Planned expansion of anti-psychotic drug throughout Europe

Austrian drugmaker AOP Orphan and privately held Spanish drugmaker Ferrer Internacional are expanding their partnership to include the marketing of the anti-psychotic drug Adasuve (Staccato loxapine) in Central and Eastern Europe.

Adasuve has been developed to provide rapid treatment for agitation in patients suffering from schizophrenia or manic depression. It combines the patented Staccato system with loxapine, a well-established anti-psychotic. The Staccato system – a hand-held, single-dose inhaler – allows the active agent to reach the lungs very quickly, meaning that it works just as swiftly as an intravenous injection.

Rudolf Widmann, founder and chief executive of AOP Orphan, said: “There is a very large clinical demand for this indication, which up to now has not been met, and we strongly believe that this untapped market will meet the forecast growth expectations. Adasuve represents a breakthrough in the treatment of agitation and will fundamentally change the way in which psychiatrists treat such patients.”