According to the partners, sodium bicarbonate injection had been in critically short supply across US hospitals and the newly announced deal will work to rectify this within Civica Rx’s hospital network.
Hospitals within Civica’s network prioritized the medicine, after having to ration its use due to ongoing shortages, the non-profit organization stated.
Sodium bicarbonate injection is used to treat metabolic aciodisis, which can occur through kidney disease, cardiac arrest, diabetes, and circulatory insufficiency.
Exela Pharma Sciences received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the manufacture of the product on June 20, 2019. According to the companies, the first hospitals within Civica’s network will receive the product this year.
Martin VanTrieste, CEO of Civica Rx, said, “Sodium bicarbonate is a medicine that is a staple on hospital crash carts and often used for emergency resuscitations. No hospital or patient should ever have to go without it.”
In March 2019, the number of hospitals in Civica’s network reached over 800, with the non-profit aiming to provide its members with a secured supply of generic medication that had suffered from low levels of supply. In its latest release, Civica confirmed that it now represents over 1,000 US hospitals.
Already this year, the organization has announced a deal with Xelia Pharmaceuticals for the manufacture of antibiotics and with Hikma Pharmaceuticals for a further 14 essential sterile injectable medicines.
As a result of this latest agreement, Civica holds 17 medicines deemed in short supply within its portfolio.
