BioDelivery Sciences Secures Significant Expanded Preferred Coverage for BELBUCA®

RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. BDSI, a leading commercial specialty pharmaceutical company dedicated to patients living with chronic pain today announced that a leading U.S. pharmacy benefit manager has added BELBUCA^® (buprenorphine) buccal film to its national preferred formulary list effective August 15, 2018.  BELBUCA is currently indicated in the U.S. for the management of pain severe enough to require daily, around-the-clock, long-term opioid treatment and for which alternative treatment options are inadequate.

"Ensuring access to BELBUCA for appropriate patients is among our highest priorities and we are pleased to see the receptivity of payers across the country.  Under this preferred access plan, over 20 million covered lives will now have easier access to this important treatment option for chronic pain and will no longer need to go through a step through process," stated Herm Cukier, Chief Executive Officer of BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc.  "The addition of this plan expands the total number of lives with preferred access for BELBUCA to over 75 million.  We remain committed to further expanding preferred access to BELBUCA to drive future growth opportunities for this very important emerging therapy for chronic pain patients."

BELBUCA is the first and only Schedule III long-acting opioid that uses novel buccal film technology to deliver buprenorphine for appropriate patients living with chronic pain.  Buprenorphine is a Schedule III controlled substance, meaning that it has been designated as having lower abuse potential than Schedule II drugs, a category which includes most opioid analgesics. Buprenorphine is a mu-opioid receptor partial agonist and a potent analgesic with a relatively long duration of action. 

About BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc.

BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. BDSI is a specialty pharmaceutical company with a focus in the areas of pain management and addiction medicine.  BDSI is utilizing its novel and proprietary BioErodible MucoAdhesive (BEMA®) technology and other drug delivery technologies to develop and commercialize, either on its own or in partnership with third parties, new applications of proven therapies aimed at addressing important unmet medical needs.

BDSI's marketed products and those in development address serious and debilitating conditions such as chronic pain, breakthrough cancer pain and opioid dependence.  BDSI's headquarters is in Raleigh, North Carolina.  

For more information, please visit or follow us:

BUNAVAIL® (buprenorphine and naloxone) buccal film (CIII) and BELBUCA® (buprenorphine) buccal film (CIII) are marketed in the U.S. by BioDelivery Sciences.  For full prescribing information and important safety information on BDSI products please visit www.bdsi.com where the Company promptly posts press releases, SEC filings, and other important information or contact the Company at (800) 469-0261.  For full prescribing and safety information on BELBUCA, please visit www.belbuca.com and for full prescribing and safety information on BUNAVAIL, please visit www.bunavail.com.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements

This press release, the presentation described herein, and any statements of employees, representatives, and partners of BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. ("BDSI") related thereto contain, or may contain, among other things, certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Such forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties.  Such statements may include, without limitation, statements with respect to the BDSI's plans, objectives, projections, expectations and intentions and other statements identified by words such as "projects," "may," "will," "could," "would," "should," "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "intends," "plans," "potential" or similar expressions.  These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the BDSI's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including those detailed in the BDSI's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Actual results (including, without limitation, the results of the Company's new Chief Executive Officer and the anticipated benefits to the Company related to such new officer as described herein) may differ significantly from those set forth or implied in the forward-looking statements.  These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on various factors (many of which are beyond the BDSI's control).  BDSI undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future presentations or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

BDSI^®, BEMA^®, ONSOLIS^®, BUNAVAIL^® and BELBUCA^® are registered trademarks of BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc.  The BioDelivery Sciences, BUNAVAIL and BELBUCA logos are trademarks owned by BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc.  All other trademarks and tradenames are owned by their respective owners.

© 2018 BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc.  All rights reserved.

Contacts
Mary Coleman
Vice President, Investor and Public Relations
BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc.
919-582-9050
mcoleman@bdsi.com

Monique Kosse
Managing Director
LifeSci Advisors
212-915-3820
monique@lifesciadvisors.com