Purdue Pharma announced today that it acquired SpineThera and a dexamethasone epidural product designed to treat low back pain. SpineThera’s SX600 therapy features tiny, biodegradable microspheres which enable sustained-release of dexamethasone. “We are pleased to partner with SpineThera to support further development of its novel steroid product for epidural injection for patients who suffer from […]
Pain Management
AcelRx shares fall as Sen. Markey calls on FDA to reject opioid painkiller
Shares in AcelRx (NSDQ:ACRX) fell last week after U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass) called on the FDA to reject the drugmaker’s opioid painkiller, Dsuvia. The senator noted that the product, which is designed for use in medically-supervised settings, consists of sufentanil – an opioid that is up to 10 times as powerful as fentanyl. “Even in […]
Medtronic launches workflow system to help wean patients off oral opioids
Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) said today that it launched its Control Workflow system in the U.S. for use with its SynchroMed II intrathecal drug-delivery system. The medtech titan is hoping that, combined with its pain pump, the workflow system can help physicians in weaning patients off oral opioids. In a retrospective claims analysis, Medtronic found that 51% of […]
Teva wins FDA nod for sublingual film to treat opioid dependence
The FDA last week approved Teva Pharmaceuticals (NYSE:TEVA) Cassipa sublingual film as a maintenance treatment for opioid dependence. There are a number of brand name and generic versions of buprenorphine and naloxone therapies that are delivered via a sublingual film. Teva’s product contains 16 milligrams of buprenorphine and 4 milligrams of naloxone, bringing a new dosage […]
NeuroMetrix lands $4m milestone payment from GSK deal
NeuroMetrix (NSDQ:NURO) said this week that it reeled in a $3.8 million milestone payment from its collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline‘s (NYSE:GSK) consumer healthcare unit. The strategic deal between the two groups was first announced in January this year. According to the terms of the deal, GSK acquired exclusive ownership of NeuroMetrix’s Quell pain-relief device outside the U.S., […]
FDA to review Ocular Therapeutix’s resubmitted NDA for Dextenza implant
Ocular Therapeutix (NSDQ:OCUL) said today that the FDA formally accepted its resubmitted new drug application for Dextenza, an ocular implant designed to administer pain-relief drugs following ophthalmic surgery. The FDA issued a complete response letter to the Bedford, Mass.-based company last year, rejecting Ocular’s Dextenza application for the second time. The U.S. regulatory agency is set […]
Anika shares plummet after Phase III trial misses endpoint
Shares in Anika Therapeutics (NSDQ:ANIK) fell more than -30% this week after the company reported that its osteoarthritis drug, Cingal, failed in a Phase III trial. The therapy, designed to treat osteoarthritis of the knee, is a combination of cross-linked hyaluronic acid and triamcinolone hexacetonide. The trial’s primary endpoint compared the pain reduction experienced by patients […]
FDA approves first generic sublingual film to treat opioid addiction
The FDA this week approved the first generic version of Indivior‘s (LON:INDV) billion-dollar opioid addiction treatment, Suboxone. The generic buprenorphine and naloxone sublingual film, sold by Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (NYSE:RDY) and Mylan (NSDQ:MYL), is designed to suppress withdrawal symptoms that crop in people addicted to opioids, as well as block the neurochemical effects of opioids. “The FDA […]
AcelRx tackles acute pain with sublingual drug-delivery tech
While pain medicine specialist Dr. Pamela Palmer was working on the West Coast in the early 2000’s, she noticed something peculiar was happening to patients undergoing surgery – many who survived their procedures were dying of opioid overdoses as a result of patient-controlled drug pumps. “The nurse has to program a number of parameters into […]
Titan, Braeburn end commercialization deal for Probuphine drug-delivery implant
Titan Pharmaceuticals (NSDQ:TTNP) and Braeburn Pharmaceuticals said today that they plan to end a 2012 licensing agreement that gave Braeburn exclusive rights to commercialize Probuphine in the U.S. and Canada. Probuphine, which was developed using Titan’s ProNeura continuous drug-delivery tech, is an implant that can be placed in a patient’s upper arm in an outpatient office […]