Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals (NYSE:MNK) today released results from a clinical pharmacokinetic study evaluating the effect of IV morphine on the absorption of oral acetaminophen, touting the effectiveness of its Ofirmev IV administered acetaminophen over orally administered acetaminophen in adjunct to IV morphine.

The results were presented at this year’s Pain Medicine Meeting of the American Society of Regional Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine in San Diego.

The UK-based company also presented data from 3 retrospective analyses on health economics regarding the use of IV acetaminophen compared to oral acetaminophen for post-operative pain in spine surgery, cholecystectomy and hysterectomy patients.

The randomized, single-blind, clinical pharmacokinetic study enrolled 50 participants who either received oral acetaminophen or IV acetaminophen. Both groups received morphine infusions.

The data show that concurrent administration of morphine with oral acetaminophen resulted in altered absorption of oral acetaminophen and increased variability when co-administered with IV morphine. However, Mallinckrodt’s Ofirmev IV acetaminophen was unaffected by co-administration of IV morphine.

All 3 comparative health economic analyses showed that, compared to oral acetaminophen, IV administration of acetaminophen as a part of a pain management regimen was associated with reduced hospital length of stays, hospitalization costs and significantly lower opioid doses.

“We are encouraged that these studies can provide clinicians, pharmacists, and hospital administrators additional clinical and health economic data, further differentiating IV acetaminophen from oral acetaminophen,” chief medical officer Tunde Otulana said in prepared remarks. “These studies help underscore the relevant pharmacokinetic profile and the health economic value of Ofirmev in the management of acute pain in the surgical setting.”