Solasia Pharma completes Phase I clinical trial for Sancuso extended release transdermal granisetron patch

Solasia Pharma K.K. (http://www.solasia.co.jp), a developer of Western oncology pharmaceuticals in-licensed for commercialization in Asian markets, announced today the completion of a Phase I clinical trial for SP-01 (extended release transdermal granisetron patch; brand name: Sancuso®) in Japanese volunteers.

Sancuso is the first and only commercialized extended release granisetron transdermal product. Sancuso was approved for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and launched in the U.S. in 2008. In Japan, granisetron injections and tablets have strong market acceptance with over 50% share of the anti-emetic market.

Solasia also announced a U.S. patent for Sancuso was granted on October 27, 2009 to ProStrakan Group plc who developed and own the worldwide rights to Sancuso. The patent relates to a transdermal patch containing granisetron. “We are very pleased that Prostrakan has obtained the grant of the U.S. patent for Sancuso. This follows patent grants in the EU in 2007 and Japan in 2008, and reaffirms our confidence in the strength of the IP relative to other transdermal granisetron formulations including all such products currently in clinical development in Japan,” stated Solasia president Steve Engen.