UNSPSC 51131906: Pentastarch

This classification denotes a carbohydrate, polysaccharide, and glucan, and a derivative of starch used as a plasma substitute in the treatment of hemorrhage, also sometimes called hetastarch, a preparation that typically bears the molecular formula C29H52O21 and which is chemically known as 5-[6-[[3,4-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-5-methoxyoxan-2-yl]oxymethyl]-3,4-dihydroxy-5-[4-hydroxy-3-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-6-(hydroxymethyl)-5-methoxyoxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-2-methyloxane-3,4-diol, but generally known as pentastarch, a preparation that US FDA regulates as an active ingredient or moiety under Unique Ingredient Identifier MOQ3RNM0S, which bears US NIH Compound Identifier 24846132.

UNSPSC 51131906 Pentastarch, a Commodity code, identifies a synthetic plasma volume expander used in emergency medical and critical-care settings. State and local governments purchase pentastarch primarily through health departments, public hospitals, emergency medical services agencies, and county medical examiners' offices for use in acute resuscitation, trauma response, and perioperative volume management. The product is a starch-based colloid solution administered intravenously to restore circulating blood volume in hemorrhage, severe burns, and shock states where crystalloid alone is insufficient. Procurement typically occurs through group purchasing agreements, hospital supply contracts, or direct medical supplier agreements rather than competitive solicitation; orders are often placed against standing schedules of approved vendors maintained by state or regional health procurement cooperatives.

No recent state or local procurement opportunities were identified under this Commodity code. The narrow therapeutic specification of pentastarch and its restricted use in acute hospital and EMS settings mean that solicitation activity, when it occurs, is typically consolidated into broader medical-supply or pharmaceutical contracts rather than issued as standalone RFPs or IFBs. Interested vendors should monitor state hospital association cooperative purchasing vehicles, county health system procurement calendars, and regional emergency medical services procurement offices for volume-expander and critical-care pharmaceutical aggregated buys.