Juno Pharmaceuticals receives approval to import Eptifibatide as Canadian hospitals continue to grapple with shortages of critical medicines

Juno Pharmaceuticals importing six-months’ worth of medication as supply drops to near-zero

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Juno Pharmaceuticals Canada (“Juno”), a Canadian specialty pharmaceutical company, announced that it has received approval from Health Canada to import Eptifibatide solution for infusion and injection (“Eptifibatide”) pursuant to Health Canada’s exceptional importation and sale guidelines. Juno has procured for immediate release a six-month supply to the entirety of the Canadian market, helping to replenishing a dangerously depleted supply.

Eptifibatide is indicated for use in patients with certain types of acute coronary syndromes (diseases where blood flow to the heart decreases or is obstructed) while they are undergoing particular interventions, such as intracoronary stenting, to help prevent blood clotting. The drug has been in limited supply since October 2022, and over the last five months, some hospitals have needed to resort to alternatives in its absence. According to Thrombosis Canada, blood clots are responsible for one-in-four deaths in Canada each year.

“Canada is experiencing inconsistencies in stock across drug classes – from cold and flu to allergy, pain management and antibiotic medications. Eptifibatide is another drug on the laundry list of those Canadians have struggled to access for months,” says Greg LaMorre, Director, Supply Chain & Vendor Relations. “As all other product has now been exhausted, this delivery comes at a critical time, and will provide immediate relief to hospitals across the country.”

Following the children’s medication shortages that dominated the headlines this winter, Juno’s internal drug shortage division imported pediatric Amoxicillin, helping to provide relief to over 60,000 Canadian households to date. Juno remains focused on sourcing, registering and importing out-of-country medications experiencing shortages in Canada.

“There are entrenched vulnerabilities in Canada’s drug supply system,” says Mark Mantel, President and CEO of Juno. “The stakes couldn’t be higher for the patients experiencing shortages, and that severity and urgency must be reflected in the efforts of the manufacturer community to maintain a reliable supply for all Canadians. Preventing future shortages will require encouraging global players to bring their products to the Canadian market. As we look to the future, investing in domestic production and bolstering bricks and mortar manufacturing on Canadian soil should be a priority.”

About Juno Pharmaceuticals Canada

Juno Pharmaceuticals Canada specializes in bringing complex and high value generic and biosimilar products to the Canadian market. The Juno management team possesses decades of pharmaceutical industry experience along with an extensive track record of driving strategic growth through the identification of niche products and disciplined construction of robust product pipelines. An early member of the global Juno Pharmaceuticals group, Juno’s global operations span four continents and consist of over 14 diverse pharmaceutical and medical device businesses spread across Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia and South Africa.