The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 274 No 7341 p331
19 March 2005

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Products

New medicines
• Avastin
Prescription Products
• Alendronic acid
• Atenolol tablets
• Selenase
• Truvada tablets
Discontinued products
• Tranxene capsules
Supply issues
• Cardura XL
• Hypurin insulin
Counter products
• Numark allergy products

New medicines

Avastin
Composition: Bevacizumab 25mg/ml.

Presentation: Concentrate for solution for infusion.

Class: Monoclonal antibody.

Indications: First-line treatment of patients with metastatic carcinoma of the colon or rectum in combination with intravenous 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid, or 5-fluorouracil, folinic acid and irinotecan.

Dosage: 5mg/kg body weight given once every 14 days as an intravenous infusion. The initial dose should be delivered over 90 minutes. If well tolerated the second infusion may be administered over 60 minutes and subsequent infusions over 30 minutes. Do not administer as an intravenous push or bolus. Avastin should not be administered or mixed with glucose solutions. See SPC.

Major cautions: Caution should be exercised in patients at increased risk of developing gastrointestinal perforations, patients with uncontrolled hypertension, patients with an increased risk of developing thromboembolic events, and patients with risk factors for the development of congestive heart failure. Avastin should not be used in patients at risk of CNS haemorrhage or be initiated for at least 28 days following major surgery. See SPC.

Contraindications: Hypersensitivity to Chinese hamster ovary cell products or other recombinant human or humanised antibodies. Pregnancy. Patients with untreated CNS metastases.

Side effects: The most serious adverse events in clinical trials were gastrointestinal perforations, haemorrhage and arterial thromboembolism. The most frequently observed events were asthenia, diarrhoea, nausea and pain.

Legal category: POM.

Net price: 100mg/4ml £242.66, 400mg/16ml £924.40.

Contact details: Roche, 40 Broadwater Road, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire AL7 3AY. Telephone 01707 390378.

Correction The telephone number for information about Avastin is 0800 328 1629, and not as stated.

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Prescription Products

Alendronic acid
Alendronic acid tablets are now available from Teva Pharmaceuticals. Net price, 4 £22.79. Legal category: POM.

Atenolol tablets
Atenolol tablets are now available from Almus Pharmaceuticals. Net price, 28, 25mg £0.61, 50mg £0.72, 100mg £0.91. Legal category: POM.

Selenase
Selenase (selenium) solution for injection and oral solution 50µg per ml is now available from Oxford Nutrition. Net price, solution for injection, 500µg (10x10ml) £37.50, 100µg (10x2ml) £9.30. Legal category: POM. Oral solution, 500µg (10x10ml) £30.75, 100µg (20x2ml) £10.50. Legal category: P. The marketing authorisation holder is Biosyn Arzneimittel GmbH.

Truvada tablets
Truvada (emtricitabine 200mg and tenofovir disoproxil 245mg) tablets have been launched by Gilead. Net price, 30, £418.50. Legal category: POM.

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Discontinued products

Tranxene capsules
Tranxene (clorazepate dipotassium; Boehringer Ingelheim) capsules 15mg will be discontinued when current stocks are exhausted. The company expects this to be by the end of March. Tranxene capsules 7.5mg will remain available until February 2006. Further details from medical information on 01344 424600, extension 1590.

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Supply issues

Cardura XL
Cardura XL (doxazosin; Pfizer) tablets 4mg and 8mg are currently out of stock. The company says intermittent stock problems may continue in the short term.

Hypurin insulin
Hypurin Bovine Lente (insulin zinc suspension; CP Pharmaceuticals) 10ml vials are now back in stock. Limited stocks of Hypurin Porcine Neutral (soluble insulin) 3ml cartridges are now available, with further batches expected in early April. Hypurin Porcine Isophane (isophane insulin) 3ml cartridges and Hypurin Porcine 30/70 Mix (biphasic isophane insulin) 3ml cartridges are expected to be available at the end of March. Further details from CP Pharmaceuticals customer services on 01978 661261.

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Counter products

Numark allergy products
The following products are now available to Numark members. Numark Loratadine Liquid (loratadine 5mg/5ml), recommended retail price 100ml £4.29, Numark Allergy Eye Drops (sodium cromoglicate 2 per cent), recommended retail price 10ml £3.99, Numark Antihistamine Oral Solution (chlorphenamine 2mg/5ml), recommended retail price 150ml £3.29. Legal categories: all P.

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