29-Gauge Needle for Copaxone (glatiramer acetate injection)
Teva Pharmaceuticals (North Wales, PA) recently launched a new, thinner 29-Gauge Prefilled Syringe for Copaxone. The product is indicated for reduction of the frequency of relapses in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). A recent survey of 562 patients with MS found that the new thinner needle
was significantly preferred by 77% of patients over the previous 27-gauge needle. The recommended dose of Copaxone is 20 mg/day injected subcutaneously. The product is supplied as a single-use prefilled syringe containing 1.0 mL of a
clear, colorless to slightly yellow, sterile, nonpyrogenic solution containing 20 mg of glatiramer acetate and 40 mg of mannitol, USP in cartons of 30 single-use prefilled syringes. For more information, visit
www.copaxone.com.
Precedex (dexmedetomidine HCl) Injection
Hospira Inc (Lake Forest, IL) recently
received FDA approval for Precedex
Injection for use in nonintubated
patients requiring sedation prior to
and/or during surgical and other procedures.
The product also is indicated
for sedation of initially intubated and
mechanically ventilated patients during
treatment in an intensive care
setting. Precedex Injection should be
administered by continuous infusion
not to exceed 24 hours. For intensive
care unit sedation, clinicians should generally initiate at 1
mcg/kg over 10 minutes, followed by a maintenance infusion
of 0.2 mcg/kg to 0.7 mcg/kg per hour. For procedural
sedation, clinicians should generally initiate at 1 mcg/
kg over 10 minutes, followed by a maintenance infusion
initiated at 0.6 mcg/kg per hour and titrated to achieve
desired clinical effect with doses ranging from 0.2 mcg/kg
to 1 mcg/kg per hour. For more information, visit
www.hospira.com, or call 877-9HOSPIRA (877-946-7747).
