Cipher Pharmaceuticals Inc announced that its New Drug Submission (NDS) to Health Canada for CIP-Tramadol ER, its extended-release formulation of tramadol, has been accepted for review. The company expects the review to be completed by early 2011.

"The Canadian market for tramadol is strong and growing, with sales of approximately US$ 50 million last year, a 30 per cent increase over the prior year," said Larry Andrews, president and CEO of Cipher. "With a fast absorption profile, no food effect, and 24-hour pain coverage, we believe our product would provide an attractive treatment option for moderately severe pain. This submission is consistent with our plans to target additional markets for our three existing products."

Cipher Pharmaceuticals is a commercial-stage drug development company focused on commercializing novel formulations of successful, currently marketed molecules using advanced drug delivery technologies.