Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR)

[surf1944]

8:03AM Nektar Therapeutics announces that FDA grants Fast Track designation to NKTR-181 for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic pain (NKTR) 6.82 : Co announced that the FDA as designated NKTR-181 as a Fast Track development program for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic pain. NKTR-181 is a novel mu-opioid agonist molecule, which is designed to have a slow rate of entry into the brain to reduce the attractiveness of the molecule as a target of abuse and to reduce its CNS-mediated side effects. Nektar requested Fast Track designation from the FDA for NKTR-181 based upon what is known about its safety and efficacy profile to-date from both preclinical and Phase 1 clinical studies, as well as NKTR-181's potential to treat chronic pain conditions with an improved safety profile over existing therapies. Given the properties and potential of NKTR-181 in the treatment of chronic pain, Nektar believes that this promising therapy could provide a unique solution to pain management with its intrinsic abuse deterrent design.