South San Francisco-based Anesiva released a host of announcements today. First, the company said that a Phase II trial of Adlea narrowly missed the primary endpoint of reducing post-surgical pain following bunionectomy surgery. However, the trial achieved a key secondary endpoint of reducing opioid use for Adlea versus placebo over the four to 32 hour period. Anesiva will announce results from a second Phase III trial of the drug next month.
The company also said today that it would no longer make its transdermal pain patch Zingo. Anesiva cited "continued manufacturing challenges and the need to recall product in the field due to a potential non-safety related shelf life issue from a lot of unreleased product" as the reason for the decision. Fifteen jobs will be cut as Anesiva works to pay back a $20 million loan.
This is Anesiva's second round of cuts. In September, the company axed its preclinical development program as well as other "non-core positions" and reduced its head count by 20 percent.
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