LONDON-- March 25, 2022 -- Tanner Pharma Group, an international distributor of essential medicines, announced that it has significantly increased its inventory of Leukine (sargramostim, yeast-derived rhuGM-CSF) to be held in Europe. This action is being taken in partnership with Leukine’s owner, Partner Therapeutics (PTx), in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine and escalating potential for incidents that could require rapid deployment of medical interventions to treat radiation or chemical exposure.

“In response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Tanner is supporting preparedness and response in Europe by increasing the local inventory of Leukine that can be rapidly deployed in response to an emergency,” said Banks Bourne, CEO and Founder of Tanner Pharma. “The unique efficacy of Leukine, which has been shown to improve survival when given within 96 hours after radiation exposure and without whole blood transfusions, makes it a highly effective countermeasure with important logistical advantages in the event of a nuclear detonation. Positioning more supply in Europe ensures that more Leukine is available quickly, if needed.”

Leukine is an immune system modulator that is FDA approved to treat the hematopoietic effects of acute radiation syndrome and has been held for use by the U.S. Government as a medical countermeasure since 2013. Leukine is also recommended to treat H-ARS in the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) 2020 Medical Management of Radiation Injuries[1] and was used to successfully treat some victims of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986.[2] Beyond ARS, Leukine is recommended in EMEA/CPMP Guidance Document on the Use of Medicinal Products for the Treatment of Patients Exposed to Terrorist Attacks with Chemical Agents as a treatment for exposure to sulfur mustard (HD) gas.[3] It is currently under development, but not currently FDA-approved for use against sulfur mustard exposure.

High doses of radiation profoundly damage the body’s immune system. Damaged cells include monocytes, macrophages, platelets, neutrophils, dendritic cells and red blood cells, in other words, pancytopenia. Leukine stimulates each of these cell types and is shown to accelerate recovery from pancytopenia. Its broad impact enables increased survival from ARS without the need for blood transfusions. This is a critical advantage given the expectation that after a radiological or nuclear event, blood products will be limited or unavailable. It is also the only ARS countermeasure that has been shown to be effective when administered more than 24 hours after exposure. In fact, the studies have shown efficacy when administered up to 96 hours after exposure. [4,5] In the aftermath of radiological or nuclear event, a 48-96 hour treatment window is absolutely critical. [6,7] The logistical challenges of making supplies and health care professionals available for response and treatment suggest it will be 2 days before drugs can be administered at any scale. Leukine is also stable at room temperature for 12 months, eliminating the need for a refrigerated supply chain in a crisis.