News Releases
Mochida Pharmaceutical Repackages Thrombin MOCHIDA To Prevent Inappropriate Usage
(Tokyo, June 23, 2003) Mochida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. announced today that it will market repackaged forms of its Thrombin MOCHIDA hemostatic agent from 1 July. Known as 'Liquid Thrombin MOCHIDA Softbottle 5,000' and 'Liquid Thrombin MOCHIDA Softbottle 10,000,' the new packages are designed to prevent possibly fatal injections of the agent.
Thrombin has long been known as a blood coagulant used to achieve hemostasis when there is hemorrhaging in the gastrointestinal tract, etc. In order to ensure quality and stability, the existing product is provided in vials similar to those used for intravenous preparations. The product is used as a saline solution and is applied to the hemorrhaging area by spraying with a syringe. Measures to guard against the risk of fatalities if this drug is mistakenly injected include attaching a label to the vial with the warning "Do not inject!" in bold red letters. However, medical institutions have expressed the desire for more radical measures to prevent inappropriate usage.
The major feature of the packages is a concertina-shaped plastic bottle recently devised by Mochida for the purpose, and for which patent applications are pending. This new container obviates the need to make adjustments to the drug solution or to transfer it to a syringe. Thrombin can be sprayed directly at the site of a hemorrhage and the product name can be checked from the label whenever it is used; this is expected to contribute significantly to the prevention of medical problems caused by inadvertent injection. Besides preventing inappropriate usage, the all-plastic containers can be easily disposed of with other plastic waste for recycling. Available in small, five-bottle packs. they may be purchased according to frequency of use.
Manufacture of Thrombin MOCHIDA in the existing vials is being halted and the changeover to the new packages will be implemented immediately. It is estimated that 'Liquid Thrombin MOCHIDA Softbottle 5,000' (5ml bottles each containing 5,000 units) and 'Softbottle 10,000' (10ml bottles of 10,000 units) will generate peak annual sales of ¥700 million.