Galena Biopharma Launches Abstral Sublingual Tablets for Treatment of Breakthrough Cancer Pain

Galena Biopharma

today announced the official product launch of Abstral® (fentanyl) Sublingual Tablets in the United States. Abstral is a sublingual (under the tongue) fentanyl tablet indicated for the management of breakthrough pain in patients with cancer, 18 years of age and older, who are already receiving, and who are tolerant to, opioid therapy for their persistent baseline cancer pain. Galena acquired Abstral in March 2013 and since that time has scaled its field commercial team, manufactured the drug for commercial sale, secured broad access and reimbursement support from commercial and federal health insurance entities, implemented a robust patient assistance program, and developed a broad product distribution network. Abstral can be prescribed by healthcare professionals and is available to patients at all retail pharmacies nationwide. "As an oncology company dedicated to improving patients' lives, we are thrilled to introduce Abstral as our first commercial product and offer cancer patients relief from their breakthrough pain," said Mark J. Ahn, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We believe Abstral delivers best in class performance because