The FDA has added dexamethasone to the list of drugs that may be compounded under its temporary policy allowing compounders to produce the drug during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Demand for the anti-inflammatory drug surged in mid-June after UK researchers reported that it reduced deaths in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Five suppliers of dexamethasone are currently on the FDA’s drug shortages list — AuroMedics Pharma, Fresenius Kabi USA, Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA, Mylan Institutional and Somerset Therapeutics.