RxNorm March 2021 Release

RxNorm March 2021 Release. NLM Tech Bull. 2021 Mar-Apr;(439):b1.

The RxNorm March monthly release became available for download on Monday, March 1, 2021. It includes several investigational drugs for the treatment of COVID-19, including etesevimab and packs for casirivimab and imdevimab. See below for more details. 

RxNorm Data Changes

Reminder: Etesevimab Included in RxNorm

Etesevimab, a drug allowed under the U.S. Food & Drug Administration Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), became available in the RxNorm February 24, 2021 weekly release and is in the RxNorm March 2021 monthly release also.

NOTE: Etesevimab is not authorized for use alone and must be administered with bamlanivimab.

Here is the etesevimab Semantic Clinical Drug (SCD) concept name, RxNorm Concept Unique Identifier (RXCUI), and National Drug Code (NDC):

• SCD: 20 ML etesevimab 35 MG/ML Injection
• RXCUI: 2477902
• NDC: 00002795001

New Casirivimab and Imdevimab Pack Concepts

Casirivimab and imdevimab are monoclonal antibodies that are to be administered together for the treatment of COVID-19. NDCs for packaged products of casirivimab and imdevimab together are now available in RxNorm.

Here are the new casirivimab and imdevimab Branded Pack (BPCK), Generic Pack (GPCK), RXCUIs, and NDCs:

• BPCK: {4 (2.5 ML casirivimab 120 MG/ML Injection) / 4 (2.5 ML imdevimab 120 MG/ML Injection) } Pack [REGEN-COV 4/4]
• RXCUI: 2479154
• NDC: 61755003608

 

• GPCK: {4 (2.5 ML casirivimab 120 MG/ML Injection) / 4 (2.5 ML imdevimab 120 MG/ML Injection) } Pack
• RXCUI: 2479153
• NDC: N/A

 

• BPCK: {1 (11.1 ML casirivimab 120 MG/ML Injection) / 1 (11.1 ML imdevimab 120 MG/ML Injection) } Pack [REGEN-COV 1/1] 
• RXCUI: 2479150
• NDC: 61755003502

 

• GPCK: {1 (11.1 ML casirivimab 120 MG/ML Injection) / 1 (11.1 ML imdevimab 120 MG/ML Injection) } Pack
• RXCUI: 2479149
• NDC: N/A

 

• BPCK: {1 (11.1 ML casirivimab 120 MG/ML Injection) / 4 (2.5 ML imdevimab 120 MG/ML Injection) } Pack [REGEN-COV 1/4]
• RXCUI: 2479159
• NDC: 61755003708

 

• GPCK: {1 (11.1 ML casirivimab 120 MG/ML Injection) / 4 (2.5 ML imdevimab 120 MG/ML Injection) } Pack
• RXCUI: 2479158
• NDC: N/A

 

• BPCK: {1 (11.1 ML imdevimab 120 MG/ML Injection) / 4 (2.5 ML casirivimab 120 MG/ML Injection) } Pack [REGEN-COV 4/1]  
• RXCUI: 2479156
• NDC: 61755003805

 

• GPCK: {1 (11.1 ML imdevimab 120 MG/ML Injection) / 4 (2.5 ML casirivimab 120 MG/ML Injection) } Pack
• RXCUI: 2479155
• NDC: N/A

Get more information about Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the FDA:

• https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/mcm-legal-regulatory-and-policy-framework/emergency-use-authorization

Get more information about RxNorm's policy change on investigational drugs from NLM:

• https://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/techbull/ma20/ma20_rx_norm_investigational_drugs.html

Continued Reduction in Active National Drug Codes (NDCs)

As part of data quality improvement, the number of live NDCs will decrease by approximately 3,500 NDCs in the March 2021 release. The SUPPRESS value for many of these NDCs in the RXNSAT.RRF file will change from SUPPRESS = 'N' to SUPPRESS = 'Y' compared to last month’s release. Most of these NDCs represent allergenic extract concepts that will become obsolete.

Related News

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a webpage listing COVID-19 Vaccines and Medications in RxNorm is now available. The page will be updated as new COVID-19 related concepts are released in RxNorm.