Daiichi Sankyo launches nasal spray in a JV with Regency Therapeutics

Regency Therapeutics, a newly established division of Luitpold Pharmaceuticals and its co-promoter Daiichi Sankyo has announced the launch of Sprix (ketorolac tromethamine) Nasal Spray and which is now commercially available. Sprix was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2010 for the short term (up to 5 days) management of moderate to moderately severe pain that requires analgesia at the opioid level.

Sprix is a prescription intranasal formulation of the analgesic ketorolac tromethamine injection, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Ketorolac tromethamine injection is currently widely used in hospitals and was previously marketed in the U.S. as Toradol by Roche Laboratories. Sprix was developed by Roxo Pharmawhich was acquired by Luitpold in December 2010. Luitpold Pharmaceuticals is a New York based U.S. subsidiary of Japan based Daiichi Sankyo.

Regency Therapeutics’ specialty sales force will market Sprix to hospitals, emergency medicine treatment centers, surgeons and other specialists. Sprix will also be marketed to dentists, oral surgeons and periodontists by Luitpold’s Osteohealth division. Through a pending co-promotion agreement, Daiichi Sankyo will promote Sprix to primary care physicians.