Nov. 20, 1973, as amended at 50 FR 4137, Jan. 29, 1985]



Sec. 620.5   Mouse toxicity test.

    The final vaccine shall be demonstrated to be free from toxicity by 
the following test:
    A group of no less than 10 mice, each mouse weighing 14 to 16 grams, 
shall have free access to food and water for no less than 2 hours before 
injection. The group weight of the mice shall be determined immediately 
prior to injection. Each mouse shall be injected intraperitoneally with 
a test dose of one-half of the largest recommended single human dose of 
the final vaccine in a volume of no less than 0.5 ml. nor more than 0.75 
ml. The group weight of the mice shall be determined at the end of 72 
hours and at the end of 7 days after injection. At the end of 72 hours 
the average weight per mouse may be no less than the average weight per 
mouse immediately preceding the injection; at the end of 7 days the 
average weight gain per mouse may be no less than 3.0 grams; and at the 
end of 7 days there may be vaccine-related deaths of no more than 5 
percent of the total number of mice in all the toxicity tests performed.



Sec. 620.6   General requirements.

    (a) Safety. Each lot of product containing Pertussis Vaccine shall 
be tested for safety by the procedures prescribed in Sec. 610.11 of this 
chapter except that the test shall consist of the intraperitoneal 
injection of no less than one-half of the recommended largest individual 
human dose into each of the mice, and either the intraperitoneal 
injection of no less than three times the recommended largest individual 
human dose, or the subcutaneous injection of 5.0 milliliters into each 
of the guinea pigs.
    (b) Dose. These additional standards are based on a single injection 
of 0.5 ml., 1.0 ml., or 1.5 ml., and a total human immunizing dose of 
three single injections of a nonadsorbed vaccine, and two or three 
single injections of an adsorbed vaccine.
    (c) Product characteristics. Recommendations shall be made through 
appropriate labeling that the product after issue should not be frozen 
and should be well shaken immediately prior to use.
    (d) Labeling. In addition to the items required by other applicable 
labeling provisions of this part, the package label shall give the 
following information:

    (1) For a vaccine containing a precipitant or an adsorbent, the word 
``Adsorbed'' shall follow the proper name in the same style of type and 
prominence as the proper name.
    (2) The total immunizing dose contains 12 units of pertussis 
vaccine.

    (e) Multiple antigen products. The Pertussis Vaccine components of 
multiple antigen products shall be manufactured pursuant to these 
additional standards, except that the mouse toxicity test (Sec. 620.5) 
and the potency test (Sec. 620.4) shall be performed on the multiple 
antigen product.
    (f) Adsorbed vaccines. Only aluminum compound reagents shall be 
introduced into the product to cause precipitation or adsorption of 
either Pertussis Vaccine or other antigens incorporated with Pertussis 
Vaccine.
    (g) Freezing prohibition. Pertussis Vaccine and multiple antigen 
products of which Pertussis Vaccine is a component shall not be frozen 
at any time during storage.

[[Page 74]]

    (h) Samples and protocols. For each lot of vaccine, the following 
material shall be submitted to the Director, Center for Biologics 
Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, 8800 Rockville 
Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892.
    (1) A sample of no less than 20 milliliters of the final product for 
pertussis vaccine testing.
    (2) Protocols showing summaries of the manufacturing processes and 
the results of all mouse toxicity (Sec. 620.5) and potency (Sec. 620.4) 
tests performed.

[38 FR 32064, Nov. 20, 1973, as amended at 41 FR 35480, Aug. 23, 1976; 
48 FR 13025, Mar. 29, 1983; 49 FR 23834, June 8, 1984; 51 FR 15610, Apr. 
25, 1986; 55 FR 11013, Mar. 26, 1990]



                       Subpart B--Typhoid Vaccine



Sec. 620.10  Typhoid Vaccine.

    The proper name of this product shall be Typhoid Vaccine which shall 
be an aqueous or dried preparation of killed Salmonella typhi bacteria.

[48 FR 7167, Feb. 18, 1983]



Sec. 620.11   Production.

    (a) Strain of bacteria. (1) Strain Ty 2 of Salmonella typhi shall be 
used in the manufacture of Typhoid Vaccine.
    (2) The antigenic integrity of the Ty 2 strain shall be verified by 
an appropriate serological procedure.
    (b) Propagation of bacteria. The culture medium for propagation of 
S. typhi shall not contain ingredients known to be capable of producing 
allergenic effects in human subjects. The harvested bacteria shall be 
free of extraneous bacteria, fungi, and yeasts, as demonstrated by 
microscopic examination and cultural methods.
    (c) Bacterial content. (1) The number of bacteria in the concentrate 
of harvested bacteria shall be estimated not later than 2 weeks after 
harvest and before any treatment capable of altering the accuracy of the 
estimate.
    (2) The number of S. typhi bacteria in the vaccine shall not exceed 
10\9\ per milliliter.
    (d) Nitrogen content. The total nitrogen content of the vaccine 
shall not exceed 0.035 mg./ml. for nonextracted bacteria preparations 
and shall not exceed 0.023 mg./ml. for acetone-extracted bacteria 
preparations.
    (e) Preservative. Aqueous vaccine and the solution for 
reconstitution supplied with dried vaccine shall contain a preservative. 
Dried vaccine shall not contain a preservative.

[38 FR 32064, Nov. 20, 1973, as amended at 48 FR 7167, Feb. 18, 1983]



Sec. 620.12  U.S. Standard preparations.

    The following U.S. Standard preparations shall be obtained from the 
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (HFB-210), Food and Drug 
Administration, 8800 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892, for use as 
prescribed in this part:
    (a) Vaccine standard. The U.S. Standard Typhoid Vaccine for 
determining the potency of Typhoid Vaccine.
    (b) Opacity standard. The U.S. Opacity Standard for adjusting the 
opacity of the suspension from which the challenge culture is prepared.

[48 FR 7167, Feb. 18, 1983, as amended at 49 FR 23834, June 8, 1984; 51 
FR 15610, Apr. 25, 1986; 55 FR 11015, Mar. 26, 1990]



Sec. 620.13   Potency test.

    The number of potency units per milliliter shall be estimated for 
each lot of vaccine from the results of simultaneous mouse protection 
tests of the vaccine under test and of the U.S. Standard Typhoid 
Vaccine. At least four dilutions of each lot of vaccine shall be tested. 
The test shall be performed as follows:
    (a) Mice. Healthy mice shall be used, all from a single strain and 
of the same sex, or an equal number of each sex in each group, with 
individual weights between 13 and 16 grams. A system of randomization 
shall be used to distribute the mice into the groups, with respect to 
shelf position and to determine the order of challenge. A group of at 
least 16 mice shall be used for each dilution of each vaccine. There 
shall be at least 4 groups consisting of no less than 10 mice each for 
control testing purposes, as required under paragraph (c) of this 
section.
    (b) Inoculation of vaccine. (1) Serial dilutions, no greater than 
fivefold, of the vaccine to be tested and of the standard vaccine shall 
be made in saline (0.85 percent sodium chloride solution or phosphate-
buffered saline). The mean

[[Page 75]]

effective dose (ED50) value shall be bracketed by the dilutions 
used. Each mouse in each group for inoculation shall be injected 
intraperitoneally with 0.5 milliliter of the appropriate dilution.
    (2) The interval between inoculation of the vaccine and challenge 
shall be no less than 7 days nor more than 14 days. At least 87.5 
percent of the mice in each group shall survive the period between 
vaccine inoculation and challenge and each mouse challenged shall appear 
healthy.
    (c) The challenge. (1) The challenge culture of Strain Ty 2 of S. 
typhi for each test shall be taken from a batch of cultures maintained 
by a method, such as freeze-drying, that retains constancy of virulence.
    (2) The challenge and virulence titration doses shall be prepared as 
follows: The bacteria shall be harvested from a 5- to 6-hour culture 
grown at 36 deg.1 deg. C on a suitable agar medium that 
shall have been seeded from a 16- to 20-hour culture grown at 
36 deg.1 deg. C on a suitable agar medium, and the harvested 
bacteria then shall be uniformly suspended in saline or phosphate-
buffered saline. The suspension, freed from agar particles and clumps of 
bacteria and adjusted to an opacity of 10 units, shall be diluted in 
saline or phosphate-buffered saline by tenfold increments. The 
suspensions for the challenge and virulence titration doses shall be put 
into a sterile gastric mucin preparation or other suitable virulence-
enhancing preparation. The challenge suspension shall be prepared from 
whichever bacteria dilution provides about 1,000 colony forming units 
for a 0.5 milliliter challenge dose. The virulence titration suspensions 
shall be 101, 102, 103 dilutions, respectively, of the 
challenge suspension.
    (3) Each mouse inoculated with vaccine shall be injected 
intraperitoneally with an 0.5 ml. dose of the challenge suspension. Each 
mouse in the four groups of control mice shall be injected 
intraperitoneally with an 0.5 ml. dose of the challenge suspension and 
its three dilutions, respectively. The challenge dose control mice shall 
be injected last. The interval between removal of the bacteria from the 
culture medium and the injection of the last mouse shall not exceed 2\1/
2\ hours.
    (d) Recording the results. The mice shall be observed daily for 3 
days. A record shall be maintained of the number of mice that die. A 
record of the number of mice that survive shall be made at the end of 
the observation period.
    (e) Validity of the test. The test is deemed valid if: (1) The 
ED50 of the vaccine under test and the standard vaccine is between 
the largest and smallest doses inoculated into the mice;
    (2) The homogeneity of the dose response lines for both the vaccine 
under test and the standard vaccine is acceptable;
    (3) A graded protective response is obtained in relation to the 
vaccine dilutions;
    (4) The slopes of the dose response curves for the vaccine under 
test and the standard vaccine are shown to be parallel by an appropriate 
statistical method;
    (5) The results of all dilutions are used to calculate the ED50 
value of both the standard and test vaccine by a parallel line bioassay 
method or a statistically equivalent method;
    (6) The challenge dose contains approximately 1,000 colony forming 
units; and
    (7) The LD50 of the challenge dose contains no more than 20 
colony forming units.
    (f) Repeat tests. If the test does not meet the criteria prescribed 
in paragraph (e) of this section, repeat tests may be performed. The 
results of all tests shall be combined by geometric mean. Any test 
result established as invalid under Sec. 610.1 of this chapter may be 
disregarded. The determination that the vaccine meets the potency 
requirements shall be made from the results of not more than four valid 
tests.
    (g) Estimate of the potency. The ED50 of each vaccine shall be 
calculated. The protective unit value per milliliter of the vaccine 
under test shall be calculated in terms of the unit value of the 
standard vaccine.
    (h) Potency requirements. The results of at least two separate tests 
shall be included on the release protocol, required under 
Sec. 620.14(c)(2), that is submitted to the Center for Biologics

[[Page 76]]

Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration. The vaccine shall 
have a potency of 8.0 units per milliliter. This requirement shall be 
met only if the geometric mean potency for two tests is not less than 
3.9 units per milliliter; or for three tests, not less than 4.4 units 
per milliliter; or for four tests, not less than 4.8 units per 
milliliter.

[38 FR 32064, Nov. 20, 1973, as amended at 48 FR 7167, Feb. 18, 1983; 49 
FR 23834, June 8, 1984; 55 FR 11013, Mar. 26, 1990]



Sec. 620.14   General requirements.

    (a) Dose. These standards are based on a human adult dose of 0.5 ml. 
for a single injection and a total immunizing dose of two injections of 
0.5 ml. given at appropriate intervals.
    (b) Labeling. In addition to the items required by other applicable 
labeling provisions of this subchapter, the package label shall state 
that the vaccine contains 8 units per milliliter.
    (c) Samples; protocols; official release. For each lot of vaccine, 
the following material shall be submitted to the Director, Center for 
Biologics Evaluation and Research (HFB-1), 8800 Rockville Pike, Bethesda 
MD 20892.
    (1) A sample of no less than 40 ml. of the product distributed in no 
less than four containers.
    (2) A protocol that consists of a summary of the history of 
manufacture of each lot including all results of each test for which 
test results are requested by the Director, Center for Biologics 
Evaluation and Research.
    (3) The product shall not be issued by the manufacturer until 
written notification of official release of each filling lot of dried 
vaccine and of each bulk lot of aqueous vaccine is received from the 
Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

[38 FR 32064, Nov. 20, 1973, as amended at 42 FR 27582, May 31, 1977; 48 
FR 7168, Feb. 18, 1983; 48 FR 11430, Mar. 18, 1983; 49 FR 23834, June 8, 
1984; 51 FR 15610, Apr. 25, 1986; 55 FR 11013 and 11015, Mar. 26, 1990]



                   Subpart C--Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed



Sec. 620.20   Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed.

    The proper name of this product shall be Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed, 
which shall consist of an aqueous preparation of a fraction of Bacillus 
anthracis which contains the protective antigen adsorbed on aluminum 
hydroxide.

[38 FR 32064, Nov. 20, 1973, as amended at 50 FR 4137, Jan. 29, 1985]



Sec. 620.21   Production.

    (a) Strain of bacteria. A nonencapsulated, nonproteolytic, avirulent 
strain of Bacillus anthracis shall be used in the manufacture of anthrax 
vaccine.
    (b) Medium. A chemically defined medium shall be used for the 
propagation of Bacillus anthracis which has protective-antigen promoting 
properties that are no less effective than the protective-antigen 
promoting properties of the Puziss and Wright 1095 medium as set forth 
in U.S. Patent No. 3,208,909, issued September 28, 1965, which patent is 
hereby incorporated by reference and deemed published herein. U.S. 
Patent No. 3,208,909 has been assigned to the Federal Government and 
copies will be provided to persons affected by the provisions of this 
subchapter upon request to the Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation 
and Research, or to the appropriate Information Center Officer listed in 
45 CFR, part 5. Copies also may be obtained upon request from the U.S. 
Patent Office, Washington, DC. The medium shall not contain ingredients 
known to be capable of producing allergenic effects in human subjects.
    (c) Propagation of bacteria. The medium shall be inoculated with a 
24-hour old vegetative culture seeded from a stock suspension of spores. 
The propagation culture, flushed with nitrogen, shall be incubated at 
37 deg. C.plus-minus1.0 deg. C., agitated for approximately 27 
hours, cooled to about 20 deg. C., the pH adjusted to 
8.0plus-minus0.1 and then filtered through a sterilizing filter(s) 
using nitrogen gas under pressure.

[[Page 77]]

    (d) Adsorption of the protective antigen. The sterile filtrate shall 
be adsorbed on sterile aluminum hydroxide gel and the recovered 
precipitate shall be resuspended and diluted in sterile 0.85 percent 
sodium chloride solution.

[38 FR 32064, Nov. 20, 1973, as amended at 49 FR 23834, June 8, 1984; 55 
FR 11013, Mar. 26, 1990]



Sec. 620.22   U.S. Reference preparation.

    The U.S. Reference Anthrax Vaccine distributed by the Center for 
Biologics Evaluation and Research shall be used for determining the 
potency of anthrax vaccine.

[38 FR 32064, Nov. 20, 1973, as amended at 49 FR 23834, June 8, 1984; 55 
FR 11013, Mar. 26, 1990]



Sec. 620.23   Potency test.

    The potency of each lot of vaccine shall be estimated from the 
results of simultaneous tests of the vaccine under test and the U.S. 
Reference Anthrax Vaccine. The test shall be performed as follows:
    (a) Guinea pigs. Healthy guinea pigs shall be used, all from a 
single strain and of the same sex, or an equal number of each sex in 
each group, with individual weights between 325 and 350 grams. The diet 
of the guinea pigs shall be supplemented with vitamin C throughout the 
test period. At least three groups of no less than eight guinea pigs 
shall be used for each vaccine and at least one group of four guinea 
pigs shall be used for the challenge control.
    (b) Vaccination. Serial dilutions, not greater than three-fold, of 
each vaccine shall be made in 0.85 percent sodium chloride solution. The 
mid-dilution of the vaccine under test shall contain that amount of 
vaccine which will afford protection to approximately 50 percent of the 
guinea pigs in the group vaccinated with that dilution. Each guinea pig 
in the test and reference vaccine groups shall be injected 
subcutaneously with 0.5 ml. of the appropriate dilution on the left side 
of the abdomen and about 2 cm. from the midline. The interval between 
vaccination and challenge shall be 14 days.
    (c) The challenge. Each vaccinated and control guinea pig shall be 
injected intracutaneously on the right side of the abdomen with 0.1 ml. 
of a spore suspension of the virulent Vollum strain of Bacillus 
anthracis diluted in sterile distilled water to contain 10,000 spores 
per milliliter.
    (d) Recording the results. The guinea pigs shall be observed daily 
for 10 days and the deaths recorded. The number of survivors shall be 
recorded at the end of the observation period.
    (e) Validity of the test. The test shall be valid provided (1) the 
protective response to each vaccine is graded in relation to the amount 
of vaccine in the respective dilutions and (2) all control animals die 
within 10 days.
    (f) Potency requirement. The potency of the product is satisfactory 
if the vaccine is no less potent than the reference. The potency of the 
product is considered to be equal to the reference when (1) the average 
time of death of the product-vaccinated guinea pigs is no less than the 
average time of death of the reference-vaccinated guinea pigs and the 
number of survivors of the product-vaccinated guinea pigs is no less 
than the number of survivors of the reference-vaccinated guinea pigs, or 
(2) the use of another statistical procedure, shown to be adequate for 
evaluating the potency of anthrax vaccine, demonstrates that the product 
is no less potent than the reference.



Sec. 620.24   General requirements.

    (a) Dose. These standards are based on a single human dose of 0.5 
ml. and a total primary immunizing doses of three single doses, each 
given at appropriate intervals.
    (b) Product characteristics. Recommendation shall be made through 
appropriate labeling that the product after issue should not be frozen.
    (c) Samples; protocols; official release. For each lot of vaccine, 
the following material shall be submitted to the Director, Center for 
Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, 8800 
Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892:
    (1) A protocol which consists of a summary of the manufacture of 
each lot including all results of all tests for which test results are 
requested by the Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

[[Page 78]]

    (2) A sample of no less than 40 milliliters of the final product 
distributed in approximately equal amounts into four final containers.
    (3) The product shall not be issued by the manufacturer until 
written notification of official release of the lot is received from the 
Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

[38 FR 32064, Nov. 20, 1973, as amended at 42 FR 27582, May 31, 1977; 48 
FR 13025, Mar. 29, 1983; 49 FR 23834, June 8, 1984; 51 FR 15610, Apr. 
25, 1986; 55 FR 11013, Mar. 26, 1990]



                       Subpart D--Cholera Vaccine



Sec. 620.30   Cholera Vaccine.

    The proper name of this product shall be Cholera Vaccine, which 
shall consist of an aqueous preparation of equal parts of Ogawa and 
Inaba serotypes of killed Vibrio cholerae bacteria.
[41 FR 18295, May 3, 1976]



Sec. 620.31   Production.

    (a) Strains of bacteria. (1) A strain of Ogawa and a strain of Inaba 
serotypes of V. cholerae shall be used in the manufacture of the 
vaccine. Each serotype strain shall have been shown in controlled field 
studies to yield a vaccine no less potent than vaccines prepared from 
Ogawa strain 41 and Inaba strain 35A3 obtained from the Center for 
Biologics Evaluation and Research.
    (2) Antigenic integrity of the strains shall be verified by (i) the 
agglutination of living bacteria of each serotype by cholera O Group I 
antiserum; (ii) the agglutination of the Ogawa strain in monospecific 
Ogawa antiserum and of the Inaba strain in monospecific Inaba antiserum; 
and (iii) the absence of spontaneous agglutination of living bacteria of 
either strain in 0.85 percent sodium chloride solution during incubation 
for at least 5 hours at 37 deg. C.
    (b) Propagation of bacteria. The culture medium for the propagation 
strains shall not contain ingredients known to be capable of producing 
allergenic effects in human subjects. The harvested bacteria shall be 
free of extraneous bacteria, fungi, and yeasts as demonstrated by 
microscopic examination and cultural methods. Bacteria of the two 
serotypes shall be grown separately.
    (c) Bacterial content. (1) The number of bacteria in each separate 
bacterial harvest shall be determined by use of the U.S. Opacity 
Standard not later than 2 hours after harvest and before treatment with 
a preservative or other agent capable of altering opacity of the 
bacterial suspension.
    (2) The vaccine shall contain equal numbers of bacteria of the Ogawa 
and Inaba serotypes, and the total number shall not exceed 8  x  
109 bacteria per milliliter.
    (d) Nitrogen content. The total nitrogen content of the vaccine 
shall not exceed 0.3 milligram per milliliter for bacteria grown on 
solid medium or 1.0 milligram per milliliter if grown in liquid medium. 
In no instance shall the vaccine contain more than 0.07 milligram per 
milliliter of nitrogen precipitable by the addition of an equal volume 
of 10 percent trichloracetic acid.
    (e) Preservative. The vaccine shall contain a preservative.

[41 FR 18295, May 3, 1976, as amended at 49 FR 23834, June 8, 1984; 55 
FR 11013, Mar. 26, 1990]



Sec. 620.32   U.S. Standard preparations.

    The following U.S. Standard preparations shall be obtained from the 
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug 
Administration, for use as prescribed in this subpart:
    (a) Vaccine standard. The U.S. Standard Cholera Vaccine, Ogawa 
serotype, and U.S. Standard Cholera Vaccine, Inaba serotype, shall be 
reconstituted as directed for determining the potency of Cholera 
Vaccine.
    (b) Opacity standard. The U.S. Opacity Standard for use in 
estimating the bacterial content of the vaccine and of the challenge 
culture.
    (c) Seed culture. Seed cultures of V. cholerae, Inaba serotype, 
strain 35A3 and Ogawa serotype, strain 41, for preparation of vaccine 
challenge cultures for use in the vaccine potency test.

[41 FR 18295, May 3, 1976, as amended at 49 FR 23834, June 8, 1984; 55 
FR 11013, Mar. 26, 1990]



Sec. 620.33   Potency tests.

    Each lot of vaccine shall be subjected to two potency tests. One 
test shall determine the potency of the vaccine in comparison with the 
U.S. Standard

[[Page 79]]

Cholera Vaccine, Ogawa serotype, and the other test shall determine the 
potency of the vaccine in comparison with the U.S. Standard Cholera 
Vaccine, Inaba serotype. At least four dilutions of each vaccine shall 
be tested. Each test shall be performed as follows:
    (a) Mice. Healthy mice shall be used, all from a single strain and 
of the same sex, or an equal number of each sex in each group, with 
individual weights between 10 and 14 grams. A group of at least 16 mice 
shall be used for each dilution of each vaccine. In addition, there 
shall be at least 4 groups consisting of no less than 10 mice each for 
each potency test as a control for virulence titration of the challenge 
suspension.
    (b) Injections of vaccine. Serial dilutions, no greater than 
fivefold, of the vaccine to be tested and of the appropriate serotype 
standard vaccine shall be made in 0.85 percent sodium chloride solution. 
The median effective dose (ED50), which is the dose of vaccine that 
is expected to protect 50 percent of the animals that received the 
vaccine, shall be bracketed by the dilutions used. Each mouse in each 
dilution group shall receive intraperitoneally 0.5 milliliter of the 
appropriate vaccine dilution. At least 87.5 percent of the mice in each 
dilution group shall survive, and all surviving mice shall appear 
healthy at the time of challenge.
    (c) The challenge. The challenge shall be administered 12 to 16 days 
after injection of the vaccine.
    (1) The strains of V. cholerae for challenge shall be Ogawa 41 and 
Inaba 35A3, except that V. cholerae, Inaba serotype, strain V86 may be 
used instead of Inaba serotype, strain 35A3, for preparation of vaccine 
challenge culture: Provided, That the source of the challenge culture 
shall be identified and verified by the manufacturer as equal to that 
distributed by the World Health Organization. For each test, the 
challenge culture shall be taken from a batch of cultures maintained by 
a method such as freeze-drying that retains constancy of virulence.
    (2) The challenge and virulence titration doses shall be prepared as 
follows: The bacteria for each challenge shall be harvested from a 6- to 
18-hour culture grown at 36 deg.plus-minus1 deg. C, on a suitable 
agar medium adjusted to pH 7.4. The harvested bacteria shall be 
uniformly suspended in a diluent consisting of M/15 phosphate buffered 
saline adjusted to pH 7.4 and shall contain 0.1 to 0.2 percent gelatin. 
The suspension shall be free from agar particles and clumps of bacteria. 
The suspension shall be adjusted to an opacity of 10 units, and diluted 
in tenfold increments using the same diluent. The suspensions for the 
challenge and virulence titrations shall be suspended in a 5 to 10 
percent sterile gastric mucin preparation adjusted to pH 7.4. The 
challenge suspension shall be prepared from whichever bacterial dilution 
provides the required median lethal dose (LD50) for a 0.5 
milliliter challenge dose. The LD50 is the dose of the challenge 
suspension that is expected to kill 50 percent of the animals that 
received the challenge. The virulence titration suspensions shall 
consist of the challenge suspension and at least three dilutions of the 
challenge suspension calculated to bracket the LD50 value.
    (3) At least 16 surviving mice, randomly selected from each dilution 
group that received vaccine, shall be inoculated intraperitoneally with 
a 0.5-milliliter dose of the challenge suspension. Mice in each of the 
four groups of control mice used for the virulence titration of the 
challenge suspension shall be inoculated intraperitoneally with a 0.5-
milliliter dose of the challenge suspension and its respective 
dilutions. The challenge dose control mice shall be inoculated last. The 
interval between removal of the bacteria from the culture medium and the 
inoculation of the last mouse shall not exceed 2\1/2\ hours.
    (d) Recording the results. The mice shall be observed daily for 2 
days following challenge. A daily record shall be maintained of the 
number of mice that die. A record of the number of mice that survive 
shall be made at the end of the observation period.
    (e) Validity of the test. The test is valid provided: (1) The 
ED50 value of the vaccine under test and the standard vaccine is 
between the largest and smallest doses inoculated into the mice;

[[Page 80]]

    (2) The homogeneity of the dose response lines for both the vaccine 
under test and the standard vaccine is acceptable;
    (3) The log-dose response lines for the vaccine under test and the 
standard vaccine are shown to be parallel by an appropriate statistical 
method;
    (4) The results of all dilutions shall be used to calculate the 
ED50 value of both the standard and test vaccine by a parallel line 
bioassay method or a method statistically equivalent;
    (5) The challenge dose contains between 100 and 10,000 LD50 
doses; and
    (6) The LD50 value of the challenge suspension contains no more 
than 10,000 colony-forming units determined by plate count.
    (f) Repeat tests. Repeat tests need be performed only on the 
serotype which failed to meet the potency requirements prescribed in 
paragraph (h) of this section. The results of each test on each serotype 
meeting the criteria in paragraph (e) of this section shall be combined 
by means of a geometric mean. The determination that the vaccine meets 
the potency requirements shall be made from the results of not more than 
three valid tests on each serotype.
    (g) Estimate of the potency. The ED50 value of each vaccine 
shall be calculated. The protective unit value of each serotype per 
milliliter of the vaccine under test shall be calculated in terms of the 
unit value of the corresponding standard vaccine.
    (h) Potency requirements. The vaccine shall have a potency of not 
less than 8 units per serotype per milliliter. This requirement shall be 
met only if the potency for a single test is not less than 4.4 units per 
serotype per milliliter, or for two tests not less than 5.3 units, or 
for three tests not less than 5.7 units.

[41 FR 18295, May 3, 1976, as amended at 41 FR 46587, Oct. 22, 1976]



Sec. 620.34   Mouse toxicity test.

    The final vaccine shall be demonstrated to be free from toxicity by 
the following test: A group of no less than 10 and no more than 40 mice, 
each mouse weighing 14 to 16 grams, shall have free access to food and 
water at least 2 hours before injection and throughout the test period. 
The group weight of the mice shall be determined immediately before 
injection. Each mouse shall be injected intraperitoneally with a test 
dose of 0.5 milliliter of undiluted vaccine. The group weight of the 
mice shall be determined again at the end of 72 hours. The 72-hour 
average weight per mouse shall be no less than the average weight per 
mouse immediately preceding the injection. No more than 5 percent of the 
total number of mice used may die during the test period; however, 
neither death nor significant toxic signs attributable to the vaccine 
shall result.

[41 FR 18295, May 3, 1976]



Sec. 620.35   General requirements.

    (a) Freezing prohibition. Cholera Vaccine shall not be frozen at any 
time.
    (b) Dose. These standards are based on a total immunizing dose of 
two injections of 0.5 milliliter and 1.0 milliliter, respectively, given 
at intervals specified in the manufacturer's labeling.
    (c) Date of manufacture. The date of manufacture shall be the date 
of initiation of the last valid potency test for the Ogawa serotype or 
the Inaba serotype, whichever date is earlier.
    (d) Labeling. In addition to the applicable labeling provisions of 
this chapter, the package label shall bear the following: (1) A 
statement that the vaccine contains 8 units of each serotype antigen per 
milliliter.
    (2) The statement, ``DO NOT FREEZE''.
    (3) The statement, ``SHAKE WELL''.
    (e) Samples; protocols; official release. For each lot of vaccine, 
the following material shall be submitted to the Director, Center for 
Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, 8800 
Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892.
    (1) A sample consisting of no less than 40 milliliters of the 
product. The sample may be in the final container or from the vaccine 
bulk lot.
    (2) A protocol which consists of a summary of the history of 
manufacture of each lot including all results of each test for which 
test results are requested by the Director, Center for Biologics 
Evaluation and Research,

[[Page 81]]

Food and Drug Administration. The raw data and results from each potency 
test performed shall be included.
    (3) The product shall not be issued by the manufacturer until 
written notification of official release of the lot is received from the 
Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

[41 FR 18295, May 3, 1976, as amended at 42 FR 27582, May 31, 1977; 49 
FR 23834, June 8, 1984; 51 FR 15610, Apr. 25, 1986; 55 FR 11013, Mar. 
26, 1990]



        Subpart E--Bacillus of Calmette and Guerin (BCG) Vaccine

    Source: 44 FR 14545, Mar. 13, 1979, unless otherwise noted.



Sec. 620.40  BCG Vaccine.

    (a) Proper name and definition. The proper name of this product is 
BCG Vaccine. The product is defined as a freeze-dried preparation 
containing viable bacteria of the Bacillus of Calmette and Guerin, which 
is an attenuated strain of Mycobacterium bovis.
    (b) Criteria for an acceptable strain. The source of the BCG strain 
used in the manufacture of any lot of the final product must be 
identified by complete historical records.
    (1) Seed lot system. The BCG strain must be maintained in the form 
of a primary seed lot that is to be the basic material from which all 
secondary seed lots are prepared. Production of BCG Vaccine may be from 
either primary or secondary seed lots. Each seed lot must be stored in 
either a freeze-dried state at -20 deg. C or colder, or in a frozen 
state at -70 deg. C or colder.
    (2) Freedom from virulence. The BCG strain is demonstrated to be 
incapable of producing progressive tuberculosis in guinea pigs tested as 
prescribed in Sec. 620.45, except that no fewer than 48 guinea pigs must 
be used to test the primary seed lot and no fewer than 12 guinea pigs 
must be used to test each secondary seed lot. At least two-thirds of the 
animals must survive the observation period of no less than 6 months.
    (3) Induction of tuberculin sensitivity in guinea pigs. Each of at 
least 10 guinea pigs is to be injected with 1 human dose of BCG Vaccine 
and, within 4 to 6 weeks after vaccination, skin tested with tuberculin. 
At least 80 percent of the guinea pigs tested must develop tuberculin 
sensitivity, as prescribed in Sec. 620.44(b)(3)(ii).
    (4) Clinical information. Clinical data must establish that the BCG 
strain is safe and induces tuberculin sensitivity. After having passed 
all laboratory tests prescribed for BCG Vaccine, each primary and 
secondary seed lot of vaccine must be tested for its ability to induce 
sensitivity in tuberculin-negative persons. Only those persons tested by 
injection of 5 U.S. Tuberculin Units, Purified Protein Derivative, by 
the Mantoux technique and found negative in this test are to be selected 
for clinical trials. At least 100 tuberculin-negative persons must be 
included in the test of the primary seed lot, and at least 20 
tuberculin-negative persons must be included in the test of each 
secondary seed lot. Within 6 to 8 weeks after BCG vaccination, the 
vaccinees must be tested for tuberculin reactivity by injecting not more 
than 10 U.S. Tuberculin Units, Purified Protein Derivative, by the 
Mantoux technique. The test is considered satisfactory if a least 90 
percent of those persons from each group develop tuberculin reactivity 
as indicated by an induration reaction of at least 5 millimeters in 
diameter.



Sec. 620.41  Establishment and personnel requirements.

    In addition to the applicable requirements of Secs. 600.10 and 
600.11 of this chapter, the following practices and procedures are 
required:
    (a) Isolation of BCG unit. (1) A BCG unit is defined as the space 
used for storage of primary and secondary seed cultures and for vaccine 
preparation, including culture maintenance, media inoculation for 
propagation, harvesting, filling into final containers, sealing of final 
containers, media production, and cleaning and sterilization of 
glassware. For purposes of these additional standards, the space used 
for incubation of bulk and final container sterility tests, tests to 
determine the numbers of colony-forming units, animal tests, and 
necropsies are not part of the BCG unit.
    (2) The BCG unit must be completely isolated from other production 
and surrounding areas and must be situated

[[Page 82]]

and designed to prevent contamination of the product. It must have a 
separate facility for ventilation, designed to prevent contamination of 
the product. The facilities for water supply and sewage and trash 
disposal must be designed to prevent microbial contamination of the BCG 
unit. The equipment used in BCG Vaccine production must remain in the 
BCG unit at all times.
    (3) Microbial controlled areas must be available for handling the 
BCG cultures. No cultures of microorganisms other than the BCG 
production strain are permitted in the BCG unit. No animals are 
permitted in the BCG unit. All tests necessary for the control of the 
vaccine, in which contaminating microorganisms may be cultured, or in 
which animals are used, must be conducted in space physically separated 
from the BCG unit.
    (b) Restrictions on personnel. (1) A staff specially trained in 
maintaining the seed cultures, propagating the cultures, preparing the 
vaccine, and filling the vaccine into final containers shall be employed 
in the production of the BCG Vaccine. Such personnel shall not work with 
other infectious agents in any laboratory at any time and shall not be 
exposed to a known risk of tuberculosis. Within 30 days before 
employment in the BCG unit, each person working in the unit shall have 
had a medical examination, including a tuberculin skin test with 5 U.S. 
Tuberculin Units, Purified Protein Derivative, by the Mantoux procedure, 
and a chest X-ray. No person who has had a history of tuberculosis or 
mycobacterial disease is permitted in the BCG unit. There must be 
periodic medical examinations of BCG unit personnel, including X-ray 
examinations, of sufficient frequency to detect the appearance of early 
active tuberculosis. Repeated tuberculin skin testing of staff who are 
negative to tuberculin may be used as an additional diagnostic aid in 
isolating any potential source of tuberculosis exposure. If a person 
working in the BCG unit develops active tuberculosis, (i) the entire 
staff shall be examined for possible tuberculosis infection, (ii) all 
current vaccine preparations and all cultures with which the person may 
have come into contact since his or her last satisfactory medical 
examination, except cultures sealed before that examination, must be 
discarded, and (iii) the BCG unit and all equipment with which the 
person may have come in contact must be decontaminated.
    (2) Personnel shall wear protective clothing and use protective 
devices to the extent necessary to protect the product from 
contamination.
    (3) Any person not assigned to the BCG unit shall not be allowed 
into the BCG unit at any time unless a medical examination shows the 
person to be free from mycobacterial disease.



Sec. 620.42  Production.

    (a) BCG inoculum. The inoculum of BCG used for seed lot or 
production of final lot in seed buildup must have been removed from the 
preceding seed lot in accordance with the following passage and time 
schedule:
    (1) No more than 3 passages from primary to secondary seed lot 
within a 2-month period.
    (2) If no secondary seed lot is used, no more than 9 passages from 
primary seed lot to final lot within a 6-month period.
    (3) No more than 9 passages from secondary seed lot to final lot 
within a 6-month period.
    (b) Propagation of bacteria. The culture medium for propagation of 
BCG Vaccine must not contain ingredients known to be capable of 
producing allergenic effects in humans or of causing the bacteria to 
become virulent for guinea pigs. The growth in each container must be 
examined visually, and only those cultures that have the typical growth 
pattern characteristic of BCG are to be used in a vaccine.
    (c) Colony-forming units (CFU) before and after freeze-drying. Each 
lot of BCG Vaccine must be tested to determine the number of CFU per 
individual final container both before and after freeze-drying, by the 
method prescribed in Sec. 620.44(a). The upper and lower limits of the 
viable count are to be established by the manufacturer of the vaccine 
for the particular route of administration recommended and must be 
specified in the license application. The loss in viability after drying 
must not exceed 90 percent.

[[Page 83]]



Sec. 620.43  Reference BCG Vaccine.

    A reference BCG Vaccine, for use in determining the validity of the 
test for colony-forming units, is to be obtained from the Director, 
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug 
Administration, 8800 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892.

[44 FR 14545, Mar. 13, 1979, as amended at 49 FR 23834, June 8, 1984; 51 
FR 15610, Apr. 25, 1986; 55 FR 11013, Mar. 26, 1990]



Sec. 620.44  Potency tests.

    (a) Colony-forming units (CFU). The number of CFU must be determined 
on the contents of each of at least 10 individual final containers of 
each lot of BCG Vaccine. Of the 10 or more individual final containers, 
the contents of at least 5 before, and an equal number after, freeze-
drying must be tested. Final containers of the freeze-dried vaccine are 
to be reconstituted as for human use with the diluent recommended by the 
manufacturer. The number of CFU to be reported for each lot of BCG 
Vaccine must be determined only from test tubes containing between 10 
and 50 CFU. Dilutions must be made as follows:
    (1) Dilutions are made from an appropriate volume of the liquid 
vaccine before freeze-drying or the reconstituted vaccine after freeze-
drying. Appropriate dilutions are made with modified Youman's medium 
specified in paragraph (a)(4) of this section, up to a point where 
subsequent serial half-log dilutions will result in at least 1 tube 
containing between 10 and 50 CFU.
    (2) Serial half-log dilutions are made in 16 x 125 millimeter screw-
capped test tubes into which 4.5 milliliter aliquots of the diluent 
prescribed in paragraph (a)(4) of this section have been dispensed. Two 
milliliters of thoroughly mixed vaccine are added to the first tube of 
the half-log series, mixed thoroughly, and 2.0 milliliters from this 
tube are transferred to the next tube in the series. The process of 
mixing and serially transferring 2.0 milliliters is repeated through 
each consecutive tube and 2.0 milliliters are discarded from the last 
tube.
    (3) After the serial half-log dilutions are completed, 0.5 
milliliter of 1.5 percent agar solution that has been cooled to 42 deg. 
C is quickly added, where necessary, to make a final concentration of 
0.15 percent agar, and the contents of the tubes are thoroughly mixed. 
After mixing, all tubes are incubated at 35 deg. to 37 deg. C for 3 to 4 
weeks.
    (4) The composition of modified Youman's medium with bovine albumin 
is as follows:

Asparagine................................  5.0 grams.                  
Monopotassium phosphate (KH2PO4)..........  Do.                         
Potassium sulfate (K2SO4).................  0.5 grams.                  
Magnesium citrate.........................  1.5 grams.                  
Monosodium glutamate......................  19.0 grams.                 
Glycerine.................................  20.0 milliliters.           
Distillled water q.s. to..................  900.0 milliliters.          
                                                                        

    One hundred milliliters of 5-percent aqueous solution of bovine 
albumin that has been sterilized by filtration are added to the Youman's 
medium to produce a final concentration of 0.5 percent of bovine 
albumin. The pH is adjusted to 7.0 with 5N sodium hydroxide.

    (b) Intradermal guinea pig test. Two or more guinea pigs, each 
weighing no less than 250 grams, must be injected intradermally in 4 
different sites with the following amounts and dilutions of each lot of 
BCG Vaccine:
    (1) Vaccine intended for intradermal injection is reconstituted as 
for human use with the diluent recommended by the manufacturer. One-
tenth milliliter of reconstituted vaccine and 0.1 milliliter each of 
three ten-fold dilutions (1:10, 1:100, and 1:1000) of the reconstituted 
vaccine are injected into the guinea pigs. The diluent for the ten-fold 
dilutions is isotonic solution for injection.
    (2) Vaccine intended for percutaneous injection into humans is 
reconstituted with the diluent recommended by the manufacturer so that 
at least one human dose (estimated to be within a range of from 1 to 
33 x 105 CFU) is contained in 0.1 milliliter. A narrower range of 
CFU is determined for each specific vaccine by the manufacturer and 
specified in the license application. One-tenth milliliter of the 
selected dose of vaccine and 0.1 milliliter each of three ten-fold 
dilutions (1:10, 1:100, and 1:1000) are injected into the guinea pigs. 
The diluent for the ten-fold dilutions is an isotonic solution for 
injection.
    (3) The lot of vaccine is satisfactory if:

[[Page 84]]

    (i) At the end of 2 to 4 weeks after BCG vaccination, nodules have 
developed that are graded in relation to the amount of the test dose, 
with the largest dose inducing a nodule of from 4 to 10 millimeters in 
diameter and the smallest dose inducing essentially no nodule, and all 
observations are read on the same day;
    (ii) By the end of 4 to 6 weeks after BCG vaccination, each guinea 
pig shows a degree of sensitivity such that an intradermal injection of 
no greater than 25 U.S. Tuberculin Units, Purified Protein Derivative, 
in 0.1 milliliter will induce an erythematous reaction at least 10 
millimeters in diameter within 18 to 24 hours; and
    (iii) At the end of the test period, each guinea pig is weighed and 
each shows a weight increase.
    (c) Induction of tuberculin sensitivity in tuberculin-negative 
humans. At least once annually, no less than one lot of BCG Vaccine that 
has satisfied all requirements and has been released by the Center for 
Biologics Evaluation and Research must be tested for its ability to 
induce sensitivity in 20 persons negative to Tuberculin, Purified 
Protein Derivative, as prescribed in Sec. 620.40(b)(4). The results of 
these tests must be sent to the Director, Center for Biologics 
Evaluation and Research, as they are completed.

[44 FR 14545, Mar. 13, 1979, as amended at 49 FR 23834, June 8, 1984; 55 
FR 11013, Mar. 26, 1990]



Sec. 620.45  Test for freedom from virulent mycobacteria.

    (a) Each lot of BCG Vaccine must be tested to determine that it does 
not contain virulent mycobacteria. The test must be performed using at 
least 6 guinea pigs, each weighing between 250 and 300 grams. Vaccine 
intended for intradermal injection in humans must be tested by injecting 
into guinea pigs the number of bacteria contained in at least 50 human 
doses. Vaccine intended for percutaneous use in humans must be tested by 
injecting into guinea pigs 50 times the number of bacteria estimated to 
be introduced parenterally into humans by the recommended procedure. The 
vaccine for all tests must be inoculated subcutaneously or 
intramuscularly into the guinea pigs. All animals that die during the 
observation period must be examined postmortem. All animals that survive 
the observation period must be sacrificed and examined post mortem. The 
lot passes the test if at least two-thirds of the animals on test 
survive an observation period of not less than 6 weeks, and if the post-
mortem examination reveals no evidence of tuberculosis in any of the 
test animals.
    (b) If any virulent mycobacteria are found in any lot of BCG 
Vaccine, whether or not the manufacturer intends to submit samples and 
protocols of this lot to the Center for Biologics Evaluation and 
Research for release, the following actions must be taken:
    (1) In addition to the requirements of Secs. 600.12 and 600.14 of 
this chapter, the manufacturer shall immediately report by telephone, 
telegraph, or cable the finding of virulent mycobacteria to the 
Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
    (2) All production and distribution of lots of BCG Vaccine produced 
from the same secondary seed lot as the contaminated lot of BCG Vaccine 
must be discontinued. If no secondary seed lot is used the same 
requirements apply to the primary seed lot.
    (3) The manufacturer shall conduct a thorough and prompt 
investigation concerning the failure of the lot to meet the required 
safety and purity specifications, including retesting the suspect lot 
and the source secondary seed lot (or primary seed lot, if no secondary 
seed lot is used) and shall undertake a thorough review of all 
manufacturing records and procedures to determine the probable cause of 
the failure.
    (4) A written record of the investigation, including the retest 
results, must be submitted to the Director, Center for Biologics 
Evaluation and Research.
    (5) Neither production nor distribution of BCG Vaccine may be 
resumed until the manufacturer is notified in writing by the Director, 
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, that such activity may be 
resumed.

[44 FR 14545, Mar. 13, 1979, as amended at 49 FR 23834, June 8, 1984; 55 
FR 11013, Mar. 26, 1990]

[[Page 85]]



Sec. 620.46  General requirements.

    (a) Dose. These standards are based on (1) vaccine intended for 
intradermal injection in a single human immunizing dose of 0.1 
milliliter and (2) vaccine intended for percutaneous injection in a 
single skin application through which inoculation is made by a multiple 
puncture device.
    (b) Date of manufacture. The date of manufacture is the date of 
initiation of the last valid determination for CFU after freeze-drying.



Sec. 620.47  Labeling.

    In addition to conforming to the applicable requirements of 
Secs. 610.60, 610.61, and 610.62 of this chapter, the package label must 
bear the following information:
    (a) Specification of the route of administration.
    (b) A statement that the vaccine contains live bacteria and should 
be protected against exposure to light.
    (c) A statement that the vaccine must be administered within 8 hours 
after reconstitution, and that reconstituted vaccine not used within 8 
hours must be discarded.



Sec. 620.48  Samples; protocols; official release.

    (a) For each lot of vaccine, the following materials must be 
submitted to the Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, 
Food and Drug Administration, 8800 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892.
    (1) Samples and diluent that will provide at least 20 milliliters 
when the samples are reconstituted as recommended in the package insert 
by the manufacturer of the vaccine.
    (2) A protocol that consists of a complete summary of the 
manufacture of each lot, including all results of each test required by 
all applicable regulations. If the protocol is not included in the 
shipment of the samples, it must be sent promptly to the Director, 
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug 
Administration, 8800 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892.
    (b) The BCG Vaccine must not be issued by the manufacturer until 
written notification of official release is received from the Director, 
Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug 
Administration.

[44 FR 14545, Mar. 13, 1979, as amended at 49 FR 23834, June 8, 1984; 51 
FR 15610, Apr. 25, 1986; 55 FR 11013, Mar. 26, 1990]