Patient-specific compounding gives prescribers another option when an FDA-approved medication is not medically appropriate for an individual patient. Depending on the prescription and patient need, compounded medications may offer different strengths, dosage forms, ingredients, or combinations as determined by the prescriber.
At Wells Pharmacy Network (WPN), patient-specific compounding supports healthcare providers across a variety of practice areas, including mitochondrial and cellular wellness, weight management, sexual health, peptide-based formulations, hormone health, and aesthetic dermatology.
What Is Patient-Specific Compounding?
Under Section 503A of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, qualifying compounded medications are prepared for identified individual patients based on the receipt of a valid prescription or qualifying practitioner order.
This model can provide prescribers with additional options when an FDA-approved drug does not meet the medical needs of a particular patient.
Depending on the patient’s needs and the prescriber’s clinical judgment, compounding may allow for customization of factors such as:
- Strength
- Dosage form
- Route of administration
- Certain ingredients
- Combinations of ingredients, when appropriate
This flexibility can be particularly relevant in wellness-focused practices where providers care for patients with a wide range of health histories, preferences, and treatment goals.
External Resource: FDA – Human Drug Compounding
____________________________________________
Mitochondrial and Cellular Wellness: NAD+ and NIAGEN®
Mitochondrial and cellular wellness has become an increasingly prominent area of research, including interest in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+).
NAD+ is a naturally occurring coenzyme involved in numerous cellular processes, including cellular energy metabolism. Scientific research has also examined changes in NAD+ availability with age and the potential role of NAD+ precursors.
For healthcare providers incorporating mitochondrial and cellular wellness into individualized patient care, WPN offers patient-specific options that include:
- NAD+ Lyophilized Vials
- NAD+ Nasal Spray
- NIAGEN® Plus At-Home Injectable Kits
NIAGEN® is nicotinamide riboside chloride (NRCl), a form of vitamin B3 and a precursor to NAD+. Human research has demonstrated that supplementation with nicotinamide riboside can increase NAD+ concentrations in the blood, while research continues to investigate the broader clinical significance of NAD+-related interventions.
Explore: NIAGEN® Plus At-Home Injectable Kits from Wells Pharmacy Network
Research: Conze D, Brenner C, Kruger CL. Safety and Metabolism of Long-term Administration of NIAGEN (Nicotinamide Riboside Chloride) in a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial of Healthy Overweight Adults. Scientific Reports. 2019. View on PubMed
____________________________________________
Creating Flexibility in Weight Management
Weight management is another area where patient needs can vary considerably.
A comprehensive approach may consider a patient’s health history, nutritional habits, activity level, metabolic factors, existing medications, treatment goals, and response to previous interventions.
For appropriate patients, patient-specific compounding can provide prescribers with additional flexibility when an FDA-approved medication does not meet an identified medical need.
Rather than approaching weight management through a standardized protocol, providers can evaluate each patient individually and determine an appropriate treatment plan based on their clinical judgment.
WPN works with healthcare professionals to provide patient-specific compounded options that may be incorporated into provider-directed weight management programs when clinically appropriate.
____________________________________________
Individualized Options for Sexual Wellness
Sexual wellness is highly individualized and can involve physical, hormonal, psychological, relational, and other health factors. Patient needs can differ significantly, making this another area where providers may value access to a range of dosage forms and compounded formulations.
WPN’s sexual wellness portfolio includes patient-specific preparations designed to give prescribers additional options when determining an appropriate treatment plan for an individual patient.
PT-141 (Bremelanotide)
PT-141, also known as bremelanotide, is a melanocortin receptor agonist that has been studied in relation to sexual desire and sexual function.
WPN offers patient-specific compounded formulations containing PT-141, including formulations that combine it with other ingredients.
Research: Kingsberg SA, et al. Bremelanotide for the Treatment of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: Two Randomized Phase 3 Trials. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2019. View on PubMed
Oxytocin
Oxytocin is a naturally occurring peptide hormone involved in numerous physiological and behavioral processes. Research has examined its complex relationship with human social behavior and sexual function.
WPN offers oxytocin-containing patient-specific compounded preparations in a variety of formulations.
Research: Explore published research on oxytocin and human sexual behavior through PubMed
QuadMel Honey Sachets
Dosage form can also be an important consideration when developing an individualized treatment plan.
QuadMel Honey Sachets are part of WPN’s men’s sexual wellness portfolio and provide an alternative dosage-form option for appropriate patients. The QuadMel series is available in multiple formulations, giving prescribers additional options when determining an individualized prescription.
PlayWell
Women’s sexual wellness may also require an individualized approach based on the patient’s health history, symptoms, goals, and other clinical considerations.
PlayWell Sildenafil/Arginine Gel is a compounded topical formulation containing sildenafil and arginine and represents another dosage-form option available through WPN for patient-specific prescribing.
Explore: Sexual Health Compounding at Wells Pharmacy Network
____________________________________________
Peptide-Based Formulations and Individualized Care
Peptides continue to be an area of scientific and clinical interest across multiple areas of medicine and wellness.
WPN’s patient-specific portfolio includes peptide-based formulations such as GHK-Cu and sermorelin, providing healthcare professionals with additional formulation and dosage-form options when clinically appropriate for an individual patient.
GHK-Cu
GHK-Cu is a naturally occurring copper-binding tripeptide that has been studied for its biological activity in skin and tissue.
Published research has examined GHK-Cu in relation to cellular pathways associated with skin remodeling and regeneration.
WPN offers GHK-Cu in several patient-specific topical preparations, including formulations for facial, skin, hair, and scalp applications.
Research: Pickart L, Margolina A. Regenerative and Protective Actions of the GHK-Cu Peptide in the Light of the New Gene Data. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2018. View on PubMed
Sermorelin
Sermorelin is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and is another peptide available in patient-specific compounded formulations through WPN.
WPN’s portfolio includes sermorelin in multiple dosage forms and formulations, giving prescribers additional options when developing an individualized prescription.
The availability of different formulations illustrates one of the primary benefits of patient-specific compounding: providing healthcare professionals with options when commercially available medications do not meet the medical needs of an individual patient.
____________________________________________
Individualized Care Can Extend Across Multiple Wellness Areas
A patient’s needs do not always fit neatly into one wellness category.
A provider evaluating metabolic health may also be considering hormone balance, sexual wellness, mitochondrial health, dermatologic concerns, or other factors as part of the patient’s overall care plan.
Patient-specific compounding can provide additional flexibility across these areas by expanding the strengths, formulations, and dosage forms available to a prescriber when an FDA-approved medication does not meet an individual patient’s medical needs.
At Wells Pharmacy Network, patient-specific compounding spans areas including:
- Mitochondrial and cellular wellness
- Weight management
- Men’s and women’s sexual wellness
- Peptide-based formulations
- Hormone replacement
- Dermatology and aesthetic medicine
- Thyroid and adrenal health
- General wellness
The purpose is not to create a single protocol for every patient. It is to provide healthcare professionals with additional options that can be evaluated as part of an individualized treatment plan.
____________________________________________
Partner With Wells Pharmacy Network for Patient-Specific Compounding
Wells Pharmacy Network works with healthcare professionals to prepare patient-specific compounded medications across a broad range of specialties.
With access to multiple formulations, strengths, combinations, and dosage forms, providers have additional options when an FDA-approved medication does not meet the medical needs of an individual patient.
Whether your practice focuses on mitochondrial wellness, weight management, sexual health, peptides, hormone health, dermatology, or other areas of individualized care, WPN can serve as a compounding pharmacy resource for your practice.
Explore the Wells Pharmacy Network portfolio or create a provider account to learn more about patient-specific compounded options available for your patients.
____________________________________________
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Human Drug Compounding. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Compounding Under Section 503A of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding
- Conze D, Brenner C, Kruger CL. Safety and Metabolism of Long-term Administration of NIAGEN (Nicotinamide Riboside Chloride) in a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial of Healthy Overweight Adults. Scientific Reports. 2019;9:9772. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31278280/
- Kingsberg SA, et al. Bremelanotide for the Treatment of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: Two Randomized Phase 3 Trials. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2019;134(5):899-908. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31599840/
- Pickart L, Margolina A. Regenerative and Protective Actions of the GHK-Cu Peptide in the Light of the New Gene Data. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2018;19(7):1987.
- National Library of Medicine. PubMed. Oxytocin and Human Sexual Behavior Research. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=oxytocin+human+sexual+behavior
Important Information: Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved. FDA does not verify the safety, effectiveness, or quality of compounded drugs before they are marketed. Compounded medications should only be prescribed when an FDA-approved medication does not meet the medical needs of an individual patient. The information provided here is intended for healthcare professional education and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
