Prescription medicine
Meropenem First approved as Merrem Iv
Meropenem (Merrem Iv) is a prescription medicine with an FDA approval on record since 1996. FDA's NDC Directory lists it from 18 generic labelers, and pharmacies paid $4.69 per meropenem iv 1 g vial in the October 7, 2026 NADAC survey.
- Generic listed
Check it at the source: the meropenem FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 16, 2025, Eugia US LLC); the NDA 50706 record on Drugs@FDA; every meropenem label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of July 16, 2025; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026; NADAC October 7, 2026
Used for
From the label: indications and usageMeropenem for Injection is a penem antibacterial indicated for the treatment of: Complicated skin and skin structure infections (adult patients and pediatric patients 3 months of age and older only).
Forms and strengths
- 1 g
- 2 g
- 500 mg
- 1 g/30ml
- 1 g/20ml
- 1 g/50ml
- 500 mg/20ml
- 500 mg/10ml
- 500 mg/50ml
Injection (powder) for solution; injection; injection (solution).
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- June 21, 1996 Merrem Iv, Pfizer; Drugs@FDA’s file, where older or withdrawn approvals can be missing
- Generic approvals
- 13 first June 22, 2010; 10 with a marketed status in Drugs@FDA
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 19 of which 18 under generic applications, 2 under brand applications, repackagers included
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- $4.69 per vial Meropenem iv 1 g vial
- Shortage (FDA)
- No current entry
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- 1 since 2015 0 Class I among all firms' recalls; latest September 20, 2018; 2 more by firms not listed as its makers
- FAERS reports
- 31,906 through July 30, 2026
What is meropenem used for?
From the label: indications and usageMeropenem for Injection is a penem antibacterial indicated for the treatment of: Complicated skin and skin structure infections (adult patients and pediatric patients 3 months of age and older only). (1.1 ) Complicated intra-abdominal infections (adult and pediatric patients). ( 1.2 ) Bacterial meningitis (pediatric patients 3 months of age and older only). […]
FDA pharmacologic class: Penem Antibacterial.
Source: FDA drug label (Meropenem), Eugia US LLC, effective July 16, 2025 (SPL set bf1d3433-9e3f-40a0-8bff-c8ceaa8bab7c), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for meropenem (Merrem Iv)?
The FDA approved the first generic meropenem on June 22, 2010. 13 generic applications are approved; 10 of them carry a current (not discontinued) marketing status in Drugs@FDA; that status is not evidence that the generic is on sale.
FDA's NDC Directory lists meropenem from 18 labelers under a generic (ANDA) application and from 2 brand labelers. A listing means the company has registered the product for sale; it does not show that every pharmacy stocks it.
- 1996 earliest approval on file
- 2010 first generic approved
- red ticks recalls
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory and the Orange Book (openFDA bulk files, October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay for meropenem (Merrem Iv)?
In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $4.69 per Meropenem iv 1 g vial, down 16% from $5.61 on October 8, 2025. The chart's scale runs from the lowest to the highest price shown, not from zero. NADAC is what retail pharmacies paid their wholesalers, per unit, in CMS's monthly survey; what a patient pays depends on insurance and the pharmacy.
- Meropenem iv 1 g vial (generic)
| Strength and form | Brand or generic | Pharmacy cost | 30 tablets, or one pen or vial | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meropenem iv 1 g vial | Generic | $4.69 per vial | n/a | -16% |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price
Has meropenem been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement Report lists 3 recalls naming meropenem since 2015: 0 Class I (the most serious), 3 Class II, 0 Class III; 0 still ongoing. 2 of them are by firms that FDA's NDC Directory does not list as a maker of meropenem and that hold no application for it in Drugs@FDA, such as compounding pharmacies or bulk-ingredient suppliers; the recall notice names the product recalled. A recall names products and lots, not every product of the medicine.
| Started | Class | Company | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 27, 2022 | Class II | Sentara Infusion Services not a listed maker | Lack of sterility assurance |
| September 20, 2018 | Class II | Pfizer Inc. | Lack of assurance of sterility: loss of container integrity. |
| November 10, 2015 | Class II | Walgreens Infusion Services not a listed maker | Lack of Assurance of Sterility |
Source: FDA Enforcement Report (drug recalls) via openFDA, through October 8, 2026
What does the meropenem label say about other medicines?
The meropenem label names 3 other medicines in its interaction, contraindication or warning sections. The labels of 4 other medicines name meropenem. The sentences are the labels' own; a label lists what its studies and reports found, not every interaction.
| Medicine named | Section | What the label says |
|---|---|---|
| Divalproex | drug interactions | DRUG INTERACTIONS Co-administration of Meropenem for Injection with probenecid inhibits renal excretion of meropenem and is therefore not recommended. ( 7.1 ) The concomitant use of Meropenem and valproic acid or divalproex sodium is generally not recommended. |
| Probenecid | drug interactions | DRUG INTERACTIONS Co-administration of Meropenem for Injection with probenecid inhibits renal excretion of meropenem and is therefore not recommended. ( 7.1 ) The concomitant use of Meropenem and valproic acid or divalproex sodium is generally not recommended. |
| Valproic acid | drug interactions | DRUG INTERACTIONS Co-administration of Meropenem for Injection with probenecid inhibits renal excretion of meropenem and is therefore not recommended. ( 7.1 ) The concomitant use of Meropenem and valproic acid or divalproex sodium is generally not recommended. |
Source: FDA drug label (Meropenem), Eugia US LLC, effective July 16, 2025 (SPL set bf1d3433-9e3f-40a0-8bff-c8ceaa8bab7c), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What do FAERS reports show for meropenem?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 31,906 reports that list meropenem among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 9,524 are coded as a death and 17,033 as a hospital stay. Counts follow how widely a medicine is used and watched, and they are not a measure of how risky it is.
Reports received each year
The most reported reactions
Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) via openFDA, reports through July 30, 2026
What next?
- Other penem antibacterials
- the pharmacologic class, with prices and generics
- Meropenem side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other