Benzinga | Jul 1, 2021 08:31AM EDT

Heron Therapeutics Announces U.S. Commercial Launch, Availability Of ZYNRELEF For Management Of Postoperative Pain For Up To 72 Hours

Heron Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:HRTX), a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on improving the lives of patients by developing best-in-class treatments to address some of the most important unmet patient needs, today announced ZYNRELEF (bupivacaine and meloxicam) extended-release solution, is now commercially available at all national wholesalers and the largest specialty distributors in the United States. ZYNRELEF was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 12, 2021, for use in adults for soft tissue or periarticular instillation to produce postsurgical analgesia for up to 72 hours after bunionectomy, open inguinal herniorrhaphy, and total knee arthroplasty.

"We are pleased that ZYNRELEF is now available for ordering at hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) across the United States, as the first and only extended-release dual-acting local anesthetic," said Barry Quart, Pharm.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Heron. "ZYNRELEF is the only local anesthetic for postoperative pain designated by the FDA to be extended-release for up to 72 hours after surgery, which may help patients and healthcare providers reduce overreliance on opioids but also mitigate exposure to their unwanted side effects and the potential for long-term safety risks like opioid misuse, abuse, or addiction."

Heron's new acute care sales team has extensive operating room, postoperative pain, and hospital launch experience. Heron's commercial organization has a proven track record of hospital success through our launch of CINVANTI(r) in 2018. The team has been meeting with key customers and has executed contracts for ZYNRELEF with the two largest group purchasing organizations, Vizient and Premier Inc.

ZYNRELEF delivers a fixed-dose combination of the local anesthetic bupivacaine and a low dose of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) meloxicam. The synergy between bupivacaine and meloxicam in ZYNRELEF has resulted in patients experiencing significantly less pain, including severe pain, and significantly more patients requiring no opioids (opioid-free) after surgery as compared to bupivacaine solution, the current standard-of-care.