Janssen-Cilag gets approval for electric pain treatment

Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen-Cilag has received approval from the European Commission for the use of a needle-free pain treatment.

Ionsys (fentanyl hydrochloride (HCl) iontophoretic transdermal system) is designed to be attached as a patch to a patient’s arm or chest and uses a low level electrical current to deliver the medication directly through the skin and into the bloodstream with the push of a button.

It is thought Ionsys could produce sales of up to $250 million a year.

The treatment is the first needle-free, iontophoretic, patient-controlled transdermal system to receive marketing authorization, and is designed for the management of acute moderate to severe post-operative pain.

It could replace patient-controlled devices that consist of a programmable pump providing medication intravenously.

Janssen-Cilag is expected to launch Ionsys in Europe in2007 and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently reviewing for the US market.

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