UNSPSC 51111908: Aminolevulinic acid

This classification denotes a photosensitizing agent with the molecular formula C5H9NO3, a preparation that US FDA regulates as an active ingredient or moiety under Unique Ingredient Identifier 88755TAZ87, chemically known as pentanoic acid, 5-amino-4-oxo-, hydrochloride but generally known as aminolevulinic acid, which bears US NIH Compound Identifier 137. European Medicines Agency schedules Aminolevulinic acid in its eXtended EudraVigilance Medicinal Product Dictionary or XEVMPD under Index SUB12853MIG.

World Health Organization schedules aminolevulinic acid in its Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) Classification. As of Q4 2014, AMINOLEVULINIC ACID remains the US FDA Preferred Term for this commodity. Aminolevulinic acid bears US NLM identifiers UMLS ID C0002563 and NCI Concept Code C234. SMILES: O=C(CCC(=O)O)CN.

UNSPSC 51111908 Aminolevulinic acid is a Commodity code covering a photosensitizing pharmaceutical agent used in photodynamic therapy and diagnostic procedures, but the recent state and local procurement activity under this code shows little direct alignment with the pharmaceutical product itself. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission posted a Request for Information (RFI) in early April 2026 seeking vendor capabilities for a Therapeutic Pharmacy Initiative (TPI) Direct-to-Manufacturer Prescriptions program, which addresses pharmacy benefit contracting and prescription fulfillment logistics rather than procurement of aminolevulinic acid as a finished pharmaceutical good. The RFI solicits information about vendors' capacity to negotiate direct contracts with self-insured employer health plans and state agencies outside traditional pharmacy benefit manager and group purchasing organization channels, emphasizing experience with net pricing models and value-based contracting arrangements. The scope focuses on contracting infrastructure and vendor qualifications for managing direct pharmaceutical distribution relationships, not on the acquisition of specific drug products.

State and local procurement under this code appears limited to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission at present. The April 2026 RFI from Texas HHS represents an exploratory phase designed to inform future formal procurement strategy rather than a binding competitive solicitation, with no award value, budget allocation, or specific response-binding timelines established. The RFI documentation does not specify set-aside designations, site visit requirements, or evaluation criteria, positioning it as a market-intelligence-gathering mechanism preceding a potential future RFP with defined financial and temporal parameters. The mismatch between the code's nominal scope (aminolevulinic acid as a pharmaceutical product) and the actual procurement activity (pharmacy benefit contracting and vendor qualification for direct-to-manufacturer arrangements) suggests this code may not reflect meaningful state and local buying activity for the drug product itself.