ICN making nerve gas antidote for military...

ICN making nerve gas antidote for military

The about 250,000 members of the U.S. military in the Persian Gulf

have been equipped with a nerve-gas antidote supplied by Costa Mesa’s

ICN Pharmaceuticals.

ICN is one of three Newport-Mesa companies supporting the war

effort.

Ceradyne Inc. and the local division of Argo-Tech Corp., both in

Costa Mesa, are also equipping troops. Ceradyne manufactures

ceramic-based ballistic body armor and helicopter plating. Argo-Tech

makes fueling equipment for Navy and Air Force aircraft.

The Department of Defense has ordered about 200,000 packs of

Mestinon, also known as pyridostigmine bromide. Each pack contains 21

pills.

The drug combats a nerve agent called soman, which could be used

by Iraq in a chemical attack.