LONDON (Alliance News) - Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC said Tuesday it has launched a caffeine citrate injection, called CAFCIT, for the treatment of apnea of prematurity in infants.
Apnea of prematurity is when infants who are born prematurely stop breathing, or their breathing is shallow, for short episodes.
The injection is the first product launch from the portfolio of products Hikma acquired from Ben Venue Laboratories Inc, which had been produced at Ben Venue's generic manufacturing site in Bedford, Ohio.
The Bedford site was voluntarily shut in 2011 after US Food and Drug administration raised significant manufacturing and quality concerns. Although Ben Venue poured funds into upgrading the facility and resumed limited production towards the end of 2012, it decided to cease production at the end of 2013, as it was unable to return to "sustainable production".
Hikma had said at the time of its 2014 results in March that it plans to have all 20 products it acquired back on the market in 2017.
"This is our first launch from the Bedford portfolio acquired last year. We are making good progress in the transfer of the Bedford products to our manufacturing facilities and this launch demonstrates our strong R&D, regulatory and manufacturing capabilities," said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Said Darwazah in a statement Tuesday.
Shares in Hikma Pharmaceuticals are trading down 1.8% at 2,017.00 pence Tuesday morning.
By Hana Stewart-Smith; hanassmith@alliancenews.com; @HanaSSAllNews
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Hikma Pharmaceuticals (HIK)