Cephalon Drug Works for Breakthrough Pain

U.S. firm Cephalon said Tuesday studies of its pain drug Fentora shows the drug relieves breakthrough pain in patients with chronic pain.

In a phase 3 study involving 75 opioid-tolerant patients with a variety of chronic conditions associated with neuropathic pain, and in another enrolling 78 opioid-tolerant patients with cancer, the drug started relieving pain as early as 10 minutes, the company said.

Fentora is already approved in the United States for treating breakthrough pain — which is characterized by rapid onset — in patients with cancer who are already on, and who are tolerant to, opioid therapy, but Cephalon said it would seek expanded approval of the drug to treat breakthrough pain associated with other chronic conditions, including neuropathic and lower back pain.

Cephalon said it would submit the findings for presentation at a medical meeting in 2007.