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PALATINE, Ill. — Acura Pharmaceuticals Inc. has gained retail distribution for Nexafed, a pseudoephedrine nasal decongestant with abuse deterrent technology, at Rite Aid pharmacies.
Acura has steadily boosted Nexafed’s retail presence since the product’s introduction in December 2012. As of mid-September, the cold medicine was available at more than 2,600 pharmacies nationwide.
Nexafed made its chain drug store debut earlier this year at Kerr Drug in North Carolina. The product also is carried by Fruth Pharmacies, supercenter chain Meijer, a large regional supermarket chain based in Florida, and a rising number of independent pharmacies, according to Acura. The distribution at Rite Aid brings the medication to another 4,600 drug store locations.
Nexafed (30 mg, immediate-release pseudoephedrine) delivers the same efficacy as leading pseudoephedrine cold medicines but contains Acura’s Impede polymer matrix technology, which disrupts the extraction and conversion of pseudoephedrine to methamphetamine, the company said. If abusers try to extract the pseudoephedrine out of Nexafed to make meth, the inactive ingredients in the polymer matrix will form a thick gel to block the extraction and disrupt conversion of pseudoephedrine to methamphetamine. Meth production and abuse is a growing problem in communities nationwide.
