CUPERTINO, Calif., Feb. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — DURECT Corporation
(Nasdaq: DRRX) today announced its intended development milestones for fiscal
year 2006.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020717/DRRXLOGO )
“These announced milestones are intended to assist the investment
community to track our progress throughout the coming year,” said James E.
Brown, President and CEO of DURECT. “DURECT will continue to drive forward our
development programs in 2006. In addition, we intend to build-out our
commercial specialty pharmaceuticals infrastructure and continue to forge
commercial alliances for our products and technologies that build lasting
value for our shareholders.”
Anticipated Development Program Milestones
Post-Operative Pain Depot
* Our post-operative pain relief depot is based on our patented SABER
delivery technology and is intended to be administered around the
surgical site after surgery to provide 3 days or more of local
analgesia.
* Within the first half of 2006, we intend to initiate additional
Phase II studies in the U.S. for soft tissue and orthopedic surgical
procedures, as well as continue our clinical studies outside of the
U.S.
* We intend to present additional Phase II data in the first half of
2006.
* We intend to initiate the Phase III clinical program in the second
half of 2006.
New Development Product
* We intend to complete a Phase I clinical study for a new development
product during the second half of 2006.
* DURECT retains full rights to this new development product.
Remoxy(TM) (Collaboration with Pain Therapeutics, Inc. and its
commercialization sub-licensee King Pharmaceuticals)
* Remoxy is a novel long-acting oral formulation of oxycodone based on
DURECT’s ORADUR(TM) technology, a proprietary oral sustained release
technology with several potential abuse deterrent properties.
* We intend to support the ongoing Phase III clinical program
conducted by our commercialization partners. Pain Therapeutics and
its commercialization sub-licensee King Pharmaceuticals have
announced their intention to initiate the pivotal Phase III clinical
study in the first half of 2006.
Transdermal Sufentanil Development Product (U.S. collaboration with Endo
Pharmaceuticals)
* Our transdermal sufentanil patch (significantly smaller than the
size of currently marketed transdermal fentanyl patches for a
therapeutically equivalent dose) is intended to provide extended
chronic pain relief for up to seven days, compared to three days of
relief provided by currently available opiate patches.
* Our partner, Endo Pharmaceuticals, intends to conduct additional
clinical studies in chronic pain patients during the year.
New ORADUR-based Opioid Development Product (Collaboration with Pain
Therapeutics, Inc. and its commercialization sub-licensee King
Pharmaceuticals)
* Our partner, Pain Therapeutics and its sub-licensee King
Pharmaceuticals, have announced their intention to initiate Phase I
clinical testing for the second ORADUR-based abuse deterrent
sustained release oral formulation of an undisclosed opioid during
the second half of 2006.
Memryte(TM) (Collaboration with Voyager Pharmaceuticals)
* Memryte is a novel treatment for patients suffering from Alzheimer’s
disease, based on DURECT’s DURIN(TM) controlled release technology,
a proprietary drug-loaded biodegradable implant.
* Our partner, Voyager Pharmaceuticals, has stated its intention to
complete patient enrollment for the first Phase III clinical study
in the second half of 2006.
About DURECT Corporation
DURECT Corporation is an emerging specialty pharmaceutical company focused
on the development of pharmaceutical systems based on its proprietary drug
delivery platform technologies that treat chronic debilitating diseases and
enable biotechnology products. Additional information about DURECT is
available at www.www.durect.com.
NOTE: SABER(TM), ORADUR(TM), DURIN(TM) and TRANSDUR(TM) are trademarks of
DURECT Corporation. Other referenced trademarks belong to their respective
owners.
DURECT Forward-Looking Statement
The statements in this press release regarding DURECT’s development
products, their designs and intended uses, and DURECT’s and our collaborators’
product development and clinical trial plans are forward-looking statements
involving risks and uncertainties that can cause actual results to differ
materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Potential risks and
uncertainties include, but are not limited to, DURECT’s (and that of its
third-party collaborators’, where applicable) abilities to successfully enroll
and complete clinical trials, complete the design, development, and
manufacturing process development of the development product, obtain product
and manufacturing approvals from regulatory agencies and manufacture and
commercialize the development product, as well as marketplace acceptance of
the development product. Further information regarding these and other risks
is included in DURECT’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
September 30, 2005 filed with the SEC on October 13, 2005 under the heading
“Factors that may affect future results.”
SOURCE:
DURECT Corporation
02/08/2006
CONTACT:
Schond L. Greenway, Vice President, Investor Relations and
Strategic Planning of DURECT Corporation, +1-408-777-1417
Web site: http://www.www.durect.com
(DRRX)