The commercial terms of the agreement include an upfront cash payment to CeNeS and a royalty on all future sales. CeNeS will manufacture Moraxen TM for Amarin at its facility in Irvine, Scotland.
Severe pain is recognized as a common symptom of most forms of cancer.
A few of the reasons that patients may not be able to take oral opioids include decreased consciousness, severe nausea, difficulty in swallowing and poor drug absorption. Currently, the non-oral treatment options for these patients are limited and are often associated with significant clinical, economic and quality of life drawbacks. Moraxen TM, which features CeNeS s patented hydrogel technology was designed specifically to meet the needs of this particular market and was launched in the UK in September 2000. Through its proprietary drug delivery system, Moraxen TM provides rapid onset of action and consistent morphine levels for a full 24-hour period. In addition, there was a trend towards a reduction in opioid-related side effects, including constipation, during the study.