Product news

CefAZOLIN for Injection,USP

Sagent Pharmaceuticals Inc(Schaumburg, IL) recently launchedCefAZOLIN for Injection, USP?an essentialantibiotic used to treat seriousinfections. The product is the genericequivalent to GlaxoSmithKline?s Ancef.CefAZOLIN for Injection, USP, is indicatedfor serious infections such asthose of the respiratory, biliary andurinary tracts, skin and skin structureinfections, bone and joint infections,and other infections caused by variousstrains of streptococci. ProphylacticCefAZOLIN Injection, USP, preoperative,intraoperative, and postoperativeadministration can be effective inreducing the incidence of certain surgicalinfections. The product is availablein 1-g single-dose vials and 10-gpharmacy bulk-package vials. For moreinformation, call 866-625-1618, or visitwww.SagentPharma.com.

Treanda (bendamustinehydrochloride) for Injection

Cephalon Inc (Frazer, PA) recentlyreceived FDA approval for Treandafor Injection. The product is an alkylatingdrug indicated for the treatment ofpatients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia(CLL), a slowly progressing bloodand bone marrow disease. Treanda forInjection is intended for administrationas an intravenous infusion over 30 minutes.The recommend dose is 100 mg/m2 administered intravenously on days 1and 2 of a 28-day cycle, up to 6 cycles.The product is supplied in individualcartons of 20-mL amber single-usevials containing 100 mg of bendamustinehydrochloride as a white to offwhitelyophilized powder. Treanda forInjection has been granted orphan drugstatus by the FDA for the treatment ofCLL. The orphan drug designation willprovide marketing exclusivity in thisindication until March 2015. For moreinformation, visit www.cephalon.com,or call 800-896-5855.

Emend (fosaprepitantdimeglumine) for Injection

Merck & Co Inc (Whitehouse Station,NJ) recently receivedFDA approval forEmend for Injection,a new intravenous(IV) therapy for theprevention of chemotherapy-inducednausea and vomiting.The product isan IV prodrug of theoral formulation ofEmend (aprepitant).When Emend forInjection is administered, fosaprepitantis rapidly converted in the bodyto aprepitant. Emend for Injection isapproved for use in combination withother antiemetic medicines for theprevention of acute and delayed nauseaand vomiting associated with initialand repeat courses of moderatelyemetogenic and highly emetogeniccancer chemotherapy, includinghighdosecisplatin. Emend for Injection (115mg) provides a new option for patientsreceiving an antiemeticon day 1 oftheir chemotherapy.The product maybe substituted for the 125-mg oral capsuleof Emend on day 1 and is administered30 minutes prior to the initiationof chemotherapy over a 15-minuteperiod. The 3-day antiemetic regimenincludes Emend for Injection(115 mg)or Emend (125 mg orally) on day 1;Emend (80 mg orally) on days 2 and3; in addition to a corticosteroid and a5-HT3 antagonist. The product is suppliedas one 115-mg single dose per10-mL glass vial. For more information,call 800-NSC-MERCK (800-672-6372), orvisit www.emendforinjection.com.

VeriScan

Sculptor Developmental TechnologiesInc?s (Canonsburg, PA) VeriScanis designed to prevent medicationerrors at the patient bedside at the timethe medication is being administered.The system provides nurses with medicationssorted according to those duenow, PRN orders, and all orders. Neworders, changes to orders, and discontinuedorders are delivered to thepersonal digital assistant (PDA) in realtime. In addition to supporting barcodescanning, VeriScan is designed tosupport radio-frequency identification(RFID) technology. User sign-on andpatient identification (ID) are 2 keyareas to use RFID. Instead of scanningthe bar code on the user ID or patientwristband, the PDA is placed in theproximity (within 3 in) of the user IDor patient wristband. With VeriScan,the process of charting medicationsto the order-entry system can takeplace at the same time the medicationis given at the patient bedside.Eliminating delays in charting medicationsalso provides a positive impacton patient safety, because all clinicianswho use the order-entry system willhave up-to-the-minute status on theadministration of each patient?s medications.For more information, visitwww.BedSideSafety.com

VIDAS NT-proBNP

bioM?rieux Inc (Durham, NC) recently received 510(k) clearancefrom the FDA to market VIDAS NT-proBNP?a test thathelps the diagnosis of heart failure. VIDAS NT-proBNP (N-terminalpro-B-type natriuretic peptide) is a quantitative marker of heartstress with the potential to detect all stages of heart failure, eventhe early stages, which can be difficult to detect. The test providesobjective diagnostic information that helps clinicians distinguishheart failure from other disease states with similar clinical symptoms.VIDAS NT-proBNP also can be used to assess the prognosisof patients with established heart failure or acute coronary syndrome.The unique VIDAS design makes this assay available 24hours a day for emergency departments. For more information,visit www.biomerieux-usa.com, or call 800-682-2666.

Irinotecan Hydrochloride

Sandoz (Princeton, NJ) recently introduced IrinotecanHydrochloride, a generic equivalent of Pfizer Inc?s Camptosar.Sandoz launched the product, its first injectable oncology drug,upon expiration of patent protection on Camptosar. IrinotecanHydrochloride is indicated for patients with metastatic carcinomaof the colon or rectum whose disease has recurred or progressedfollowing initial fluorouracil-based therapy. Each milliliter ofIrinotecan Hydrochloride contains 20 mg irinotecan (on the basisof the trihydrate salt), 45 mg sorbitol, and 0.9 mg lactic acid. Theproduct is available in single-dose vials in 2- and 5-mL packages.For more information, visit www.us.sandoz.com.

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