Unreconstitued HCG, Storage Temp and Shelf Life

Hello. I searched on the above and related topics and read. The results were largely from several years ago and there were few posts.

I am interested in building a reserve of HCG given the increasing problems with supply and just out of general prudence.

At the manufacturer specified “room temperature (58f-86f)” storage temp,
the printed expiration date for my just-purchased, unreconstitued Pregnyl HCG is May 22, 2022, about 11.5 months from now.

One post suggested refrigerating ( 34f to 40f) the unreconstitued HCG to extend shelf life. I’d appreciate your comments, both specific and general.

It will last three years refrigerated. Do not freeze.

Thanks.

Does anyone else have any comments, insights, info, or speculation?

Don’t have to speculate, this is from the manufacturer’s product information insert:

PRESENTATION
Ampoules of Pregnyl 500 IU, 1500 IU and 5000 IU contain powder for injection
corresponding to 500, 1500 and 5000 IU hCG respectively.
The powder for injection contains carmellose sodium, sodium phosphate monobasic
anhydrous, sodium phosphate dibasic anhydrous and mannitol.
The ampoule of solvent contains sodium chloride (9 mg) and Water for Injections
(1mL).
Each mL of the reconstituted solution contains: 500, 1500, 5000 IU of human
chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG)
Ampoules 500 IU/mL, 1mL: 3’s
Ampoules 1500 IU/mL, 1mL: 3’s
Ampoules 5000 IU/mL, 1mL: 1’s and 3’s.
Shelf Life:
The shelf life of Pregnyl is 3 years.

@highpull Thanks. Interesting: I bought the Pregnyl from Ralph’s (owned by Kroger) pharmacy four days ago. The box it came in was stamped with the expiration dated noted above, May 22, 2022. That implies it was manufactured two years ago. The Ralph’s Pharmacy did not have it on hand, it’s a specialty drug, and had to order it, from where I don’t know.

Two years strikes me as a long time to be warehoused.

It does. I heard that when hCG was declared a biological Organon was holding it back and even stopped production for a while. Meanwhile, compounding pharmacies making it depleted their supply and then had to decide if they wanted to go through the process to gain licensure to make biologicals, which would take some time, of course. Increased demand, decreased supply spells increased cost.

Of course, I have no idea if this is true. However, we are talking about the pharmaceutical industry, so I do not doubt it. We are not experiencing any trouble getting it right now.

Thanks @highpull. What you wrote are my understandings, too.

@highpull and anyone else.

The maker of Pregnyl (HCG) says to store at “room temperature (58f-86f).”

The shelf life of Pregnyl HCG is 3 years according to the maker.

I wonder if holding at refrigerator temps 1. Would be harmful and 2. The impact on shelf life.

I know you are not supposed to freeze it, so storing it at refrigerator temps might not be a good idea.

Thanks