Cyanokit Approved in EU

The European Commission has granted marketing authorization to Cyanokit for the treatment of cyanide poisoning.

Cyanokit (hydroxocobalamin) is made by Merck Serono, a division of Germany’s Merck KGaA, and is the only cyanide antidote approved in the European Union (EU), the U.S. and Japan.

The authorization is supported by data from studies in subjects suffering from smoke inhalation, the primary cause of cyanide poisoning. Because of ethical considerations, no controlled efficacy studies have been performed, Merck Serono said.