The Manufacturers of Propofol
Who manufactures Propofol?
Several companies do but two that are significant to this story are Hospira Inc. (a spin-off company of Abbott Laboratories) and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.
Hospira Inc. was founded in 2004 as a spin-off company of Abbott Laboratories.
http://www.hospira.com/default.aspx
http://www.hospirainvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=175550&p=irol-govBio&ID=109453
Abbott Laboratories is a diversified pharmaceuticals health care company with over $29 Billion in revenue in 2008. http://www.abbott.com/global/url/home/en_US
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbott_Laboratories
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. is an international pharmaceutical company headquartered in Petah Tikva, Israel. It specializes in generic and proprietary pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. It is the largest generic drug manufacturer in the world and one of the 20 largest pharmaceutical companies worldwide. In 2008, its sales totalled $11.08 billion.
http://www.tevapharm.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teva_Pharmaceutical_Industries.
Abbott Labs, Two Solvay Units Sued Over TriCor Drug
March 18, 2009 (Bloomberg)
“Abbott Laboratories has traded lawsuits with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., based in Petah Tikva, Israel, the world’s biggest generic-drug company, and other generic makers over cheaper versions of the drug. The generic companies claim Abbott and Solvay conspired to use patents to protect the monopoly as long as possible.”
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aHhiXY88Y8ZU&refer=home
So we have a big lawsuits going back and forth between Abbott Laboratories and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.
So Why Are These Two Companies Significant to The Michael Jackson Case?
Not long after Michael Jackson supposedly died from an overdose of propofol in combination with other drugs Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. recalled batches of propofol (there are specific lot numbers on each bottle of propofol’s label)
Recalls lots of propofol due to contamination. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA issues a voluntary user-level nationwide recall of Propofol Injectable Emulsion FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 16, 2009
Teva Pharmaceuticals USA is initiating a voluntary recall of Propofol Injectable Emulsion 10 mg/mL 100 mL vials, lot numbers 31305429B and 31305430B. The product lots identified are being recalled due to the presence of elevated endotoxin levels in some vials within these lot numbers. Teva has been notified of 41 propofol-treated patients who experienced post-operative fever, chills and other flu-like symptoms. Based on available information it appears that all febrile or flu-like reactions were self-limiting with spontaneous resolution. Adverse health effects, such as fever, chills, or rigors, are possible with exposure to product with elevated levels of endotoxins. Serious adverse effects, such as disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, acute respiratory distress syndrome, shock, and death, are possible with exposure to product with high endotoxin levels. For use as an anaesthetic agent, propofol should be used only by professionals trained in the administration of general anaesthesia. For sedation of intubated, mechanically ventilated patients in the Intensive Care Unit, propofol should be administered only by persons skilled in the management of critically ill patients. Customers who have Propofol lots 31305429B and 31305430B in their possession are instructed to cease using the product and return it to their distributor. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA is voluntarily recalling the aforementioned lots. FDA and CDC have been apprised of this action.
http://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls/ucm172474.htm
After the Las Vegas Police served a search warrant on a pharmacy in Las Vegas where Dr. Murray reportedly obtained propofol for Michael Jackson, TMZ contacted Hospira Inc. to ask them questions in regards to how health care workers can obtain propofol.
Propofol Manufacturer in MJ Case in the Dark
Posted Aug 13th 2009 5:01PM by TMZ Staff
We just got off the phone with Hospira Inc., one of the propofol manufacturers mentioned in the Las Vegas warrant used to search a pharmacy connected to Dr. Conrad Murray. It appears law enforcement believes Hospira manufactured one of the bottles of propofol found in Michael Jackson’s home after he died. A rep from Hospira tells us “Hospira is one of a number of companies that currently produce propofol. Hospira has no information regarding the manufacturer of the alleged bottles of Diprivan/Propofol at Michael Jackson’s home. Any licensed health care provider could purchase drugs from many sources, including wholesalers and other distribution channels.” Translation … they won’t say if law enforcement has contacted the company — though we know the DEA has already contacted the manufacturers of the propofol lots found in Jackson’s home. The company also appears to be saying … once it leaves their facility, they have no idea where it goes.
http://www.tmz.com/2009/08/13/propofol-manufacturer-in-michael-jackson-hospira-pharmacy/
Then an interesting thing occurs, even though Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Abbott Laboratories are battling back and forth in court, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Hospira Inc. come to an agreement regarding a drug manufacturing plant in Croatia and the worldwide rights to production of a chemotherapy drug. Haspiro Inc. gains worldwide rights of to the drug Filgrastim (which is used for preventing infections in people undergoing chemotherapy or receiving bone marrow transplants). Haspiro Inc. is also given the manufacturing plant in Croatia to produce this drug by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.
Hospira takes charge of biogeneric Neupogen
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
US pharmaceutical company Hospira has acquired worldwide rights to a biogeneric version of Amgen’s neutropenia treatment Neupogen (filgrastim) in a deal which also gives it a manufacturing facility in Croatia. Hospira has acquired the product and facility from Croatian drug maker Pliva, a subsidiary of Israeli generic drugs giant Teva Pharmaceutical Industries.
http://www.pharmafocus.com/cda/focusH/1,2109,21-0-0-OCT_2009-focus_news_detail-0-493265,00.html
This seems very strange and my question here is: Why would Teva make this deal with Haspiro, when Haspiro is a spin off company of Abbott, especially since Teva and Abott have been trading law suits back and forth? Is Teva rewarding Haspiro for something?…seems very odd to me.
The Bottles of Propofol Found in Michael Jackson’s Home
The recall of propofol by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries just after Michael Jackson’s reported death caused many people to speculate that perhaps MJ had died due to receiving contaminated propofol. We were soon assured that none of the bottles of propofol found in Michael Jackson’s home had the recalled lot numbers on their labels.
Teva: Propofol found in Michael Jackson home wasn’t from recalled lot
By Yoram Gabison
Teva recalled 57,000 bottles of injectable Propofol early this week, after two lots at Teva’s Irvine, California plant were found to be contaminated with Endotoxin bacteria.
“Teva has voluntarily recalled two lots of Propofol after several patients who received the injections were found to have contracted fever – a side effect that has been known for years.
Teva confirms it has been approached by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration about their ongoing investigation. The DEA asked for information regarding a specific bottle in a specific lot found in Jackson’s home. The lot numbers found in his home are not those that Teva recalled. There is no relation between the two incidents, and Teva takes a grave view of any attempt to connect them.”
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1100608.html
This story seems awfully convenient and doesn’t quite ring true to me could it be a Plan B, just in case the public didn’t buy the overdose story? Then the story could have been, Michael Jackson died from tainted propofol? It is especially fishy after I discovered the following news article regarding the propofol supposedly found in Michael Jackson’s home.
Powerful Anesthetic Diprivan Found in Michael Jackson’s Home
July 04, 2009 by Patricia Sheasley Sicilia
The DEA is working with local authorities in an investigation of at least five of Jackson’s doctors. Many of Jackson’s prescriptions were in false names, and others were unlabeled, sources told the LA Times. None of the bottles of Diprivan were labeled.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1910984/powerful_anesthetic_diprivan_found_pg2_pg2.html?cat=49
So we have two companies that manufacture propofol for use in the United States. Michael Jackson supposedly dies after being administered propofol in combination with other prescription medications. Not long after this happens, one of the companies recalls batches of propofol due to contamination. The other company is contacted by the media with questions regarding propofol, which they decline to answer. We are then assured that Michael Jackson did not receive tainted propofol because the bottles found at his home did not have the recalled batch numbers on their labels. Except, the bottles found at Michael Jackson’s home had NO LABELS so no one knows which batches these bottles of propofol are from. No one asks this question, so no one answers it either. Then one of the companies that manufactures propofol rewards the other company by giving them a drug manufacturing plant in Croatia and the worldwide rights to the manufacture of a chemotherapy drug.
Something isn’t sounding right in this scenario.
to be continued…
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