BETHLEHEM, PA. – December 8, 2021 – B. Braun Medical Inc. (B. Braun), a leader in infusion therapy and pain management, today unveiled a portfolio of Magnesium Sulfate ready-to-use injectable drug products. The company’s decision to manufacture the Magnesium Sulfate products in Irvine, California, will help ensure the reliable supply of a leading drug for the prevention and control of the seizures associated with preeclampsia and eclampsia.

“Preeclampsia and eclampsia put pregnant women and their babies at risk of preterm birth, serious complications or death,” said Angela Karpf, M.D., Corporate Vice President of Medical Affairs at B. Braun. “Magnesium Sulfate is a proven treatment for seizures associated with preeclampsia and eclampsia but is prone to drug shortages. B. Braun’s ready-to-use products are designed to reduce medication errors and improve efficiencies. Our reliable supply of Magnesium Sulfate products will support providers by ensuring availability when their patients need it.”

Preeclampsia is defined as persistent high blood pressure that develops during pregnancy or the postpartum period and is often associated with high levels of protein in the urine or the new development of decreased blood platelets, trouble with the kidneys or liver, fluid in the lungs, or signs of brain trouble such as seizures and/or visual disturbances. The rate of preeclampsia in the US has increased 25% in the last two decades and is a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death.¹ A significant body of evidence attests to the efficacy of magnesium sulfate to prevent seizures in women with preeclampsia with severe features and eclampsia.² “Magnesium Sulfate is crucial to support the wellbeing of pregnant women with preeclampsia and eclampsia and their babies,” adds Dr. Karpf. “With the rise of preeclampsia and eclampsia in the US and historical supply constraints of Magnesium Sulfate, B. Braun recognized the need to support providers with a readily available supply of this critical drug.”

Some of the many characteristics of B. Braun’s Magnesium Sulfate products include:

• Domestically manufactured and sourced: In addition to being manufactured in Irvine, California, B. Braun’s Magnesium Sulfate products are produced with American-made active pharmaceutical ingredients, helping ensure consistent supply levels.
• Safe Infusion Bags: B. Braun’s Partial Additive Bag (PAB) is not made with rubber latex, PVC or DEHP – compounds that can be harmful to mothers and infants, according to a 2020 report from Health Care without Harm.³ Notably, B. Braun made the decision to eliminate the use of PVC and DEHP in its IV Infusion bags more than forty years ago and today remains the only full-line supplier of PVC and DEHP-free IV containers.
  
• Eco-friendly Packaging: B. Braun’s Magnesium Sulfate products do not require an overwrap like other ready-to-use Magnesium Sulfate pre-mixed bags, reducing landfill waste.
  
• Ready-to-Use Pre-Mixed Bags: Doses include Magnesium Sulfate in 5% Dextrose, 1 g/100 mL, Magnesium Sulfate in Water, 2 g/50 mL, Magnesium Sulfate in Water, 4 g/50 mL, and Magnesium Sulfate in Water, 4 g/100 mL.

MAGNESIUM SULFATE IN 5% DEXTROSE INJECTION, USP

Indications: Prevention of eclampsia in patients with preeclampsia, Treatment of seizures and prevention of recurrent seizures in patients with eclampsia.

Contraindications: Heart block or myocardial damage, Diabetic coma, and Myasthenia gravis.

Link to Full Prescribing Information.

MAGNESIUM SULFATE IN WATER FOR INJECTION

Indications: Prevention and control of seizures in pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, respectively, when used judiciously it effectively prevents and controls the convulsions of eclampsia without producing deleterious depression of the central nervous system of the mother or infant. However, other effective drugs are available for this purpose.

Contraindications: Intravenous magnesium should not be given to mothers with toxemia of pregnancy during the two hours preceding delivery.

Link to Full Prescribing Information.

For more information about B. Braun’s Magnesium Sulfate products, visit www.bbraunusa.com/magsulfate. Group purchasing organizations, pharmacists and healthcare providers are also invited to call 1-800-227-2862 for more information.

About B. Braun 

B. Braun Medical Inc., a leader in infusion therapy and pain management, develops, manufactures, and markets medical products and services to the healthcare industry. Other key product areas include nutrition, pharmacy admixture and dialysis. The company is committed to eliminating preventable treatment errors and enhancing patient, clinician and environmental safety. B. Braun Medical is headquartered in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and is part of the B. Braun Group of Companies in the U.S., which includes B. Braun Interventional Systems, Aesculap® and CAPS®.

Globally, the B. Braun Group of Companies employs more than 64,000 employees in 64 countries. Guided by its Sharing Expertise® philosophy, B. Braun continuously exchanges knowledge with customers, partners and clinicians to address the critical issues of improving care and lowering costs. To learn more about B. Braun Medical, explore our website.

^{1 Preeclampsia Foundation. (2021, August 03). What is Preeclampsia. https://www.preeclampsia.org/what-is-preeclampsia}

^{2 Gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 222. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Obstet Gynecol 2020; 135:e237–60.}

^{3 Schettler, T. Polyvinyl chloride in health care. Health Care Without Harm. January 2020.}