Mark Cuban's Cost Plus to import penicillin to address US shortage

[August 13, 2024]  (Reuters) -Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drug Company said on Wednesday that it is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to import and distribute penicillin in the country temporarily.

The online pharmacy, which offers low-cost common medications, will immediately import and distribute penicillin to mitigate the shortage of Pfizer's Bicillin L-A.

In an update on June 10 of this year, Pfizer said that they currently have an "available supply" of units of Bicillin L-A.

However, the drugmaker noted that while supply is improving, it will not be fully available until later this year.

Cuban's Cost Plus will import Lentocilin brand penicillin powder marketed by Portugal-based Laboratórios Atral S.A.

Lentocilin will be available only by prescription in the U.S. and is not FDA approved, Atral said in a statement.

Cost Plus did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

(Reporting by Sneha S K; Editing by Tasim Zahid)

[© 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.