Civica Rx, the not-for-profit drug company startup created by a group of hospitals and health systems to reduce drug shortages, is prepared to ship its first eight injectable medicines.
Civica Rx made the announcement in collaboration with pharmaceutical manufacturer Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC, which it partnered with earlier this year to supply 14 essential sterile injectable medications. The two companies are prepared to ship Heparin Sodium Injection USP and seven other injectable medicines.
“We are thrilled to be delivering on our partnership’s promise to ensure vital medications are consistently available for hospitals and patients who need them,” Martin VanTrieste, president and CEO of Civica Rx, said in a statement. “These shipments reinforce our confidence in Hikma’s expertise and manufacturing capabilities and it’s especially gratifying that the initial deliverable of our partnership will help ensure an increased supply of heparin at a time when there is an ongoing threat to supply.”
Heparin, an anticoagulant, is prescribed to 10 million Americans every year and is used to treat significant blood clots in lungs and clogged arteries. A shortage of the drug could be due to an outbreak of African Swine Fever that killed “an unprecedented number of the world’s pigs,” and the drug is derived from porcine intestinal mucosa, according to the announcement.
The other seven injectables include:
- Naloxone Hydrochloride Injection
- Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Injection
- Glycopyrrolate Injection
- Prochlorperazine Edisylate Injection
- Ondansetron Injection
- Morphine Sulfate Injection
- Metoprolol Tartrate Injection
“As a leading provider of generic injectable medicines, Hikma is committed to working across the US healthcare system on long-term, sustainable solutions to help ensure a consistent supply of needed medicines to patients,” Riad Mishlawi, president of Hikma Injectables, said in a statement. “Our partnership with Civica is an excellent example of combining Hikma’s strong manufacturing capabilities and strong quality and supply record with Civica’s extensive network of more than 1,100 US hospitals. We are pleased that patients and healthcare providers across the country will now begin benefiting from Civica’s forward-thinking approach.”
The two companies also expect additional products to follow in the near term through Hikma Pharmaceutical USA.
Civica Rx pledged to launch 20 generic drugs in 2019 at the beginning of the year and made several partnerships with drug manufacturers to supply their hospital partners with medications affected by shortages.
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."