Monday, August 20, 2012

J&J Doxil Shortage Could Continue: Report

NEW YORK -- Cancer patients relying on Johnson & Johnson's(JNJ) drug Doxil could continue facing shortages after a contract manufacturer suspended operations at its Ohio plant, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Ben Venue Laboratories Inc., which is a unit of Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, shut down manufacturing and distribution operations at its Bedford, Ohio, plant after a review showed that preventative maintenance and requalification of some manufacturing equipment is overdue, the newspaper said in a report published Saturday on its Web site. Ben Venue said it hopes to restore manufacturing at the site as soon as possible, the paper reported.

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Equipment failures at the same site led to a Doxil shortage earlier in the year, and about 2,700 people are on a waiting list for the drug, which treats a wide range of cancers including ovarian cancer, the paper said. U.S. sales of the drug fell 87% during the third quarter, according to the paper.J&J previously identified a potential alternative supplier for the drug, according to the paper, but that transition would take an extended period of time. J&J representatives could not be immediately reached for comment Sunday.> > Bull or Bear? Vote in Our Poll

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