U.S. government buys $21.5 million worth of Akorn's Ca-DTPA, Zn-DTPA for national stockpile

By E. Janene Geiss

Philadelphia, Dec. 30 - Akorn, Inc. announced Friday that it has received a commercial item award from the Department of Health and Human Services for the procurement of Calcium-DTPA and Zinc-DTPA.

The government's acquisition of Ca-DTPA and Zn-DTPA is intended to provide countermeasures to protect the American civilian population in the event of a radiological or nuclear incident, according to a company news release.

The award quantities represent a combined total of 450,000 units of Ca-DTPA and Zn-DTPA, officials said.

The contract's value is about $21.5 million and is subject to final funding approval by the federal government, officials said.

Akorn said it will deliver the entire 450,000 units in the first quarter of 2006.

Akorn licensed Ca-DTPA and Zn-DTPA from Hameln Pharmaceuticals gmbh in October 2004.

"Several U.S. governmental agencies were involved in this cooperative effort and we believe this award represents a new model for procuring these types of products for the Strategic National Stockpile," Arthur S. Przybyl, president and chief executive officer, said in the release.

Akorn, based in Buffalo Grove, Ill., manufactures and markets sterile specialty pharmaceuticals and markets and distributes an extensive line of hospital and ophthalmic pharmaceuticals.

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