FDA Approves Six New Presentations of Heparin

Hospira, the world leader in generic injectable pharmaceuticals and a global specialty pharmaceutical and medication delivery company headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the company's applications for six new presentations of therapeutic heparin in single- and multiple-dose vials.

Heparin, a highly-sulfated glycosaminoglycan, is widely used as an injectable for anticoagulant for therapy. The drug is also used to prevent clot formation in central venous catheters and is available in numerous delivery systems for different modes of administration.

The six new vial presentations of heparin approved by the FDA range in volume from one milliliter to 30 milliliters, and in concentration from 1,000 units per milliliter to 10,000 units per milliliter.

Hospira recognizes the clinical need for this important medication and sought to expand its marketed portfolio of heparin presentations to help meet market demand. With the addition of the new vials, Hospira now offers one of the broadest portfolios of heparin available on the U.S. market, with various sizes and strengths of the product available in syringes, vials and flexible containers.

"Hospira is committed to ensuring patient access to safe and effective supplies of heparin," said Joshua Gordon, vice president, Specialty Pharmaceuticals, Hospira. "These additional presentations will provide our customers a wide range of options to address the continuum of care.”

For more information

• Hospira Inc
• Heparin

Read these related PubMed abstract:

• Kim GG, El Rouby S, Thompson J, et al. Monitoring unfractionated heparin in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease having cardiac catheterization or cardiac surgery. J Thromb Thrombolysis 2009 Aug 28. [Epub ahead of print]
• Copeland CE, Six CK. A tale of two anticoagulants: warfarin and heparin. J Surg Educ. 2009 May-Jun;66(3):176-81.