The FDA is allowing Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co. to temporarily import a syphilis drug that has been in shortage for more than a year.
Penicillin G benzathine injection fell into low supply in April 2023, and since then, clinicians have been rationing the product. In January, the FDA issued a temporary authorization for French drugmaker Laboratoires Delbert to import penicillin G benzathine.
On July 17, the FDA updated its post on the drug's shortage. To address the scarcity, the agency cleared Cost Plus Drugs to import the medication from Laboratórios Atral.
The Portugal-based drug company will export two presentations of Lentocilin (benzathine benzylpenicillin tetrahydrate), according to FDA documents.
Cost Plus Drugs is selling this medication to healthcare businessed for less than $15, the company said in July 17 post on X.