Amisulpride Injection Now Available in the US for Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting

Acacia Pharma recently announced that amisulpride injection (Barhemsys) is now commercially available in the United States for the treatment and prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV).

The FDA approved amisulpride injection in February of this year for the indication. It is now available for order and delivery through major wholesalers and selected specialty distributors, including Cardinal Health, Amerisource Bergen, Besse, McKesson, McKesson Medsurg, Morris and Dickson, and Curascript.

Related: Barhemsys (Amisulpride) for Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting

PONV occurs in an estimated 30% of surgical patients and up to 80% of high-risk patients. PONV is associated with anesthetic gases and opioids; it is especially common in patients recuperating from gynecological, abdominal, breast, eye, and ear operations that lasted upwards of an hour.

Each year, there are approximately 65 million surgical procedures conducted in the United States that are eligible for antiemetic use to prevent PONV, according to the news release.

Amisulpride injection is a selective dopamine-2 (D2) and dopamine-3 (D3) receptor antagonist. The treatment is indicated for treatment of PONV in patients who have received antiemetic prophylaxis with an agent of a different class or who have not received prophylaxis; it is also indicated for the prevention of PONV alone or in combination with an antiemetic of a different class.

“We are excited to announce today that Barhemsys is now available in the US for the millions of patients each year who suffer from PONV,” Mike Bolinder, chief executive officer of Acacia Pharma, said in a statement.

“Barhemsys is the first and only antiemetic to be approved for the rescue treatment of PONV in patients who have failed prior prophylaxis with an agent of a different class using current standard of care and we estimate there are approximately 16 million such surgical patients each year in the US that go on to suffer from PONV despite receiving prophylaxis,” he continued.

“We believe there will be strong demand for Barhemsys as US healthcare institutions seek to address surgical backlogs created by the coronavirus crisis and are very happy to make this new therapy available in the US,” Bolinder said.

Reference:

1. BARHEMSYS (amisulpride injection) Launched in the US for the Treatment and Prevention of PONV. News Release. GlobeNewswire; August 24, 2020. Accessed August 25, 2020. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/08/24/2082317/0/en/BARHEMSYS-amisulpride-injection-Launched-in-the-US-for-the-Treatment-and-Prevention-of-PONV.html.