Braeburn and Knight Therapeutics Announce Filing of PROBUPHINE® in Canada
Braeburn Pharmaceuticals and Knight Therapeutics Announce Filing of New Drug Submission for PROBUPHINE® in Canada for Opioid Drug Dependence
PRINCETON, N.J. and MONTREAL — June 13, 2017 — Braeburn Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Braeburn”) and Knight Therapeutics Inc. (TSX: GUD) (“Knight”), a leading Canadian specialty pharmaceutical company, announced today that Knight’s New Drug Submission (NDS) has been accepted for review by Health Canada for Probuphine® (buprenorphine) implant for the treatment of opioid drug dependence.
“Probuphine is a unique and innovative product that has the potential to address an important unmet need for opioid dependent patients in Canada,” said Jonathan Ross Goodman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Knight. “With Probuphine, Knight is continuing to advance its portfolio of opioid supportive therapeutics, which includes Movantik®, a product for opioid-induced constipation we in-licensed from AstraZeneca and began commercializing in March of this year.”
“Opioid addiction is an overwhelming public health epidemic in North America. Acceptance of the NDS in Canada is another important milestone for Probuphine,” said Mike Derkacz, President and CEO of Braeburn. “We look forward to working with Knight and Health Canada to bring this important treatment option to Canadian patients.”
Knight and Braeburn signed an exclusive distribution and sublicense agreement in February 2016, granting Knight the exclusive right to distribute Probuphine in Canada.
About PROBUPHINE®
Probuphine is the only subdermal implant designed to deliver buprenorphine continuously for six months following a single treatment.
Probuphine was developed using ProNeura™, the continuous drug delivery system developed by Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“Titan”) that consists of a small, solid implant made from a mixture of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) and a drug substance. The resulting construct is a solid matrix that is placed subdermally, normally in the upper arm in an outpatient office procedure, and removed in a similar manner at the end of the treatment period. Braeburn obtained U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) approval for Probuphine in May 2016 and became the first buprenorphine implant for the long-term maintenance treatment of opioid addiction.
About Braeburn Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Braeburn Pharmaceuticals, an Apple Tree Partners company, is a commercial-stage pharmaceutical company delivering individualized medicine in neuroscience. Long-acting therapeutic treatment options can be essential to improving patient outcomes and facilitating recovery in neurological and psychiatric disorders, which are often complicated by stigma and present significant public health challenges. Braeburn’s commercial product, Probuphine® (buprenorphine) implant was approved by the FDA in May 2016. Braeburn’s investigational product pipeline consists of long-acting implantable and injectable therapies for serious neurological and psychiatric disorders, including opioid addiction, pain, and schizophrenia. Braeburn’s pipeline products are at various stages of clinical development and include weekly and monthly CAM2038, subcutaneous injection depot formulations of buprenorphine, being investigated in opioid addiction and pain, BB0417 buprenorphine/granisetron injectable for acute pain, and BB0817, six-month risperidone implant being investigated in schizophrenia. More information on Braeburn can be found at https://braeburnrx.com.
About Knight Therapeutics Inc.
Knight Therapeutics Inc., headquartered in Montreal, Canada, is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on acquiring or in-licensing innovative pharmaceutical products for the Canadian and select international markets. Knight Therapeutics Inc.’s shares trade on TSX under the symbol GUD. For more information about Knight Therapeutics Inc., please visit the company’s web site at www.gudknight.com or www.sedar.com.
Forward-Looking Statement
This document contains forward-looking statements for Knight Therapeutics Inc. and its subsidiaries. These forward-looking statements, by their nature, necessarily involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Knight Therapeutics Inc. considers the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based to be reasonable at the time that they were prepared, but cautions the reader that these assumptions regarding future events, many of which are beyond the control of Knight Therapeutics Inc. and its subsidiaries, may ultimately prove to be incorrect. Factors and risks, which could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations, are discussed in Knight Therapeutics Inc.’s Annual Report and in Knight Therapeutics Inc.’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2016. Knight Therapeutics Inc. disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information or future events, except as required by law.
Probuphine Indication and Important Safety Information
PROBUPHINE is indicated for the maintenance treatment of opioid dependence in patients who have achieved and sustained prolonged clinical stability on low-to-moderate doses of a transmucosal buprenorphine-containing product (i.e., doses of no more than 8 mg per day of Subutex or Suboxone sublingual tablet or generic equivalent).
PROBUPHINE should be used as part of a complete treatment program to include counseling and psychosocial support.
PROBUPHINE is not appropriate for new entrants to treatment and patients who have not achieved and sustained prolonged clinical stability, while being maintained on buprenorphine 8 mg per day or less of a Subutex or Suboxone sublingual tablet or generic equivalent.
WARNING: IMPLANT MIGRATION, PROTRUSION, EXPULSION and NERVE DAMAGE ASSOCIATED WITH INSERTION and REMOVAL
Risk Associated with Insertion and Removal
Insertion and removal of PROBUPHINE are associated with the risk of implant migration, protrusion, expulsion resulting from the procedure. Rare but serious complications including nerve damage and migration resulting in embolism and death may result from improper insertion of drug implants inserted in the upper arm. Additional complications may include local migration, protrusion and expulsion. Incomplete insertions or infections may lead to protrusion or expulsion.
Because of the risks associated with insertion and removal, PROBUPHINE is available only through a restricted program called the PROBUPHINE REMS Program. All Healthcare Providers must successfully complete a live training program on the insertion and removal procedures and become certified, prior to performing insertions or prescribing PROBUPHINE implants. Patients must be monitored to ensure that PROBUPHINE is removed by a healthcare provider certified to perform insertions.
Please see the Important Safety Information in the Package Insert for more information, which you can access at http://probuphinerems.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/final-approved-pi.pdf.
For further information, please contact:
Knight Therapeutics Inc.
Jeffrey Kadanoff, P.Eng., MBA
Chief Financial Officer
Tel: 514-484-GUD1 (4831)
Fax: 514-481-4116
Email: info@gudknight.com
Website: www.gudknight.com
Braeburn Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Sherry Feldberg
MSLGROUP Boston
781-684-0770
braeburnpharma@mslgroup.com