UNSPSC 51284605: Meropenem

This classification denotes a beta-lactam antibiotic with the molecular formula C17H25N3O5S.3H2O, a preparation that US FDA regulates as an active ingredient or moiety under Unique Ingredient Identifier FV9J3JU8B1, chemically known as 1-azabicyclo(3.2.0)hept-2-ene-2-carboxylic acid, 3-((5-((dimethylamino)carbonyl)-3-pyrrolidinyl)thio)-6-(1-hydroxyethyl)-4-methyl-7-oxo-, trihydrate, (4r-(3(3s*,5s*),4alpha,5beta,6beta(r*)))- but generally known as meropenem, which bears US NIH Compound Identifier 60706.

UNSPSC 51284605 Meropenem is a Commodity code that appears in state and local solicitations nominally for a specific antibiotic pharmaceutical product, but recent opportunities reveal a significant mismatch: the three most recent postings do not solicit meropenem directly. Instead, state and local buyers are acquiring broader pharmaceutical and medical supply portfolios through cooperative purchasing vehicles, direct-to-manufacturer programs, and emergency response procurement. The City of Tampa's IFB for medical and first aid supplies to the Fire Department, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's RFI on direct-to-manufacturer prescription programs, and the Minnesota Multistate Cooperative Purchasing Alliance (MMCAP) RFP for generic multi-source pharmaceuticals and OTC products all reflect state and local government's focus on acquiring cost-effective pharmaceutical access, emergency medical supplies, and established distribution relationships rather than single-product antibiotics. The only procurement explicitly tied to a discrete pharmaceutical input—Seminole County's IFB for naloxone and drug deactivation systems—targets opioid-overdose response, not infectious-disease treatment. This pattern suggests the code either captures a narrow product line rarely solicited independently or has been applied inconsistently in recent postings.

The geographic spread of recent activity spans Florida (Seminole County IFB posted June 2026), Texas (HHS RFI posted April 2026), Florida again (Tampa Fire Department IFB posted March 2026), and Minnesota with multi-state reach through MMCAP (RFP posted January 2026). Issuing bodies include a county health department, a state health commission, a municipal fire department, and a multistate cooperative purchasing alliance. None of the opportunities named meropenem as a line item or requested the product specifically. The Seminole County and Tampa solicitations are transactional (IFB format with fixed response dates); the Texas HHS and MMCAP opportunities are exploratory or framework-level (RFI and RFP formats establishing vendor relationships and pricing structures for broader product categories). This code shows little relevant recent activity for practitioners pursuing meropenem supply contracts in the state and local market.