Camurus, a Swedish research-based pharmaceutical company, announced that it has granted R-PHARM US the exclusive license and distribution rights for episil oral liquid in the US.

R-PHARM US is a subsidiary of R-PHARM JSC, a vertically integrated, global pharmaceutical business with 2015 sales of $1.5B, primarily in Russia and Eastern Europe.

episil oral liquid, is a unique and effective treatment for the pain of oral mucositis, a treatment-limiting side effect of cancer therapies, as well as other oral lesions. Financial terms under this agreement are not disclosed.

Oral mucositis (OM) is a common side effect of cancer therapies (chemo- and radiotherapy) and is characterized by painful inflammation and ulceration of the oral mucosa. OM affects nearly all head and neck cancer patients receiving radiotherapy (RT), 30 per cent-75 per cent of patients undergoing chemotherapy and most patients undergoing conditioning regimens for hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

OM is caused by damage to the DNA in the basal epithelial cell lining of the mouth leading to decreased cell proliferation and cell death. Symptoms of OM vary from pain and discomfort to an inability to tolerate food or fluids, which can prevent patients from eating, swallowing and speaking. OM often necessitates hospitalization for re-hydration, opiate pain medication and total parenteral nutrition. Patients with damaged oral mucosa and reduced immunity resulting from chemo- and radiotherapy are also prone to infections in the mouth. Severe OM can even limit the dosing and frequency of treatment for cancer.

episil oral liquid represents a unique and innovative concept for local treatment of pain associated with OM. Developed using the award-winning Camurus proprietary technology FluidCrystal, episil is administered as a lipid-based liquid that spreads on the intra-oral mucosal surfaces and transforms to a strongly bioadhesive film that mechanically protects the sensitized and sore epithelium of the oral cavity. Clinically demonstrated, episil has been shown to rapidly (within minutes) and effectively reduce oral pain for up to 8 hours. episil oral liquid is supplied as a ready-to-use, pocket-sized device helping patients maintain their quality of life while undergoing cancer therapy. episil was first launched in Europe and is today commercially available in a number of countries. episil oral liquid is a CE-marked medical device class 1 in Europe and a 510k registered medical device in the US.