11 DESCRIPTION

FRAGMIN Injection (dalteparin sodium injection) is a sterile, low molecular weight heparin. It is available in single-dose, prefilled syringes preassembled with a needle guard device, and multiple-dose vials. With reference to the W.H.O. First International Low Molecular Weight Heparin Reference Standard, each syringe contains either 2,500 units, 5,000 units, 7,500 units, 10,000 units, 12,500 units, 15,000 units or 18,000 anti-Xa international units (units), equivalent to 16 mg, 32 mg, 48 mg, 64 mg, 80 mg, 96 mg or 115.2 mg dalteparin sodium, respectively. Each multiple-dose vial contains 25,000 anti-Xa units per 1 mL (equivalent to 160 mg dalteparin sodium), for a total of 95,000 anti-Xa units per vial. Each single-dose vial contains 2,500 anti-Xa units per 1 mL (equivalent to 16 mg dalteparin sodium) for a total of 10,000 anti-Xa units per vial.

Each prefilled syringe also contains Water for Injection and sodium chloride, when required, to maintain physiologic ionic strength. The prefilled syringes are preservative-free. Each multiple-dose vial also contains Water for Injection and 14 mg of benzyl alcohol per mL as a preservative. The pH of both formulations is 5.0 to 7.5. When necessary, the pH of FRAGMIN is adjusted with hydrochloric acid and/or sodium hydroxide [see Dosage and Administration (2.7) and How Supplied/Storage and Handling (16)].

Dalteparin sodium is produced through controlled nitrous acid depolymerization of sodium heparin from porcine intestinal mucosa followed by a chromatographic purification process. It is composed of strongly acidic sulfated polysaccharide chains (oligosaccharide, containing 2,5-anhydro-D-mannitol residues as end groups) with an average molecular weight of 5,000 and about 90% of the material within the range 2,000–9,000. The molecular weight distribution is:

Structural Formula