BURLINGTON, Mass., Oct. 13, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flexion Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:FLXN) today announced preliminary ZILRETTA (triamcinolone acetonide extended-release injectable suspension) net sales of $23.6 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2020. 

“We are very pleased with our commercial performance in the third quarter, which reflects strong quarter-over-quarter growth. While it remains impossible to fully predict how COVID-19 might impact our business over the coming months, it is highly encouraging to see sales that are more in line with our pre-pandemic expectations,” said Michael Clayman, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Flexion Therapeutics. “Each year, healthcare providers administer approximately eight million intra-articular injections to help patients manage osteoarthritis knee pain. As clinicians gain more and more experience with ZILRETTA, we firmly believe it will come to be recognized as a best-in-class treatment option for those patients, and we will work tirelessly to achieve its full potential.”

ZILRETTA Cumulative Commercial Metrics
Since the launch of ZILRETTA in November 2017 through September 30, 2020:

• 4,072 of 5,400 target accounts had purchased ZILRETTA, reflecting growth of 214 new purchasing accounts vs June 30, 2020 when 3,858 accounts had purchased product.
• 77% of purchasing accounts (3,153) placed at least one reorder up from 2,983 accounts that had reordered ZILRETTA as of June 30, 2020.
• 1,137 accounts had made ZILRETTA purchases of more than 50 units; 1,143 accounts had purchased 11 to 50 units; and 1,792 accounts had purchased between 1 and 10 units.
• Accounts that had purchased more than 50 ZILRETTA units accounted for 258,562 of the total 295,641 ZILRETTA units purchased.

This financial information is preliminary and subject to adjustment. Flexion expects to report its complete third-quarter financial results in early November.

About ZILRETTA
On October 6, 2017, ZILRETTA was approved by the U.S. FDA as the first and only extended-release intra-articular therapy for patients confronting osteoarthritis-related knee pain. ZILRETTA employs proprietary microsphere technology combining triamcinolone acetonide — a commonly administered, short-acting corticosteroid — with a poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) matrix to provide extended pain relief. The pivotal Phase 3 trial on which the approval of ZILRETTA was based showed that ZILRETTA significantly reduced OA knee pain for 12 weeks, with some people experiencing pain relief through Week 16. Learn more at www.zilretta.com.

About Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Knee
OA, also known as degenerative joint disease, affects more than 30 million Americans and accounts for more than $185 billion in annual expenditures. In 2016, more than 15 million Americans were diagnosed with OA of the knee and the average age of physician-diagnosed knee OA has fallen by 16 years, from 72 in the 1990s to 56 in the 2010s. The prevalence of OA is expected to continue to increase as a result of aging, obesity and sports injuries. Each year, more than 15 million Americans are treated for OA-related knee pain, and approximately five million OA patients receive either an immediate-release corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid intra-articular injection to manage their knee pain.

About Flexion Therapeutics
Flexion Therapeutics (Nasdaq:FLXN) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel, local therapies for the treatment of people with musculoskeletal conditions, beginning with osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. The Company's core values are focus, ingenuity, tenacity, transparency and fun. Visit www.flexiontherapeutics.com.