BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), a leading global medical technology company, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first drug to be offered in the just-launched BD Simplist ready-to-administer, line of prefilled generic injectables. BD Simplist prefilled injectables will be commercialized and manufactured by BD Rx Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of BD. The first BD Simplist product BD Rx will launch is Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride Injection, USP, an injectable antihistamine.
BD Simplist prefilled injectables are designed to help improve patient care and safety by decreasing the number of steps in the traditional vial and syringe injection sequence, reducing the potential risk of medication error.
“BD, a leading innovator in injection and infusion-based drug delivery, continues to focus on providing innovative solutions to reduce the spread of infection and advance drug delivery,” said William A. Kozy, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “We have made a significant investment in R&D and manufacturing capabilities to build a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that combines drug formulation with our manufacturing expertise. BD is well positioned and uniquely suited to take this next step based on our demonstrated, twelve-year history of continuous, reliable supply of our Flush products and existing leadership position in prefillable syringe manufacturing.”
The potential for medication error exists with every injection. Clinicians perform up to 20 steps in a traditional vial and syringe injection sequence, which may increase the potential risk for error. With BD Simplist prefilled injectables, the injection sequence is reduced to approximately twelve steps allowing for more focus on the patient and less on injection preparation. Additionally, BD Simplist prefilled injectables offer easy-to-read labels on prefilled syringes, barcoding for easy identification and individually packaged, prefilled syringes.
“The vial and syringe injection process is inefficient for healthcare workers,” said Mark Sebree, President, BD Rx. “With the new BD Simplist ready-to-administer, prefilled injectables, BD is aiming to redefine injectable drug administration practice. BD envisions safe patient care and efficient clinical applications and believes this is the future of injectables.”
BD Rx plans to launch 20 to 30 drugs in BD Simplist prefilled injectables over the next few years and is targeting injectable drugs in doses most commonly relied on by clinicians in both the hospital and surgical center settings.
The financial impact of BD Simplist prefilled injectables for fiscal year 2013 will not be material and was contemplated in our fiscal year 2013 guidance. Read the full story here.