BioDelivery Sciences Announces Completion of Recruitment in BEMA Buprenorphine Phase 3 Chronic Pain Study

BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. BDSI announced today completion of enrollment in its Phase 3 clinical trial assessing the efficacy and safety of BEMA Buprenorphine for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic pain. BDSI believes that there remains a significant unmet medical need for potent new analgesics for the treatment of chronic pain. The company believes that buprenorphine is an attractive option for development because of its potent analgesic properties, its differentiating characteristics from other opioids and its DEA Schedule III designation, which means there is less addiction potential than Schedule II products. In addition, BEMA Buprenorphine has the potential to be the first oral transmucosal form of buprenorphine to treat chronic pain in the U.S. According to Wolters Kluwer, opioid analgesic sales in the U.S. are in excess of $10 billion and growing, and BDSI believes that BEMA Buprenorphine has the potential to exceed $500 million in peak annual sales.