Cubic News

NOC Watch – OxyNEO, Staxyn

October 2011

OxyNEO® (oxycodone)

OxyNEO® is a new extended-release formulation of OxyContin® released by Purdue Pharma that has been designed to be more difficult to tamper with (i.e. from being cut, broken, chewed, crushed or dissolved) to extract the drug for illicit purposes. This new formulation has already been released in the US as Oxycontin® OP.

It is our understanding that OxyNEO® will be replacing the OxyContin® brand altogether. What’s particularly interesting about the release of this new, ‘safer’ product is that OxyContin® is just about to come off patent, so the company is positioning itself to avoid having its product deemed interchangeable with lower cost alternatives that will be brought to market once OxyContin® loses its exclusive patent.

It’s stunning to see that oxycodone addicts are already brazenly sharing information regarding extraction techniques for the new formulation of this drug on the internet. While this reformulated version appears to be a step in the right direction, narcotic addiction and abuse may not be materially reduced with this new formulation.

This reiterates how real narcotic drug abuse and diversion can be within third-party sponsored drug plans. If plan sponsors are concerned about narcotic abuse in their own experience, they should prioritize working with their Carriers to implement a therapeutic limits program to ensure the safe and appropriate use of prescription narcotic drugs going forward.

Staxyn® (vardenafil)

Staxyn® is a new orally disintegrating tablet approved for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). It has the same active ingredient as Levitra®, with the only difference being that it does not need to be swallowed with water: it dissolves directly on the tongue.

Interestingly, even though Staxyn® dissolves on the tongue (thereby getting into the bloodstream faster than swallowing and digesting an oral tablet), it does not appear to have a faster onset than Levitra®, and is still recommended to be taken approximately 1 hour before sexual activity. Considering that there is no clinical differences between Staxyn® and Levitra®, the choice of drug should be based on patient preference and cost.

Based on pricing in the US, where the Average Wholesale Price for Staxyn® is about $14 per tablet compared to nearly $19 per Levitra® tablet, Staxyn® is expected to be priced more competitively than the cost of currently marketed oral ED drugs.

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