New Data on Pacira's Exparel

Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASD:PCRX) announced that results from the IMPROVE study on its marketed product Exparel was published in the journal Current Therapeutic Research.

The IMPROVE studies are evaluating the differences in postsurgical opioid use and health economic outcomes between patients with laparoscopic colectomy receiving Exparel and those on a standard opioid-based analgesic regimen.

The open-label, phase IV study under the IMPROVE program (n=82) was conducted among patients who underwent laparoscopic colectomy to remove all or part of the colon using several small incisions in the abdomen. Of the 82 patients, 26 were enrolled in the Exparel-based multimodal group. The remaining patients were enrolled in the opioid-based intravenous (:IV) patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) arm.

Results from the study revealed a 1-day reduction in the median length of hospital stay, $1,784 reduction in mean hospitalization costs and 64 mg reduction in mean opioid consumption in patients under the Exparel group compared to the opioid-based treatment arm.

Exparel is currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (:FDA) for administration into the surgical site to produce post-surgical analgesia. The drug was launched in Apr 2012.

In the first nine months of 2013, net Exparel revenues were $45.6 million. At the end of Sep 2013, Exparel had a customer base of 1,732. Pacira reported an average of 23 new customers per week in the reported quarter.

Pacira carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Other better-ranked players in the pharma industry include Sucampo Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASD:SCMP), WuXiPharmaTech (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE:WX) and Forest Laboratories Inc. (NYSE:FRX). All the three stocks carry a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

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