Progenics gets Australian appro for Relistor

The USA's Progenics has received approval for its Wyeth-marketed drug Relistor (methylnaltrexone bromide injection), for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation in patients with advanced illness who are receiving palliative care when response to laxative therapy has not been sufficient, from the Therapeutic Goods Administration division of the Australian government

"Approval in Australia expands global access to this novel product, which has already received approval in Canada, the USA, European Union member states and Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Venezuela," said chief executive Paul Maddon. "Relistor is the first approved therapy in a new class of drugs designed to relieve one of the significant side effects of opioids on the gastrointestinal tract without interfering with their ability to provide pain relief," he added.