Schering-Plough reports positive CHMP opinion on sugammadex

Schering-Plough has announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency has recommended that sugammadex be approved for the reversal of rocuronium or vecuronium.

It advocates approval of the compound for the routine reversal of these muscle relaxants, immediate reversal of rocuronium in adults and the routine reversal of rocuronium in children and adolescents.

If approved, sugammadex will be the first selective relaxant binding agent and will be used by anaesthesiologists to predictably and speedily reverse deep and moderate muscle relaxation induced by the above compounds.

Muscle relaxants are used to facilitate intubation, improve surgical conditions and reduce the risk of complications, while reversal agents are used to allow patients to breathe on their own again.

Fred Hassan, chairman and chief executive officer of Schering- Plough, said: “This is an important first step in realising the promise of our Organon BioSciences acquisition.”

He added that prior to the company’s announcement last March, this was a relatively unknown asset, with the company pleased that it has envisaged this opportunity.

In March 2008, Schering-Plough suggested that the use of sugammadex to improve the management of muscle relaxation could “transform the practice of anaesthesia”.