BRIEF—Hikma acts to ease critical shortage of pain meds in USA

Jordan-based generic drugmaker Hikma Pharmaceuticals says it US business has begun releasing significant quantities of hydromorphone to US hospital customers to help ease a current shortage of injectable opioids used to treat patients.

In response to this shortage, Hikma released more than five million hydromorphone 2ml vials to US hospitals during June, and expects to release another three million vials during July. The current US hospital shortage of injectable opioids used for patient pain management occurred when a significant supplier to the US market temporarily ceased manufacturing.

Daniel Motto, executive vice president of Hikma’s US Injectables Division, commented: “We continue to prioritize the manufacture of opioid products affected by this shortage including fentanyl, meperidine, morphine and hydromorphone to provide hospitals and doctors with the medicines they need to best treat their patients.”

“We have the capacity in our FDA-inspected manufacturing facility in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, for all CII opioid injectable products, and believe we can now address the current shortage of these vital and urgently needed medications, pending increased quota allowances from the US Drug Enforcement Administration,” he added.