Pacira Shutters DepCyt Operations After Years of Manufacturing Problems

Unable to resolve persistent manufacturing problems, New Jersey-based drugmaker Pacira Pharmaceuticals is ending production of its DepoCyt chemotherapy drug and closing the California plant where it is made.

Pacira informed the FDA, EMA, Health Canada and drug distribution partners Leadiant and MundiPharma of the move June 29, the same day the company filed an 8K “special events” notice with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

“The decision to discontinue DepoCyt(e)—although the appropriate path forward based on the availability of the product—was not one taken lightly,” company spokesperson Susan Mesco told FDAnews via email July 7.