Other Drugs to Combat Anthrax Are in Ample Supply

by Reed Abelson and Andrew Pollack
The New York Times
October 23, 2001
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/23/business/23DRUG.html

 

Despite concerns over a possible shortage of Cipro, the antibiotic most widely used to treat anthrax, government officials and drug makers say there is an ample supply of other drugs that are effective against the potentially deadly bacterium.

"We have enough supply to address the cases that exist," said Donna Garland, a spokeswoman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "We are absolutely confident."

But public health officials did not provide detailed figures about the quantity of other treatments available and the production capacity of the industry. As public anxiety has risen over anthrax attacks in Florida, New York and Washington, demand for Cipro, the best-known drug to treat inhaled anthrax, has softwared. Bayer A.G., a German pharmaceutical company, is the only producer of the drug in the United States, and while the company has insisted it can produce enough of the drug on its own, there has been considerable debate over whether there is enough Cipro to treat a widespread attack.

In part to allay concerns about the availability of Cipro, public health officials have stressed that several generic antibiotics, including doxycycline, a kind of tetracycline, and various penicillins, are also effective against the disease. Numerous companies produce these drugs, which can usually be used after an initial treatment with Cipro, according to the C.D.C.

"There is more than enough doxycycline and penicillin to treat all of America right now," said Michael Reicher, the chairman and chief executive of Halsey Pharmaceuticals, which is the largest United States maker of the active ingredient used to produce doxycycline.

Even if the drugs were subject to widespread stockpiling by people trying to protect themselves from an attack, it would not create a shortage, according to Mr. Reicher. "If 30 million people decided to hoard a 60- day supply, I think the market could certainly bear it," he said.

The government is contacting manufacturers to discuss how much of the drugs they are currently producing and how much more they could make, according to Ms. Garland. Because there are numerous producers, the government is holding discussions with individual companies, she said, and has concentrated on determining how easily they could ramp up production if necessary.

Pfizer, which makes a branded version of doxycycline called Vibramycin, recently had such a discussion with federal officials. "We are prepared to comply with any request, but there hasn't been any specific request at this time," said Mariann Caprino, a spokeswoman for Pfizer.

In addition to Pfizer, at least half a dozen companies make doxycycline, and most of them could probably produce ample quantities on short notice, according to Clay O'Dell, a spokesman for the Generic Pharmaceutical Association.

"There is a lot of that drug out there," he said.

There has been no difficulty in procuring enough of the raw ingredients that go into making doxycycline, according to Mr. Reicher of Halsey Pharmaceuticals, who said there were eight suppliers. None of the manufacturers is reporting any difficulty making the drug, he said.

What's more, there has been no significant rush to get prescriptions for the generic antibiotics, said Carlo Michelotti, chief executive of the California Pharmacists Association. "There's been absolutely no stockpiling of those drugs," he said.

The same appears to be true across the nation. "We have not received any reports or calls from our members," said Joseph Dettenbaugh, an official at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, which mainly comprises hospital pharmacists. "We know hospitals are concerned about a potential shortage of Cipro to treat the normal flow of patients."

There are also brand-name drugs that scientists believe could be equally effective against anthrax. For example, Tequin, made by Bristol-Myers Squibb, is in the same class of drugs as Cipro. While a spokesman for Bristol-Myers said that the drug was not currently approved for anthrax, the company is in discussions with the Food and Drug Administration over what might be done to gain such an approval.

Johnson & Johnson makes two drugs in the same class as Cipro. A spokesman would not discuss any talks Johnson & Johnson is having with the government regarding the use of its drugs to treat anthrax.

 

Copyright 2001 The New York Times Company

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