Last updated: June 9, 2026
Omnipaque 180 is the 180 mg iodine/mL (iohexol) ready-to-use radiographic contrast product. The supply chain in the US is centered on a limited set of branded and contract-manufacturing suppliers for the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) iohexol and for the sterile, filled formulation (vials or bottles).
Who supplies OMNIPAQUE 180 (iohexol 180 mgI/mL) in the US?
Primary branded source: GE HealthCare (Omnipaque brand).
Core supply model: API manufacture of iohexol plus sterile formulation and fill-finish for iodinated contrast media, typically with contract manufacturing and packaging partners depending on site and lot.
What “suppliers” typically means for Omnipaque 180
- Brand label manufacturer / marketing authorization holder (what hospitals and distributors buy under the Omnipaque name).
- API supplier for iohexol (180 mgI/mL strength is based on dilution and formulation from iohexol API).
- Sterile fill-finish supplier for vials/bottles and rubber/closure components (supply can rotate by batch).
What companies manufacture the iohexol API used in OMNIPAQUE 180?
Omnipaque 180 is formulated from iohexol, an iodinated nonionic contrast agent. The API supply is generally sourced from specialized iodination chemistry manufacturers and then qualified for contrast-media GMP use.
Typical categories of API suppliers
- Dedicated small-molecule iodinated contrast API manufacturers (specialty chemistry).
- Contract API manufacturers with contrast-media regulatory experience (DMF-based submissions).
Supplier visibility limits
Specific iohexol API supplier names for Omnipaque lots are often not public in routine distributor-facing materials. Without Orange Book-level linkage for a combination contrast-media product and without public DMF-to-brand mapping for each site, only the branded label manufacturer and distributor-of-record are consistently identifiable across sources.
What fill-finish and sterile formulation suppliers support OMNIPAQUE 180?
Omnipaque 180 is supplied as sterile, ready-to-use contrast media. That implies:
- sterilizing filtration and aseptic processing or validated terminal sterilization (site-dependent),
- GMP sterile filling of vials/bottles,
- configuration of closures and packaging that maintains container-closure integrity for iodinated solutions.
Fill-finish supplier naming
In practice, the fill-finish site and the sterile processing supplier are disclosed through:
- manufacturer address statements on US labels,
- global tender documents,
- shortage communications and FDA communications when plants are implicated.
Routine procurement records may identify “manufactured by” as the label manufacturer site, while contract sterile fill partners remain less visible.
Which distributors supply OMNIPAQUE 180 to hospitals and imaging centers?
Typical US distribution channels
- Premier/Group Purchasing Organization distribution via major pharmaceutical wholesalers.
- Hospital direct distribution agreements with the brand manufacturer or its designated wholesalers.
In the US, Omnipaque 180 is typically stocked through national wholesalers and purchasing programs, rather than through a single specialty distributor. Distributor identity can vary by contract and region.
Public-facing procurement identifiers
- NDC-level listings show the brand and the marketing label.
- Wholesaler catalogs usually map to the NDC, not to the underlying fill-finish site.
What NDCs and label manufacturer statements determine “who the supplier is” for OMNIPAQUE 180?
The operational way to pinpoint the supplier for a specific unit is:
- Use the exact NDC for the vial size and packaging configuration,
- read the “Manufactured for” / “Manufactured by” lines on the label.
Because Omnipaque 180 is strength-specific (180 mgI/mL) and packaging-specific (vial size and bottle types), supplier identity can change with NDC even if the brand is the same.
How do supplier changes affect OMNIPAQUE 180 availability and shortages?
For contrast media, supply disruptions usually trace to:
- sterilization or fill-line capacity at one site,
- upstream iodinated intermediate or API production downtime,
- container-closure component constraints,
- regulatory action at a manufacturing plant.
When those occur, market availability changes first at the NDC level, not necessarily at the brand level. Hospitals see substituted NDCs (same strength, different pack) when allocation or lot holdback occurs.
How does OMNIPAQUE 180 compare with other iohexol brands for supply?
Other iohexol-based contrast products in the US can be manufactured under different sites and contract arrangements. That means:
- a shortage affecting one branded product line may not map 1:1 to another brand,
- NDC-level identification is still required to map to the actual manufacturer site.
For procurement and continuity planning, buyers should treat “supplier” as a function of NDC and label manufacturer line, not only brand name.
Key Takeaways
- GE HealthCare is the branded supplier for Omnipaque 180 (iohexol 180 mgI/mL) in the US market.
- Practical “who supplies” depends on the exact NDC because fill-finish and packaging sites can differ by lot and configuration.
- API and sterile fill-finish suppliers are usually not consistently named in public distributor-facing materials; label “manufactured by/for” statements and NDC-level labeling are the most reliable public route to identify the manufacturing supplier.
- Supply risk is site-driven for sterile fill capacity and upstream iodinated chemistry constraints; monitoring by NDC availability is the operational approach.
FAQs
1) How can procurement teams identify the true manufacturing supplier for OMNIPAQUE 180?
By matching the exact NDC and reading the label lines for “manufactured by” or “manufactured for,” which may differ across pack sizes.
2) Are OMNIPAQUE 180 shortages driven by API suppliers or sterile fill-finish sites?
Either can be implicated; for contrast media, the most visible constraints are usually sterile fill-line capacity and lot release at specific manufacturing sites, with upstream iodinated intermediate/API downtime also possible.
3) Do different vial sizes of OMNIPAQUE 180 come from the same manufacturer?
They often do, but they can differ by NDC, so the only reliable approach is NDC-to-label verification.
4) Do generic iohexol products replace OMNIPAQUE 180 supply?
They can partially replace supply depending on formulary status and availability, but substitution still requires NDC-level product and labeling validation.
5) What information is most useful for supply continuity planning for OMNIPAQUE 180?
Track NDC availability, lead times, lot traceability via label “manufactured by/for,” and historical allocation/shortage notices tied to specific manufacturing sites.
References
- FDA. Drug Shortages. (Omnipaque and/or iohexol contrast media shortage communications, accessed via FDA Drug Shortages database).
- FDA. Orange Book: Approved Drug Products. (Not used for this contrast-media product as applicable linkage may not be present; label/NDC verification is operational for supplier identification).
- DailyMed. Omnipaque 180 (iohexol) prescribing information and labeling details by NDC (accessed via DailyMed).
