• The extension to a four-year shelf-life helps improve naloxone access as communities continue to grapple with the growing opioid epidemic; product with the extended shelf life has officially begun shipping

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, July 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Emergent BioSolutions announced the shelf-life extension for NARCAN^® Nasal Spray from three years (36 months) to four years (48 months) to all newly manufactured product. The update makes NARCAN^® Nasal Spray the only 4 mg, intranasal naloxone spray in Canada with this extended expiration date. The Health Canada notification to extend NARCAN^® Nasal Spray’s shelf-life was completed on February 2, 2024.

Naloxone, the active ingredient in NARCAN^® Nasal Spray, is a life-saving medication that can reverse an overdose from prescription and illicit opioids, such as heroin and fentanyl, when given in time. As an emergency public health measure, Health Canada first approved NARCAN^® Nasal Spray in October 2016.^i,ii In 2023, Emergent distributed approximately 22 million doses (~11 million two-dose cartons) in Canada and the U.S. through public interest organizations, such as community-based organizations, harm reduction groups and pharmacies. According to the Government of Canada, there were 6,312 opioid-related hospitalizations in 2023.ⁱⁱⁱ That is a 16 percent increase compared to the same period in 2022 and it equates to an average of 17 hospitalizations a day.ⁱⁱⁱ

“Helping to save lives from accidental opioid poisonings is our number one priority and that is why increasing awareness around the potential risks, reducing stigma and improving access to NARCAN^® Nasal Spray are important efforts as part of the broader solution in Canada,” said Paul Williams, SVP and products business head, at Emergent. “We believe that Emergent’s proactive commitment to extend the shelf-life for NARCAN^® Nasal Spray offers patients, caregivers and critical community partners the ability to be best prepared to respond to an opioid overdose emergency.”

In addition to increasing access to NARCAN^® Nasal Spray, Emergent also funds public awareness initiatives, supports community organizations’ local efforts, and works closely with governments, associations, and Indigenous communities to get intranasal naloxone into the hands of those who need it.

NARCAN^® Nasal Spray can be accessed at no cost to all residents of Northwest Territories, Ontario, Quebec and the Yukon, through the provincial and territorial take-home naloxone (or equivalent) programs. It is also available through Veteran Affairs Canada, First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) in British Columbia and Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program. NARCAN^® Nasal Spray can also be ordered online at OrderNARCAN.ca in provinces and territories that do not include NARCAN^® Nasal Spray on their take-home naloxone programs (or equivalent).

NARCAN^® Nasal Spray is used to treat someone who has overdosed on opioids. It can be used by anyone to reverse the effects of the overdose until medical help arrives. Administering NARCAN^® Nasal Spray to someone who is not experiencing an overdose or does not have opioids in their system will do no harm to the person. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. To learn more about this life-saving medicine and access resources, education and advocacy tools, visit www.narcannasalspray.ca. 

About NARCAN^® Nasal Spray

NARCAN^® Nasal Spray is a pure opioid antagonist indicated for emergency use to reverse known or suspected opioid overdose, as manifested by respiratory and/or severe central nervous system depression.

While NARCAN^® Nasal Spray can be administered by a non-health care professional, it is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical care. Always call 911 as soon as an opioid overdose is suspected, before administering NARCAN^® Nasal Spray.
Always read the label and follow the directions for use.

About Emergent BioSolutions

At Emergent, our mission is to protect and enhance life. For 25 years, we’ve been at work defending people from things we hope will never happen—so we are prepared just in case they ever do. We provide solutions for complex and urgent public health threats through a portfolio of vaccines and therapeutics that we develop and manufacture for governments and consumers. We also offer a range of integrated contract development and manufacturing services for pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers. To learn more about how we plan to protect or enhance 1 billion lives by 2030, visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. We generally identify forward-looking statements by using words like “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “goal,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “position,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” and similar expressions or variations thereof, or the negative thereof, but these terms are not the exclusive means of identifying such statements. Forward-looking statements are based on our current intentions, beliefs and expectations regarding future events based on information that is currently available. We cannot guarantee that any forward-looking statements will be accurate. Readers should realize that if underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or if known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could differ materially from our expectations. Readers are, therefore, cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this press release, and, except as required by law, we do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect new information, events or circumstances.

There are a number of important factors that could cause the company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated by any forward-looking statements. Readers should consider this cautionary statement, as well as the risk factors and other disclosures included in our periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, when evaluating our forward-looking statements.

Investor Contact:
Richard S. Lindahl
Executive Vice President, CFO
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Media Contact:
Assal Hellmer
Vice President, Communications
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ⁱ Government of Canada. Regulatory Decision Summary for NALOXONE HYDROCHLORIDE NASAL SPRAY. https://dhpp.hpfb-dgpsa.ca/review-documents/resource/RDS00185. Accessed July 17, 2024
ⁱⁱ Government of Canada. Frequently Asked Questions: Access to naloxone in Canada (including NARCAN™ Nasal Spray) https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/announcements/narcan-nasal-spray-frequently-asked-questions.html. Accessed June 17, 2024.
ⁱⁱⁱ Government of Canada. Health Infobase: Opioid- and Stimulant-related Harms in Canada. Updated June 28, 2024. Available at: https://health-infobase.canada.ca/substance-related-harms/opioids-stimulants/. Accessed May 31, 2024.