Morphine News and Research

Latest Morphine News and Research

QRxPharma initiates Phase 1 trial for evaluating PK profiles of morphine, oxycodone CR formulations

QRxPharma announced today initiation of the Company's first Phase 1 trial to evaluate the pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles of experimental controlled-release (CR) morphine and oxycodone formulations that will be incorporated into MoxDuo®CR. MoxDuo®CR contains a fixed 3:2 morphine:oxycodone combination and is intended to be dosed twice daily in patients experiencing chronic pain, an approximately US$7 billion dollar market worldwide.

31 Mar 2010

Radio ad supports legislation to end cash for egg donation

Today, Family Research Council Action and the Oklahoma Family Policy Council released a radio advertisement supporting State Representative Rebecca Hamilton's Oklahoma House Bill 3077, currently being reviewed by the Oklahoma State Senate. H.B. 3077 would put an end to the financial lure that draws young women into donating their eggs to fertility clinics, a dangerous procedure that can cause life-threatening complications including kidney failure and blood clots.

27 Mar 2010

Two EMBEDA video news releases misleading, warns FDA DDMAC

On October 8, 2009, King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. received a Warning Letter from the Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising, and Communications (DDMAC) at the Food and Drug Administration regarding two video news releases - EMBEDA Media backgrounder, and EMBEDA Visual Media Technology, for EMBEDA® (morphine sulfate and naltrexone hydrochloride) Extended Release Capsules for oral use C-II.

27 Mar 2010

CHF applauds Congress and the President for introducing universal health care coverage

Children's Health Fund strongly supports the reconciliation bill signed by President Barack Obama implementing positive changes and fixes to the health reform bill he signed earlier this week. This second piece of health reform legislation marks an unprecedented effort to make real and positive change for the health and well-being of children in this country.

27 Mar 2010

DEA crackdown on nursing home drugs comes under Congressional scrutiny

The New York Times previews a Capitol Hill hearing Wednesday where nursing home operators and caregivers will criticize a narcotics crackdown by the Drug Enforcement Administration that they say "has left seriously ill patients crying for pain relief.

25 Mar 2010

Virginia-based medical practice implements CTT's pain therapy medical device

Competitive Technologies, Inc. announced that a premier physician oncology practice based in Virginia has begun using CTT's Calmare® Therapy pain therapy medical device to treat patients suffering from pain related to cancer, under the direction of several medical oncologists.

24 Mar 2010

Arizona eliminates CHIP; Schwarzenegger seeks to reform California prison health care system

The New York Times: "Arizona on Thursday became the first state to eliminate its Children's Health Insurance Program when Gov. Jan Brewer signed an austere budget that will leave nearly 47,000 low-income children without coverage." The state's budget woes are a stark depiction of "how the fiscal crisis afflicting state governments is cutting deeply into health care.

20 Mar 2010

Alpharma to pay $42.5M for settling alleged Kadian kickback scheme

Alpharma Inc. has agreed to pay $42.5 million to the federal government and certain states to settle a whistleblower lawsuit that exposed an alleged kickback scheme by the pharmaceutical company to boost its sales of Kadian, a prescription painkiller.

18 Mar 2010

Genes allowing opium poppy to make codeine and morphine discovered

Researchers at the University of Calgary have discovered the unique genes that allow the opium poppy to make codeine and morphine, thus opening doors to alternate methods of producing these effective painkillers either by manufacturing them in a lab or controlling the production of these compounds in the plant.

18 Mar 2010

False Claims Act allegations over marketing of morphine-based drug Kadian: Alpharma to pay $42.5M

American pharmaceutical manufacturer Alpharma Inc. has agreed to pay $42.5 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations in connection with the marketing of the morphine-based drug, Kadian, the Justice Department announced today. The settlement resolves allegations that, between January 1, 2000 and December 29, 2008, Alpharma paid health care providers to induce them to promote or prescribe Kadian, and made misrepresentations about the safety and efficacy of the drug, which is used to treat chronic moderate to severe pain.

17 Mar 2010

Azur Pharma to acquire PRIALT analgesic therapy from Elan Pharmaceuticals

Azur Pharma Limited today announced it has signed a definitive agreement with Elan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (a subsidiary of Elan Corporation, plc) to acquire the analgesic therapy, PRIALT(R) (ziconotide intrathecal infusion).

12 Mar 2010

New changes made to the Dose Conversion Guidelines on Fentanyl Transdermal Systems

The manufacturers of Fentanyl Transdermal Systems, in collaboration with Health Canada, would like to inform Canadians of important new changes made to the Dose Conversion Guidelines in the Product Monograph. These guidelines are used to help determine what dosage of Fentanyl Transdermal Systems is appropriate for each individual patient.

11 Mar 2010

KAPIDEX to be marketed as DEXILANT in the U.S.

Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. announced today that KAPIDEX™ (dexlansoprazole) will be marketed in the United States under the new product trade name DEXILANT™ (dexlansoprazole). The product is indicated for heartburn associated with symptomatic non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the healing of erosive esophagitis (EE) and the maintenance of healed EE.

5 Mar 2010

Heartburn drug Kapidex to be marketed under new name Dexilant

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a name change for the heartburn drug Kapidex (dexlansoprazole) to avoid confusion with two other medications – Casodex and Kadian. Effective in late April 2010, Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America Inc. will market Kapidex under the new name Dexilant.

4 Mar 2010

Children with cancer experiencing extreme pain: 13% of parents consider "hastening death"

A survey of parents who had a child die of cancer found that one in eight considered hastening their child's death, a deliberation influenced by the amount of pain the child experienced during the last month of life, report Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers in the March issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

2 Mar 2010

Archimedes Pharma raises GBP65 million in new funding

Archimedes Pharma, the leading specialty pharma company, today announced that it has raised GBP65 million (approx US$100 million) in new funding. The round was led by new investor Novo Growth Equity, the growth equity fund of Novo A/S, and included participation by major current investor, Warburg Pincus, a global private equity firm. Archimedes also announced the appointment of a new President and Chief Executive Officer, Jeffrey H. Buchalter, formerly President and Chief Executive Officer of US-based Enzon.

2 Mar 2010

Cancer pain patients: European regulations restricting access to opioid-based drugs

Many cancer patients in Europe are being denied access to adequate pain relief because of over-zealous regulations restricting the availability and accessibility of opioid-based drugs such as morphine.

22 Feb 2010

Javelin Pharmaceuticals’ Dyloject NDA receives FDA PDUFA date

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 received an FDA PDUFA date of October 3, 2010. This NDA review is in support of US marketing approval and registration of Dyloject for the management of acute moderate-to-severe pain in adults.

18 Feb 2010

Research suggests scorpion venom could be an alternative to morphine painkiller

Scorpion venom is notoriously poisonous ― but it might be used as an alternative to dangerous and addictive painkillers like morphine, a Tel Aviv University researcher claims.

17 Feb 2010

Third party reexamination of Phase III study of Ereska meets primary endpoint

Javelin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that a reexamination conducted by a third party of pain score measurements from its Phase III study of Ereska™ (intranasal ketamine) showed that top line results for its primary endpoint were statistically significant. Previously, Javelin had reported that the top line results for its primary endpoint were not statistically significant.

12 Feb 2010