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Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals and Verde Environmental Technologies, Inc., Team to Provide Medsaway Medication Disposal System

Simple system allows patients to safely dispose of unused prescription medications; helps combat potential diversion of opioid medications

ST. LOUIS & MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr. 3, 2014-- Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: MNK) and Verde Environmental Technologies, Inc., have joined forces to address growing concerns regarding responsible disposal of prescriptions and diversion of unused opioid pain medications. Mallinckrodt and Verde will make the Verde Medsaway^® disposable pouches for home medication available to patients through their physicians’ offices.

The patented Medsaway pouch neutralizes unwanted and unused prescription drugs, making them physiologically inactive through an adsorption reaction with carbon. Once the medicine is added to the pouch, along with water, the activated carbon binds to the medicine’s active ingredients to disable the medication.

“As a world leader in the manufacture of controlled substances, Mallinckrodt is committed to supporting and implementing solutions to reduce ongoing issues of abuse and diversion,” said Mark Trudeau, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mallinckrodt. “We are excited to add Medsaway to our broad range of programs that encourage and support the appropriate use and safe disposal of pain and other medications.”

In the case of opioids, a recent survey found that 72 percent of patients who were prescribed opioids reported having leftover amounts, and 71 percent of those having leftover medication reported that they kept it.¹ These accumulations may be a contributing factor to the recent high incidence of opioid-related poisonings.²

Medsaway can help keep medications from accumulating in the home, as the pouch is easily disposed of in the household trash.

“In addition to helping combat the growing problems of abuse and diversion of drugs from the home, Medsaway offers an environmentally friendly and responsible way to dispose of unwanted pharmaceuticals,” said Andrew Korey, PhD., Verde’s CEO. “We believe this is a real win for the pharmaceutical industry, the environment and, ultimately, the public.”

About Mallinckrodt

Mallinckrodt is a global specialty pharmaceutical business that develops, manufactures, markets and distributes specialty pharmaceutical products and medical imaging agents. The company’s Specialty Pharmaceuticals segment includes branded and specialty generic drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients, and the Global Medical Imaging segment includes contrast media and nuclear imaging agents. Mallinckrodt has approximately 5,500 employees worldwide and a commercial presence in roughly 70 countries. The company’s fiscal 2013 revenue totaled $2.2 billion. To learn more about Mallinckrodt, visit www.mallinckrodt.com.

About Verde

Verde is a privately held organization, with Manufacturing and Operations based in Minnesota. Verde products include Medsaway^® systems (SP, Home, Professional and XL) and Medsaway^® ContraPatch^™ for safe inactivation of transdermal patches. More information about Verde products can be found at www.medsaway.com and www.contrapatch.com.

¹ Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Vol. 59, No. 6, United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Feb 19, 2010.

² Inocencio T.J., The Economic Burden of Opioid-Related Poisonings in the United States; Pain Medicine, Jul 10, 2013.

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Source: Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals

Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals
Lynn Phillips, 314-654-3263
Manager, Media Relations
lynn.phillips@mallinckrodt.com
or
Verde Environmental Technologies
Clayton Anderson, 952-345-4525
Chief Financial Officer
cjanderson@verdeenvirotech.com