Heron Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: HRTX), a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on improving the lives of patients by developing best-in-class treatments to address some of the most important unmet patient needs, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Zynrelef (bupivacaine and meloxicam) extended-release solution for use in adults for soft tissue or periarticular instillation to produce postsurgical analgesia for up to 72 hours after bunionectomy, open inguinal herniorrhaphy and total knee arthroplasty. Zynrelef, the first and only extended-release dual-acting local anesthetic (DALA), delivers a fixed-dose combination of the local anesthetic bupivacaine and a low dose of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) meloxicam. The synergy between bupivacaine and meloxicam in Zynrelef has resulted in patients experiencing significantly less pain, including severe pain, and significantly more patients requiring no opioids (opioid-free) after surgery as compared to bupivacaine solution, the current standard-of-care.
"The approval of Zynrelef marks an exciting milestone for patients, healthcare providers and pain management. Not just because it can reduce postoperative pain for up to 72 hours, but because for many patients it can eliminate the need for opioids after surgery," said Barry Quart, Pharm.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Heron. "We are in a strong position to launch Zynrelef, given our highly successful hospital launch of CINVANTI and our pricing and unprecedented value proposition, which will ensure broad access for patients and healthcare providers. Our existing commercial team will immediately begin working with current accounts to gain formulary access, with full commercial availability expected by July 2021."
Zynrelef is the first and only therapy for postoperative pain management to be rigorously tested in Phase 3 studies and demonstrate superiority to bupivacaine solution. Zynrelef demonstrated superior, sustained postoperative pain relief for up to 72 hours and decreased the need for opioids, with more patients opioid-free compared to bupivacaine solution. Clinical studies included over 1,000 patients, with the most common adverse reactions following Zynrelef administration being constipation, vomiting, and headache.
"The first three days after surgery are when patients experience the most severe postsurgical pain and are most likely to receive opioids to manage that pain. With the impressive reduction in pain and opioid use demonstrated by Zynrelef, we now have an important new option to help many patients achieve an opioid-free recovery," said Roy G. Soto, M.D., anesthesiologist at Beaumont Health System. "The dramatic increase in opioid-related deaths last year highlights the significant need for safe, effective and non-addictive options to manage pain that decrease opioid exposure and reduce the need for opioid prescriptions after surgery."
"Approximately 50 million Americans undergo surgery annually, and up to 67 percent of those patients receive opioids," said Alan Rechter, M.D., Orthopaedic Surgeon at Orthopaedic Associates LLP. "Inadequate postoperative pain management has been associated with poor patient outcomes, causing a substantial burden on public health and contributing to recovery delays. Through today's approval of Zynrelef, we now have a new therapy to offer patients, with the potential to meaningfully impact the postoperative pain management landscape and reduce, and even eliminate, unnecessary exposure to opioids in many patients."
Important Safety Information for Patients
Zynrelef contains an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug), a type of medicine which:
can increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke that can lead to death. This risk increases with higher doses and lo...
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