A few weeks during a devistating manufactoring problem and eventual shut down of all production many men who were relying on Xofigo (radium-233 dichloride) were put into the untenable position of missing their scheduled doses. There was mass confusion about what to do in this circumstance. Men and their doctors didn’t know if they should just continue to wait for the problem’s resolution or to move on to a different drug. When the problem was resolved there was no evidence based information that could guide men if they should just start taking their Xofigo where they left off or perhaps attempt to start the protocol again from the beginning.

In reality we will never know what was the best course nor what the actual result of the shortage of the drug wil be for the men who missed their treatment.

Yesterday there was a joint media release from Bayer HealthCare and Cardinal Healthcare announcing that thet have entered into an agreement which will have Cardinal build a new 64,000 square foot plant in Indianapolis to manufactor Xofigo. The plan calls for the product made by this plant to be distrbuted in both the United States and in Canada. The plant s scheduled to come on line in 2017.

At the time of the crisis Malecare was told that there were plans to build a new plant in the United States. This announcment clearly fufills this promise, but it still falls short as a perfect solution to another large plant shutdown.

The current plant in Norway will continue to manufactor Xofigo, but as the drug continues to grab market share it would not be capable of picking up the slack if there is another shut down.

We applaud Bayer HealthCare and their affirmative action. But, we also ask them to consider building another, third plant that might be able to step into a problem and mediate the affects of one plant being closed. Putting all your eggs into one basket isn’t always the best solution.

See the press release: https://malecare.org