Pioneering Durogesic (Transdermal Fenatyl) Skin Patch: A Clear Choice In Chronic Pain Which Is Difficult To Treat

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Pioneering Durogesic (Transdermal Fenatyl) Skin Patch: A Clear Choice In

Chronic Pain Which Is Difficult To Treat

SAUNDERTON, ENGLAND -- May 27, 2002 -- The UK's first skin patch to offer

strong pain relief (DurogesicTM - transdermal fentanyl) - has received

approval from UK regulators allowing its use for the first time to treat

chronic (ongoing or continued) intractable pain such as arthritis and back

pain.

Chronic pain affects over four million people in the UK1, and has a huge

economic impact2 as well as a major impact on a person's quality of life.

Studies have shown that Durogesic improves the quality of life for people

who have suffered for many years with hard-to-treat chronic pain, such as

back pain.3,4

According to a new research survey among UK GPs, doctors estimate that fewer

than half of their patients with chronic pain receive optimal pain control5

despite the fact that it is one of the most common reasons for seeing a

doctor.6

" Chronic pain is often difficult to treat and we need as many treatment

options as possible. The approval of Durogesic for the management of chronic

pain will usefully increase the available options in the treatment of this

debilitating, demoralising and distressing condition " commented Dr

Stannard, a specialist in pain medicine from the Frenchay Hospital in

Bristol, who co-authored the research.

" Chronic pain is a problem that significant numbers of patients face, yet as

this research shows, GPs recognise that services to treat it could be

improved, " she added. " The availability of appropriate effective therapies

is an important step in bringing about this improvement, and approval to use

strong analgesia such as Durogesic for severe chronic pain will undoubtedly

benefit patients. Patients suffering chronic pain need effective treatment

that gives them the chance to get on with their lives. "

Durogesic is the UK's first skin patch for strong pain. Launched in 1994 it

now has over 33 million patient days of usage here, but was previously only

available for patients with cancer pain.7 Unlike analgesic tablets which may

have to be taken many times a day, with the Durogesic patch the active

ingredient - fentanyl - is absorbed through the skin. Each patch lasts for

approximately 72 hours, meaning that a patient with chronic pain who needs

strong analgesia only needs to replace their patch every three days. This

delivery system is also believed to help reduce 'breakthrough' pain which

can occur between doses of more frequently taken painkillers.8,9

Chronic pain can be difficult to treat and it was the concern that many

patients are not receiving adequate pain relief that led researchers to try

to establish the full extent of the problem. As a consequence the above

mentioned survey was developed. It is believed to be the largest ever

chronic pain survey conducted among UK doctors. Top line results of the

survey show that:

* More than 8 out of every 10 GPs (81%) believe than significant numbers

of their patients are not receiving optimal pain relief;

* Almost all GPs surveyed (96%) thought that pain services in their area

could be improved significantly;

* Areas for improvement identified by GPs include the use of effective

therapies with minimal side effects, improvement in referral options and

further treatment guidelines.

Commenting on the survey, co-author Dr said:

" That so few (46%) patients treated for chronic pain are thought to receive

optimal pain control is a major cause for concern. It is compounded by the

fact that almost half (49%) of GPs are unsatisfied with the referral options

with 28% suggesting that it takes more than 6 months for a patient with

chronic pain to be seen at hospital, " commented Dr . " However, with

the new licence for Durogesic we now have a very powerful treatment option

that means that where we have strong intractable pain we have a strong

analgesic that can be used safely on a long term basis. Overall it should

greatly improve our ability to manage this condition. "

Contacts:

Tara Breen

Hill & Knowlton

Tel: 020 7413 3760

Charlotte Vereker

Hill & Knowlton

Tel: 020 7413 3240

Snow

Hill & Knowlton

Tel: 020 7413 3014

REFERENCES:

1 CSAG (DoH) report; 'Services for Patients with Pain', March 2000

Zagari MJ et al. Pharmacoeconomics of chronic nonmalignant pain.

2 Pharmacoeconomics. 1996; Vol 10: 356-377

3 Dellemijn et al. Opioids in non-cancer pain: A Life-time sentence? J Pain

Symptom Management 1998; 16(4):220-229

4 Simpson RK et al. Transdermal fentanyl as treatment for chronic low back

pain. J Pain Symptom Management 1997; 14(4):218-224

5 Stannard C, M. Presented at British Pain Society Annual Congress,

Bournemouth, 9-12 April 2002.

6 Ashburn MA, Staats PS. Management of Chronic Pain. Lancet 1999; 353:

1865-9

7 Data on file Janssen-Cilag Ltd (Cumulative patient days calculation.) May

2002.

8 Milligan K et al. J Pain 2001; 2(4):197-204

9 Allan L et al. BMJ 2001; 322: 1154-1158

SOURCE: Hill & Knowlton