Cephalon says Fentora drug works for low back pain

BOSTON (Reuters) - Biotechnology company Cephalon Inc. said Wednesday that a late-stage trial of its pain drug Fentora worked for patients suffering chronic low back pain who are able to tolerate opioids.

Data from a phase III trial showed a statistically significant difference in pain intensity for patients suffering breakthrough back pain who took Fentora compared with those who took a placebo.

Breakthrough pain is a component of chronic pain and consists of a transitory flare-up of moderate-to-severe pain in patients with otherwise stable pain.

Last month the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Fentora to treat pain in cancer patients who are able to take opioids, for underlying persistent cancer pain.