Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (PCRX)

[surf1944]

6:31AM Pacira Pharma: New data demonstrate reduction in opioid use, hospital cost and length of stay with EXPAREL as the foundation of a multimodal regimen (PCRX) 15.78 : Co announced that results from the first IMPROVE study to complete its prospective Phase 4 clinical program were published in the online version of the Journal of Pain Research. The IMPROVE studies compare the difference in opioid use, total hospital cost and length of stay (LOS) between patients receiving EXPAREL (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension) as the foundation of an opioid-sparing multimodal regimen versus a standard opioid-based postsurgical pain management regimen. Compared to patients undergoing open colectomy in the standard opioid-based treatment arm, patients undergoing the same procedure and receiving an EXPAREL-based multimodal regimen had: A 2.9-day reduction in median LOS (4.9 days in the hospital vs 2.0 days in the hospital, respectively; P=0.004); A $3,084 reduction in mean total hospital cost ($11,850 vs $8,766, respectively; P=0.027); A 58 mg reduction in mean opioid consumption (115 mg vs 57 mg, respectively; P=0.025). The overall safety profile for EXPAREL was consistent with previous experiences in the Phase 3 program.