The London-based generic drugmaker Hikma is allocating large supplies of hydromorphone to its U.S. hospital customers to help relieve the current injectable opioid shortage, the company announced July 18.
Hikma distributed more than 5 million vials of hydromorphone in June and plans to share another 3 million vials with U.S. hospitals in July.
"We continue to prioritize the manufacture of opioid products affected by this shortage including fentanyl, meperidine, morphine and hydromorphone to provide hospitals and doctors with the medicines they need to best treat their patients," said Daniel Motto, executive vice president of Hikma's U.S. injectables division.
The injectable opioid shortage stems from manufacturing issues tied to Pfizer, which accounts for 60 percent of the United States' injectable opioid market. The company does not expect to return to full manufacturing capacity until the first quarter of 2019.
More articles on supply chain:
American Action Forum: Trade war with China could drive medical equipment costs up $400M per year
3 latest FDA approvals
Amazon reportedly working with startup to launch medical product delivery at major health systems