Did Pfizer Have Jitters Over A Story About A Nerve Gas Antidote?

Three weeks ago, a story ran in The Wall Street Journal that a Pfizer unit was having difficulty making pre-filled syringes that contain antidotes to sarin nerve gas and some US public health officials were concerned about obtaining adequate supplies. The story appeared just as the White House began considering a diplomatic proposal from Russia about the use of nerve gas by the Syrian government. As the story noted, the drugmaker and the federal government are making it a priority to obtain replacement syringes for the military, but for the past few months, there have been insufficient supplies for ambulances and hospitals that keep the Pfizer auto-injectors for first responders in the US. Why? Some devices, known as either DuoDote or ATNAA, did not contain one or both drugs used to treat nerve gas victims. The publicity came at an inopportune time for the drugmaker. The Pfizer unit that makes the auto-injectors has been having manufacturing problems for much of this year and notified the FDA of its difficulties. Meridian Medical Technologies was issued an inspection report by the FDA earlier this year related to problems at a plant in Missouri, according to an FDA source. Meanwhile, Pfizer was hoping to win a five-year, $60 million contract from the US Department of Health & Human Services to conduct studies of midazolam, a fast-acting sedative used prior to surgeries, for treating seizures caused by nerve agents. Last week, Pfizer won the contract, which also calls for ...
Source: Pharmalot - Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: Source Type: blogs