Singapore: Australian drug delivery technology company, Phosphagenics, will be returning to the clinic with its oxycodone TPM transdermal patch.

The company has received ethics approval to conduct a further clinical trial at the Royal Adelaide Hospital's independent CMAX facility. The trial is designed to assess the profile of the new patch and form an integral part of the clinical program for 2013. Results are expected at the beginning of Q3.

Final design specifications of this transdermal patch technology have been completed in collaboration with our European development partner, Tesa Labtec. Oxycodone is one of the lead candidates in the company's opioid transdermal delivery portfolio, which includes a range of opioid patch products targeting all levels of chronic pain. It has application for the more traditional systemic delivery as well as significant potential for use in topical application.

This latest trial follows a recent phase I study of the company's transdermal TPM oxymorphone patch, which demonstrated outstanding results and successfully met the primary endpoints of safety and delivery of oxymorphone into the bloodstream for 72 hours. Previously announced market research data has indicated projected demand for a TPM/oxycodone patch is expected to exceed $1 billion per annum. The current global oxycodone market exceeds $3 billion per annum.

Phosphagenics CEO, Dr Esra Ogru, said: "Returning to the clinic with our oxycodone patch technology is an important milestone in progressing our pain patch clinical programs during 2013."