ensed ▁the ▁rights ▁to ▁the ▁manufact ure ▁and ▁sale ▁of ▁Sin emet ▁to ▁a ▁newly ▁created ▁joint ▁vent ure , ▁Du P ont ▁Mer ck ▁Ph arma ce ut ical ▁Company . ▁That ▁same ▁year , ▁appro val s ▁for ▁a ▁sust ained ▁release ▁form ulation ▁( S in emet ▁CR ) ▁which ▁could ▁be ▁taken ▁less ▁frequently ▁were ▁also ▁obtained . ▁Du P ont ▁purchased ▁Mer ck ' s ▁share ▁in ▁the ▁joint ▁vent ure ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁and ▁began ▁operating ▁the ▁company ▁as ▁Du P ont ▁Ph arma ce ut ical s ▁( D u P ont ▁Ph arma ), ▁but ▁Mer ck ▁continued ▁to ▁manufact ure ▁the ▁drug ▁for ▁Du P ont . ▁Starting ▁in ▁late ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁and ▁continu ing ▁into ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁Mer ck ▁stopped ▁manufact uring ▁the ▁drug ▁while ▁await ing ▁regul atory ▁appro val s ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁change ▁in ▁the ▁supp lier ▁of ▁the ▁active ▁ing red ient . ▁This ▁resulted ▁in ▁short ages ▁of ▁the ▁brand ▁name ▁products ▁Sin emet ▁and ▁Sin emet ▁CR , ▁although ▁alternative ▁generic ▁versions ▁were ▁still ▁available . ▁ ▁Another ▁short age ▁appears ▁to ▁have ▁occurred ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁ ▁St ale vo ▁in ▁combination ▁with ▁ent ac ap one ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁ ▁Le vod op a ▁and ▁Car bid op a ▁at ▁U . S . ▁National ▁Library ▁of ▁Medicine , ▁National ▁Instit utes ▁of ▁Health