Cipher Pharmaceuticals Announces Canadian Launch of Beteflam™
Wednesday, April 06, 2016
Cipher Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced the Canadian launch of Beteflam™ (betamethasone valerate), a novel, patent-protected patch, indicated for the treatment of mild to moderate plaque psoriasis of the elbows and knees for a maximum duration of 30 days in adult patients.
"We're pleased to introduce Beteflam, a unique treatment option for Canadians suffering from plaque psoriasis, a very common and persistent skin disorder, affecting as many as a million Canadians2," said Joan Chypyha, GM of Cipher Canada. "We continue to deliver on our portfolio expansion plans and our commitment to delivering unique Dermatology products. Beteflam represents our fourth marketed product, and we expect to continue our growth with six products targeted for the Canadian market in 2016 and eight in 2017."
Topical corticosteroids remain the primary treatment for steroid-responsive inflammatory skin diseases, including mild to moderate chronic plaque psoriasis. Occlusion with plastic film dressings is a widely accepted procedure to enhance their efficacy, especially in the treatment of psoriasis. Beteflam is a topical patch that is applied once daily to the affected region and may be cut to fit the particular size and shape of the psoriatic lesion thereby reducing potential contact of the steroid with healthy areas of skin.
Cipher licensed the Canadian rights to Beteflam from Institut Biochimique SA ("IBSA"). The efficacy and safety of Beteflam was demonstrated by two randomized, active-controlled studies involving 555 patients with mild-to-moderate chronic plaque psoriasis, of which 281 patients received Beteflam. The results of the clinical program demonstrated that the clinical efficacy of Beteflam was superior to that of betamethasone valerate 0.1% cream and comparable to that of Dovobet 50 µg calcipotriol plus 0.5 mg betamethasone dipropionate ointment. The commonly reported adverse drug reactions that occurred in patients using Beteflam were skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders, occurring in < 5% of patients treated.
Source : news.cipherpharma.com
