DePuy Synthes Companies today announced an exclusive agreement in the U.S. between DePuy Synthes Sales, Inc. and Pacira Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: PCRX) to co-promote EXPAREL®, a long-lasting, non-opioid, local analgesic administered at the orthopaedic surgical site. The agreement allows DePuy Synthes to promote EXPAREL across its joint reconstruction, spine, sports medicine, and trauma businesses to help with postsurgical patient pain. This will further enhance the company's portfolio and reach in the operating room while also helping hospital customers better achieve their Triple Aim goals of improving clinical outcomes, reducing costs and enhancing patient satisfaction.
Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S., with opioid addiction driving this epidemic, including more than 20,000 overdose deaths related to prescription pain relievers in 20151. While opioids have typically been used for the management of orthopaedic postsurgical pain, EXPAREL provides targeted, non-opioid pain control by working right at the site of surgery, allowing for long-lasting pain relief. Reduced pain allows the opportunity for earlier weight bearing and mobilization immediately following surgery, and more patients discharged to home rather than interim care facilities.
"There are millions of orthopedic procedures performed in the U.S. market today where we can improve patient care and the surgical experience by offering a long acting, intra-operatively delivered local anesthetic infiltration solution," said Juan-José Gonzalez, President, DePuy Synthes U.S. "As part of our focused approach to help bring value at every point along the care pathway, we are thrilled to be able to further our offerings through partnering with Pacira and together provide a differentiated solution for our customers to help improve patient outcomes."
DePuy Synthes has extensive reach in the orthopaedics and spine space, positioning the company to bring EXPAREL to joint reconstruction, spine, sports medicine, and trauma patients in the U.S. for in-hospital and outpatient procedures. Our suite of products and solutions help to drive improved clinical outcomes, reduced complication rates and improved recovery time.
DePuy Synthes is expected to begin co-promoting EXPAREL in Q1 2017.
EXPAREL® is a long acting local anesthetic indicated for single-dose infiltration into the surgical site to produce post-surgical analgesia. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed that EXPAREL has been approved for administration into the surgical site to produce postsurgical analgesia in a variety of surgeries.2
About DePuy Synthes Companies
DePuy Synthes Companies, part of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, provides one of the most comprehensive orthopaedics portfolios in the world. DePuy Synthes Companies solutions, in specialties including joint reconstruction, trauma, craniomaxillofacial, spinal surgery and sports medicine, are designed to advance patient care while delivering clinical and economic value to health care systems worldwide. For more information, visit www.depuysynthes.com.
