Continues Hikma and the Office of National Drug Control Policy effort to combat the opioid overdose epidemic in the US
Columbus, OH – Feb. 21, 2024 – Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC (Hikma), the multinational pharmaceutical company, today welcomed Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), to its Columbus, Ohio manufacturing facility for a visit and important dialogue on the US opioid overdose epidemic and Hikma’s and ONDCP’s shared goal of expanding the availability and awareness of life-saving naloxone.
During the visit, Dr. Gupta met with Hikma employees and toured the Columbus facility, observing firsthand the production of Hikma’s overdose reversal medicine KLOXXADO® (naloxone HCl) nasal spray 8mg. Following the tour, Dr. Gupta and Hikma’s leadership held a roundtable with members of two Ohio-based harm reduction organizations to discuss the ongoing opioid epidemic and how industry, government, community organizations and others can work together to meet the urgent needs of US patients and communities.
“In his Unity Agenda, President Biden set a clear directive: we must all come together to address the nation’s overdose epidemic,” said White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Director Dr. Rahul Gupta. “Not only are we working closely across federal agencies, but with partners at the state, local, and community levels to save lives and ensure everyone has the resources they need to stay healthy and thrive. Expanding access to overdose reversal medication like naloxone is a key priority of this Administration, and we will continue doing all we can to get this lifesaving tool in communities throughout the country.”
“We were honored to host Dr. Gupta at our Columbus facility for this important visit to advance our shared goal of saving lives through expanding access to overdose-reversal medicines like naloxone,” said Brian Hoffmann, President, Generics, Hikma. “Hikma firmly believes that no one who needs overdose reversal medicine should lack access because of costs, awareness or availability. That’s why Hikma is proud to manufacture all forms of naloxone including generic sterile injectable and pre-filled syringe formulations, in addition to KLOXXADO®. We are committed to continuing to work with Dr. Gupta and his colleagues, health care providers, non-profit organizations and the public health community to ensure naloxone is widely accessible to all who can benefit from it.”
“We were grateful to have participated in today’s important conversation about how government and industry can work together with the harm reduction community to address the ongoing opioid epidemic,” said Kelsey Caitlin Bates, Black Community Strategy Director and Regional Coordinator, Harm Reduction Ohio. "Driven by a commitment to science, compassion, and human rights, we advocate for the autonomy of choice, empowering individuals to navigate their health decisions, including naloxone use, in alignment with their values and needs."
As the US FDA, ONDCP and others have noted, naloxone is a critical tool for individuals, families, first responders and communities to help reduce opioid overdose deaths, and expanding access to all forms of naloxone is one of the top ways to address the overdose crisis.
Hikma manufactures multiple formulations of naloxone and has been working with communities across the US for more than 20 years to provide medicines that help people recover from opioid use disorder. Through its Hikma Community Health™ initiative, it has partnered with US non-profits and harm reduction organizations to help expand access to its entire naloxone portfolio.