Wonder who carries your specific drug or treatment? Look here for product information and more. Note: This is a partial listing of manufacturers and distributors for informational purposes only, and does not constitute an endorsement of any kind. Manufacturers and distributors
Corticosteroids Pfizer, an international pharmaceutical giant, makes Deltasone (prednisone), a corticosteroid. This synthetic hormone suppresses abnormal actions of the immune system and is used to treat CIDP, myasthenia gravis, and mysoitis. This site contains product insert information only. Intravenous Immune Globulin (IVIg) The global bioscience company Baxter makes Gammagard, an IVIg medication derived from a pool of donated human blood. This therapy is used in the treatment of CIDP and myasthenia gravis to decrease the production of antibodies (in these autoimmune diseases, antibodies are involved in attacking the body's own tissues). This manufacturer's site contains limited information on the product, but additional information about the therapy and details about insurance coverage for Gammagard can be found at another Baxter Web page: http://www.immunedisease.com http://www.baxter.com The multinational corporation Aventis Behring makes an IVIg product called Gammar. This site includes frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the product, as well as material about health-insurance related concerns and an Ask the Expert panel to answer questions from readers. The non-profit American Red Cross distributes both Panglobulin and Polygam, two other IVIg products. Panglobulin is manufacturered by the Swiss pharmaeceutical company, ZLB Bioplasma AG, for the American Red Cross. Polygam is made by the Baxter Healthcare Corporation. This site includes product information, patient resource information, and email contacts regarding these products. http://panglobulin.redcross.org/ http://polygamsd.redcross.org Venoglobulin is an IVIg product manufactured by the L.A.-based plasma producer Alpha Therapeutic Corporation. This site includes product information and slide shows explaining plasma donation and the process through which IVIg is extracted from plasma. Immunosuppressant Medications San Diego-based drug maker Prometheus Laboratories manufactures Imuran (azathioprine), an immune-suppressing drug prescribed for patients with CIDP, myasthenia gravis, myositis, and scleroderma. This site includes product information and an extensive patient resource section. These immunosuppressant agents, used to treat CIDP, myasthenia gravis, and myositis, are manufactured by the U.S. affiliate of the Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis Pharmaceuticals. The site includes product safety information, links to the company's own clinical trials, and information regarding financial assistance for the products for those in need. Cholinesterase Inhibitors This myasthenia gravis medication is made by the California-based company Valeant Pharmaceuticals International. This site includes a Q&A on the product as well as an overview of the disease. Other medications Calcium channel blockers, ace inhibitors, proton pump inhibitors, aspirin, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) are also sometimes used in treating scleroderma patients, and can be obtained from a wide variety of manufacturers.
First published December 15, 2003
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