Versatis® lidocaine medicated plaster approved by MHRA
Aachen, Germany (ots)
In the UK, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved Versatis®, a novel 5 % lidocaine medicated plaster, for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with previous herpes zoster infection (post-herpetic neuralgia, PHN), developed by the German drug company Grünenthal.
Following this national approval of Versatis® and its national launch on January, 8th, the UK will become Reference Member State for the registration procedure for other European countries.
Versatis offers a topical and non-systemic approach for the treatment of typically localized neuropathic pain symptoms associated with PHN, often described as burning, shooting or stabbing. It is a combination of lidocaine in a soft hydrogel plaster combining efficacious treatment with proven tolerability, safety and simple handling.
"Nerve pain is personally disastrous for the people who experience it", said Rob Koremans, MD, Member of the Executive Board of Grünenthal GmbH. "Grünenthal is highly committed to improve the quality of life of those patients. Versatis® offers a novel treatment option which is effective where it hurts but with a reassuring safety profile. With Versatis® our company will establish its business in the United Kingdom, a key market for every global pharmaceutical company."
The lidocaine medicated plaster offers rapid and continuous pain relief 30 minutes after application. Following a once daily 12hours on/12 hours off application schedule, up to three plasters can be used at one time. It is suitable for stand alone therapy or in combination with other medications.
Since 1999, a lidocaine plaster has been marketed in the USA, under the trade name Lidoderm®, by Endo Pharmaceuticals, where more than one million patients have been treated. In Europe, Grünenthal has developed the lidocaine medicated plaster under the trade name Versatis(r).
About Grünenthal
Grünenthal researches, develops and produces high therapeutic value medicines and markets them throughout the world. Grünenthal is an expert in drugs for pain therapy and gynaecology and a leader in the field of intelligent, user-friendly drug delivery technologies. Grünenthal is an independent, family-owned company with a long history of international co-operations. The company was founded in 1946 and has its headquarters in Germany. We supply our markets from seven production sites around the world and have affiliates in 27 countries. Grünenthal employs about 1,900 people in Germany and about 4,700 world-wide. Sales in 2005 amounted to approximately 777 million Euro.
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Contact:
Anke Krüger-Hellwig
Phone: +49 241 569-2858
Fax: +49 241 569-1486
E-Mail: anke.krueger-hellwig@grunenthal.com
Grünenthal GmbH
52099 Aachen
Germany
Internet: www.grunenthal.com