On April 7, the FDA approved an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate Tablets USP, 200 mg, for the treatment of: 1) uncomplicated malaria due to P. falciparum, P. malariae, P. ovale and P. vivax; 2) chronic discoid lupus erythematosus and systemic lupus erythematosus in adults; and 3) treatment of acute and chronic…
Sanofi Can Produce Millions of Doses of HCQ, Potential Coronavirus Drug
PARIS (Reuters)—Sanofi SA will be able to provide millions of doses of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) for patients with the illness caused by the novel coronavirus if the old malaria drug proves successful in clinical trials, its chief executive tells Reuters on Thursday. Paul Hudson, who became CEO of the French drugmaker in September, said in an…
U.S. FDA Says HCQ & Other Malaria Drugs in Shortage as COVID-19 Drives Up Demand
April 1 (Reuters)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine and related chloroquine are in shortage due to a surge in demand because of the coronavirus pandemic. The drugs, which have been tried with some success to treat the illness caused by the virus, were added to the agency’s website that lists…
Rheumatology in the Age of COVID-19: HCQ Shortages Driven by Small, Nonrandomized Study
No data exist for prescribing hydroxychloroquine for post-exposure prophylaxis, and we should not prescribe it for this indication.
Old Drug, New Interest: COVID-19 Spurs Hydroxychloroquine Supply Concerns for Rheumatic Disease Patients
After a study investigated if hydroxycholoroquine (HCQ) benefits COVID-19 patients, the drug—used to treat SLE and RA patients—began running out in pharmacies around the U.S. ACR leaders have asked the FDA to increase monitoring of the HCQ supply…
CVS to Prevent Stockpiling of Malaria Drug Amid COVID-19
March 25 (Reuters)—CVS Health said on Wednesday its pharmacy benefit management (PBM) unit was laying out measures to prevent the stockpiling of malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine, which is being tested as a potential treatment for the coronavirus. The company said it was also setting up limits on the use of azithromycin, a protease inhibitor and albuterol…
HCQ Debate: Should Dose Be No More Than 5 mg/kg in All SLE Patients?
Multiple studies show that hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has many benefits in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), including cardiovascular benefits, such as reducing coronary artery and thrombosis risks. HCQ can prevent disease flares, including in renal and central nervous system lupus, and is the only drug shown to prolong survival in lupus. However, guidelines released in 2016 by…