Opioids News and Research

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An opioid is a chemical that works by binding to opioid receptors, which are found principally in the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. The receptors in these two organ systems mediate both the beneficial effects and the side effects of opioids.

QRxPharma announces the initiation of second pivotal Phase 3 registration trial of MoxDuo IR

QRxPharma Limited announced today initiation of its second pivotal Phase 3 registration trial (Study 009) to evaluate analgesic efficacy and safety of MoxDuo™IR, a patented 3:2 ratio fixed dose combination of morphine plus oxycodone.

11 Feb 2010

YM BioSciences receives additional AeroLEF patents in U.S.

YM BioSciences Inc., announced that it has been granted two additional patents in the US for AeroLEF(R), the Company's proprietary, inhaled-delivery composition of free and liposome-encapsulated fentanyl in development for the treatment of moderate to severe acute pain. US patent numbers 7,648,981 and 7,648,982 extend the life of YM's AeroLEF patent estate in the US to 2024.

10 Feb 2010

Doctors do not follow evidence-based guidelines for treating low back pain, says report

Australian general practitioners often treat patients with low back pain in a manner that does not appear to match the care endorsed by international clinical guidelines, according to a report in the February 8 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

9 Feb 2010

Positive data from Cara Therapeutics' peripherally-restricted kappa opioid agonist Phase II trial

Cara Therapeutics, Inc. today announced positive data in a Phase II proof-of-concept clinical trial of its peripherally-restricted kappa opioid agonist, CR845. The 46 patient Phase II, multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted at eight hospitals in the United States and evaluated the efficacy and safety of CR845 in women following laparoscopic-assisted hysterectomy.

9 Feb 2010

'Doctor Shopping': Data from California's prescription monitoring program

Research presented at the American Academy of Pain Medicine's 26th Annual Meeting provides early published data analyzing information gathered from California's prescription monitoring program, known as the Controlled Substances Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES). The analysis found a two-fold increase in the likelihood of individuals receiving opioids from multiple providers or "doctor shopping" when they were also being simultaneously prescribed a single additional class of a controlled substances, such as benzodiazepines or amphetamines.

5 Feb 2010

"Knowledge deficit" about methadone responsible for resulting deaths

In a unique and comprehensive literature review of poisoning deaths involving opioids from 1999 -- 2009, the deaths involving methadone were found to be disproportionately high. Methadone represented less than five percent of all opioid prescriptions but is responsible for a third of the deaths. After four years of investigation, the major underlying cause was found to be fundamental misunderstandings about the properties of the medicine -- a "knowledge deficit" -- especially when converting patients from other opioids.

4 Feb 2010

Javelin Pharmaceuticals' NDA for Dyloject Injection accepted for formal review

Javelin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading developer and marketer of specialty pharmaceutical products for pain management, today announced that its New Drug Application (NDA) submitted on December 2, 2009 to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its investigational product candidate, Dyloject™ (diclofenac sodium) Injection, has been accepted for formal review.

2 Feb 2010

Positive results from Phosphagenics' TPM Phase 1B clinical study for transdermal delivery of oxycodone

Phosphagenics Limited today announced positive results from a Phase 1B clinical study using the Company’s patented TPM™ (Targeted Penetration Matrix) for the transdermal delivery of oxycodone. The results of the successful trial demonstrate that daily application of a TPM™ patch delivers therapeutic levels of oxycodone into the blood stream in a reproducible, consistent and sustained manner.

2 Feb 2010

YM BioSciences-Cytopia merger complete

YM BioSciences Inc., announced that the merger of Cytopia Limited, the Australian biopharmaceutical company, into YM under a Scheme of Arrangement, has been concluded.

1 Feb 2010

NIDA supports Omeros' Addiction program

Omeros Corporation today announced that the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is providing support for the Company's Addiction program. NIDA will fund substantially all of the costs of a Phase 2 clinical study to be conducted by New York State Psychiatric Institute researchers.

28 Jan 2010

YM BioSciences' nimotuzumab Phase II trials: FDA advises patient enrollment

YM BioSciences Inc., announced that the FDA has advised the Company that it may now enroll patients at US clinical sites into two ongoing randomized, double-blind Phase II trials of its lead product, nimotuzumab. One of the two trials is in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who are ineligible for curative treatment and being treated palliatively and the other in patients with brain metastases from NSCLC. Current NSCLC palliative treatment and treatment for brain metastases is radiation alone.

27 Jan 2010

Taking opioids long term could hold small risk of addition

Coping with chronic non-cancer pain is a way of life for millions of Americans. Unfortunately, many older adults, in particular, hesitate to take opioids — a kind of narcotic — for fear of addiction. However, a new review finds that taking opioids long term is associated with clinically significant pain relief in some patients with a very small risk of addition.

20 Jan 2010

Light sedation decreases postoperative delirium in elderly patients by 50%

A recent study, published in the January issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, demonstrates that in elderly patients undergoing hip fracture repair under spinal anesthesia with propofol sedation, the prevalence of delirium can be decreased by 50 percent with light sedation, compared to deep sedation.

20 Jan 2010

DURECT commences dosing in its POSIDUR Phase III clinical trial

DURECT Corporation announced today that it has begun dosing patients in its U.S. pivotal Phase III clinical trial to evaluate POSIDUR™ (SABER™-Bupivacaine), an investigational drug, for the treatment of post-surgical pain. The pivotal trial, referred to as BESST (Bupivacaine Effectiveness and Safety in SABER Trial), is an international, multi-center, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial evaluating the safety, efficacy, effectiveness, and pharmacokinetics of POSIDUR in patients undergoing general surgical procedures.

19 Jan 2010

New issue from Annals of Internal Medicine

Prescriptions of some opioids, such as oxycodone, have increased significantly over the past decade. As long-term opioid therapy for chronic noncancer pain becomes more common, the deaths associated with opioids increase.

19 Jan 2010

Lighter sedation during spinal anesthesia reduces postoperative delirium in elderly patients

19 Jan 2010

Study examines how opioid overdose differs by prescribed dose for chronic pain conditions

More and more Americans with chronic pain not caused by cancer are taking medically prescribed opioids like Oxycontin (oxycodone) and Vicodin (hydrocodone). The January 19 Annals of Internal Medicine features the first study to explore the risk of overdose in patients prescribed opioids for chronic noncancer pain in general health care.

19 Jan 2010

Risks associated with opioid pain medications may outweigh surgery risks

Despite limited evidence of long-term success in using opioid pain medications for chronic low back pain, opioid prescribing has increased in recent years for back pain and other non-cancer pain indications.

18 Jan 2010

YM BioSciences announces results of cancer antibody-radionuclide conjugate development collaboration

YM BioSciences Inc. today announced results of a collaboration with researchers at the University of Toronto for the development of highly potent antibody-radionuclide conjugates for use in the treatment of cancer. The approach has successfully concluded its first series of proof-of-principle experiments establishing promise for future development and application.

12 Jan 2010

Woodcock discusses FDA's ongoing initiative to reduce preventable harm from medication use

An article by Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, titled "A Difficult Balance - Pain Management, Drug Safety, and the FDA," appears in the Nov. 26, 2009 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

5 Jan 2010

Opioids News and Research

Further Reading

QRxPharma announces the initiation of second pivotal Phase 3 registration trial of MoxDuo IR

YM BioSciences receives additional AeroLEF patents in U.S.

Doctors do not follow evidence-based guidelines for treating low back pain, says report

Positive data from Cara Therapeutics' peripherally-restricted kappa opioid agonist Phase II trial

'Doctor Shopping': Data from California's prescription monitoring program

"Knowledge deficit" about methadone responsible for resulting deaths

Javelin Pharmaceuticals' NDA for Dyloject Injection accepted for formal review

Positive results from Phosphagenics' TPM Phase 1B clinical study for transdermal delivery of oxycodone

YM BioSciences-Cytopia merger complete

NIDA supports Omeros' Addiction program

YM BioSciences' nimotuzumab Phase II trials: FDA advises patient enrollment

Taking opioids long term could hold small risk of addition

Light sedation decreases postoperative delirium in elderly patients by 50%

DURECT commences dosing in its POSIDUR Phase III clinical trial

New issue from Annals of Internal Medicine

Lighter sedation during spinal anesthesia reduces postoperative delirium in elderly patients

Study examines how opioid overdose differs by prescribed dose for chronic pain conditions

Risks associated with opioid pain medications may outweigh surgery risks

YM BioSciences announces results of cancer antibody-radionuclide conjugate development collaboration

Woodcock discusses FDA's ongoing initiative to reduce preventable harm from medication use

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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