Fresenius SE, a German-based drug manufacturer, has announced it will resume shipping of cytarabine, a valuable leukemia medication.
Cytarabine, a chemotherapy drug used to treat leukemia and certain cases of lymphoma, is facing such a severe shortage that major medical centers have begun rationing the medication. A number of hospitals out of the drug are scrambling frantically to obtain more.
The drug is critical for patients suffering from acute myeloid leukemia. Without the medication, doctors say the condition could prove fatal.
Why Production Problems Could be Fatal
Three different companies manufacture cytarabine. Of them, two have been plagued with production problems and the third is not producing enough supply to satisfy increased demand. Currently, Hospira Inc. of Lake Forest, Illinois, is the only company still shipping the drug, but quantities are limited.
Last year, Hospira Inc. had problems obtaining the active ingredient used to produce cytarabine. This issue slowed down production immensely. Then, Fresenius’s APP Pharmaceuticals, another Illinois-based drug manufacturer, was forced to halt shipments due to particles found in the product. The particles were later found to be innocuous portions of the active ingredient dried into tiny clumps. However, when it comes to injectable medication for patients who are suffering from leukemia, any size particles are cause for concern.
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