EMA Warns About Drug Shortages

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) reported that Boehringer Ingelheim’s Actilyse (alteplase), Actilyse Cathlo (alteplase) and Metalyse (tenecteplase) are in short supply.

Actilyse is used in adults for emergency treatment of acute myocardial infarction, acute ischemic stroke or acute pulmonary embolism. It is used to dissolve the blood clots that have formed inside the blood vessels supplying the heart, brain or lungs.

Actilyse Cathlo is used to dissolve blood clots that have formed in a catheter and Metalyse is used to dissolve blood clots that have formed inside the blood vessels supplying the heart.

An increase in eligible patients for these treatments have led to the shortages and they cannot be addressed by current manufacturing capacity, the EMA said. The supply shortages are expected to last into 2024.