FDA Says French Syphilis Drug Can Be Imported To Tackle Shortages
In June, Pfizer warned it would run out of its Bicillin L-A drug in the face of high demand, so the FDA has now temporarily allowed import of a drug from France's Laboratoires Delbert. Meanwhile, in Pakistan, authorities seized a poisonous solvent that was used in cough syrup.
Reuters:
US FDA Allows Import Of Syphilis Drug To Address Shortages
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will temporarily allow the import of a syphilis drug made by France's Laboratoires Delbert, the company said on Wednesday. Laboratoires Delbert said it was coordinating with the health regulator to bring extencilline into the United States to address syphilis drug shortages, according to a letter on the FDA's website. In June, Pfizer (PFE.N) had warned that it would soon run out of supply of its drug, Bicillin L-A, used to treat syphilis and other bacterial infections in children because it has had to prioritize versions made for adults due to a spike in syphilis infections in that population at the time. (1/10)
In other pharmaceutical updates —
Reuters:
Pakistan Seizes Poisonous Solvent Used In Cough Syrup
Pakistan has seized a batch of contaminated propylene glycol solvent that was labelled as manufactured by Dow Chemical, Thailand, the nation's drug regulatory authority said on Thursday. Dow Chemical, Thailand did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The move comes as authorities have identified toxic propylene glycol used in cough syrups as a possible reason for the deaths of more than 300 children in Indonesia, Gambia and Uzbekistan since 2022. The World Health Organization has linked the deaths outside Indonesia to cough syrups made in India. (Shahzad, 1/11)
The New York Times:
‘Gas-Station Heroin’ Sold As Dietary Supplement Alarms Health Officials
Often sold as a dietary supplement and promoted by retailers as a mood booster and focus aid, tianeptine is among a growing, unregulated class of potentially addictive products available in gas stations, convenience stores and smoke shops and across the internet. They typically include synthetic pharmaceuticals and plant-derived substances. ome, like kratom and phenibut, can be addictive and, in rare cases, fatal. They often originate in other countries, including Indonesia and Russia, where they are commonly used, even prescribed, for mood management. But the Food and Drug Administration has not approved them as medicines in the United States. “Tianeptine is an emerging threat,” said Kaitlyn Brown, clinical managing director of America’s Poison Centers, which represents and collects data from 55 centers nationwide. (Hoffman, 1/10)
Stat:
Risky Weight Loss Products Often Used By Teens Globally, Per Study
New weight loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy have garnered a lot of attention in the past year, but they aren’t always easy to get, especially for young people. Instead, teens surfing TikTok often see other options that don’t even require a doctor’s note. Berberine, for example, is a supplement that has been referred to online as “nature’s Ozempic.” Then there’s what some influencers call “budget Ozempic” — laxatives. (Gaffney, 1/10)
Bloomberg:
Wegovy Drug Combos To Prevent Muscle Loss To Be Tested By Regeneron (REGN)
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. will soon start testing its antibody drugs in combination with Wegovy to see if they prevent muscle loss, a problem that drugmakers including Eli Lilly & Co. have been racing to solve. GLP-1 drugs made by Lilly and rival Novo Nordisk A/S have exploded in popularity, but experts have started raising concerns that older patients may also be at risk of losing critical muscle mass that helps prevent injuries. (Muller, 1/10)
Also —
Stat:
JPM 2024: Verve Therapeutics Looks To Mainstream Genome Editing
The promise of genome editing has given rise to potentially curative medicines for rare, life-threatening diseases that generally affect small numbers of patients. But since Verve Therapeutics was founded in 2018, it’s had a wider aperture: using the molecular tools of genome editing to go after the most common cause of death in the world. (Garde, 1/10)
CNN:
Connor Bowman: Minnesota Doctor Accused Of Poisoning His Wife Betty Bowman Now Faces A Tougher Charge
A Minnesota doctor accused of fatally poisoning his pharmacist wife now faces a tougher charge that could put him in prison for the rest of his life, if convicted. (Rose, 1/10)
