Cephalon reports ‘welcome’ new treatment options for breakthrough pain

Cephalon has reported that the new treatment options designed to target the “highly prevalent” breakthrough pain are to be welcomed, with such options improving the ability of doctors to tackle this problem.

These comments follow the company’s decision to submit a supplemental new drug application to the US Food and Drug Administration for Fentora (fentanyl buccal tablet) [C-II] for pain management in opioid-tolerant patients with chronic pain.

Cephalon notes that, according to a study published in the August 2006 of the Journal of Pain, up to 74 per cent of patients suffering from non-cancer chronic pain experience breakthrough pain.

Dr Russell Portenoy, chairman of the Department of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care at the Beth Israel Medical Center, said: “Breakthrough pain appears to be highly prevalent in some populations with chronic non-cancer pain and the commitment to use an opioid to manage chronic pain should be accompanied by an effort to assess and manage the breakthrough pain as well.”

The company adds that it will work with the FDA to widen the use of Fentora to include opioid-tolerant patients with debilitating breakthrough pain that is unresolved.

In August 2007, Cephalon announced positive phase III trial results for Fentora, with the drug showing clinically relevant outcomes in the patient group over 12 weeks of treatment.