News

Richmond, Va. (January 11, 2018) – kaléo, a privately-held pharmaceutical company, today announced that EVZIO® (naloxone HCl injection) Auto-injectors have been reported to help save more than 5000 lives.

EVZIO was the first naloxone product specifically designed, FDA approved and labeled for the emergency treatment of opioid overdose by individuals without medical training. It is the first and only intelligent take-home naloxone auto-injector system with voice and visual guidance.

The 5000th life saved was reported by Aimee Dunkle, of the Solace Foundation in Orange County, CA. In total, more than 1500 lives have been reported saved in California alone.

“Due to the generosity of the Kaléo Cares Product Donation Program our small non-profit has been able to distribute hundreds of EVZIO auto-injectors to individuals most likely to witness an opioid overdose,” said Aimee Dunkle, Executive Director of the Solace Foundation. “This incredible program has helped us save almost 500 lives in the last 2 years!  One of those reversals was me saving the life of another mother’s son, which was a profound moment given that I lost my own son to an accidental overdose in 2012.  We are so grateful for this life-saving program.”

“The opioid epidemic is killing 91 people each day,” said Spencer Williamson, President and CEO of kaléo. “By empowering more patients to have access to this potentially life-saving medicine, we believe that EVZIO will help reduce the burden of opioid overdose across the nation. Since October 2014, we have received reports that EVZIO Auto-injectors have helped save an average of 30 lives per week.”

Kaléo, an innovative pharmaceutical company headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, was founded by identical twin brothers with life-threatening conditions. From their initial concept of a compact auto-injector with innovative features, such as an automatic retractable needle, all the way to FDA approval, it took years of hard work and many millions of dollars invested in research and development. Kaléo is proud to have more than 100 domestic and international issued patents and FDA approvals for five products in the last five years. Kaléo’s products have all been internally developed with final assembly in the United States using an automated robotic assembly process with more than 100 quality checks on every device.

Non-profit organizations across the country are helping to lead the charge to help get take-home naloxone into the hands of the family members and caregivers of those at risk for an accidental opioid overdose. Out of respect for patients’ privacy, kaléo does not require information from organizations about recipients of donated product; therefore, these voluntarily reported lives saved may only represent a fraction of the total number of lives saved with the help of EVZIO.

“As a mother who lost her only child to opiate overdose in 2011 I am so grateful for the lives saved with EVZIO naloxone auto-injector kits,” said Robin Elliot, Co-founder of Georgia Overdose Prevention. “Our organization is aware of hundreds of overdose reversals with the EVZIO kits we have distributed.  We know of two specific cases where one EVZIO naloxone kit helped save two lives. I always think it is important to remember it isn’t just the victims’ lives who are forever changed by the overdose reversals, but the mothers and fathers and other family members, as well. Where there is life, there is hope.” Georgia non-profit, “Georgia Overdose Prevention,” has reported several-hundred lives saved with the help of donated EVZIO.

The Cabell-Huntington, WV Health Department has reported more than 1000 lives saved with the help of donated naloxone.

To view the full article, please click here.