Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVNR) today announced that PRIME, its phase II clinical trial of the investigational drug AVP-923 (dextromethorphan / quinidine) for the treatment of central neuropathic pain in patients with multiple sclerosis did not meet the primary efficacy endpoint.
In the PRIME study, AVP-923 treated patients experienced levels of pain reduction commensurate with those observed in similar studies and the improvement in pain scores from baseline reached statistical significance; however, there was no difference between the treatment arms and placebo. Avanir believes that a higher than expected placebo response negatively impacted the study results. AVP-923 was generally safe and well tolerated.
Avanir plans to review the detailed data from the PRIME study in conjunction with previously generated data in diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain to determine next steps for the development of AVP-923 in neuropathic pain.
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