PHILADELPHIA, September 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --
BTG plc (LSE: BTG), the global specialist healthcare company,
announces the inclusion of two of its oncology-related antidote
products in the revised 'Expert Consensus Guidelines for Stocking
of Antidotes in Hospitals That Provide Emergency Care' published
online by the Annals of Emergency Medicine (AEM).
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The previous version of the stocking guidelines was published in
2009, prior to the approval and availability of
Voraxaze® (glucarpidase) and Vistogard®
(uridine triacetate), which are used to reverse toxicities that can
occur from particular chemotherapy treatments. These two BTG
products have now been added to the guidance.
The recommendations have been updated by a multidisciplinary
expert healthcare panel that have experience with the medical and
logistical nature of using emergency care products to promptly
treat patients exposed to a number of poisons. In total, 45
antidotes were considered and 44 were recommended for stocking,
including the timeframe in which the products should be available
to administer to patients.
Dr. Richard Dart, Director of the
Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, states: "Many studies have
shown that hospitals with emergency departments often fail to stock
important antidotes. Our hope is that these guidelines will provide
them the guidance needed to stock emergency antidotes
appropriately."
BTG's Specialty Pharmaceuticals' product portfolio includes four
products categorized as antidotes designed for use in hospital
settings and emergency rooms. BTG's antidote products address
conditions for which there are limited or no existing treatment
options. They are listed below, along with the recommendation of
the expert panel:
Acute care
CroFab® (crotalidae polyvalent immune fab (ovine)) -
a drug approved in the US for the treatment of North American
Crotalid snakebites. If left untreated, the snake venom may cause
severe pain and tissue damage that may result in the loss of a limb
or even death. The guidance states that CroFab® should
be stocked and available within 60 minutes of an envenomated
patient's arrival.
DigiFab® (digoxin immune fab (ovine)) - the product
is approved in the US, Canada, UK,
Switzerland and Australia to treat patients with
life-threatening, or potentially life-threatening, digoxin toxicity
or overdose. Digoxin (digitalis) is used to treat heart failure and
to slow heart rate in some cardiac disturbances. The guidance
states that DigiFab® should be stocked and available
immediately.
Oncology
Vistogard® (uridine triacetate) - approved by FDA in
the US, Vistogard® is the first and only antidote to
treat patients following an overdose of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or
capecitabine or in patients exhibiting early-onset, severe or
life-threatening toxicity affecting the cardiac or central nervous
system, and/or early-onset, unusually severe adverse reactions
(e.g., gastrointestinal toxicity and/or neutropenia) within 96
hours following the end of 5-FU or capecitabine administration. BTG
acquired US marketing rights from the manufacturer, Wellstat
Therapeutics. The expert panel recommends that
Vistogard® should be stocked by the hospital.
Voraxaze® (glucarpidase) - granted US approval to
treat patients with toxic plasma methotrexate concentrations (>1
micromole per liter) with delayed methotrexate clearance due to
impaired renal function and is available in certain other
territories on a named patient basis. The guideline recommends that
Voraxaze® should be stocked by the hospital.
To read the expert panel's recommendations in full, please
follow this link:
http://www.annemergmed.com/article/S0196-0644(17)30657-1/pdf
About BTG
BTG is a global specialist healthcare company bringing to market
innovative products in specialist areas of medicine to better serve
doctors and their patients. We have a portfolio of Interventional
Medicine products to advance the treatment of cancer, severe
emphysema, severe blood clots and varicose veins, and Specialty
Pharmaceuticals that help patients overexposed to certain
medications or toxins. Inspired by patient and physician needs, BTG
is investing to expand its portfolio to address some of today's
most complex healthcare challenges. To learn more about BTG, please
visit: btgplc.com .
For further information contact:
BTG
Andy Burrows, VP Corporate &
Investor Relations
+44-(0)-20-7575-1741; Mobile: +44-(0)-7990-530-605
Stuart Hunt, Investor Relations
Manager
+44-(0)-20-7575-1582; Mobile: +44-(0)-7815-778-536
Chris Sampson, Corporate
Communications Director
+44-(0)-20-7575-1595; Mobile: +44-(0)-7773-251-178
FTI Consulting
Ben Atwell/Simon Conway
+44-(0)-20-3727-1000
SOURCE BTG plc
