Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (Daiichi Sankyo) announced that it has launched Fentanyl Citrate Tape for 1day “Daiichi Sankyo” (1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 mg dosages; date of marketing approval: February 15, 2018; date of listing in the NHI [national health insurance] reimbursement price list in Japan: June 15, 2018) in Japan.

The tape is a once-daily transdermal opioid analgesic for treatment of moderate to severe cancer pain, and is a generic formulation of Fentos Tape.

Kyukyu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (headquarters: Tokyo, Japan) will handle manufacturing, and Daiichi Sankyo will handle marketing and promotion activities, for this product.

Daiichi Sankyo expects that the release of the tape will help to expand its product line up of opioid analgesics and will offer a novel treatment option to patients suffering from cancer pain and healthcare providers in Japan, thus contributing to advances in medicine.

Daiichi Sankyo contributes to the total care for the life of patients with cancer by providing opioid analgesics. A diverse line-up of narcotic analgesic drugs supports patients living with cancer by relieving pain and improving QOL. In Japan, besides Fentanyl Citrate Tape for 1day “Daiichi Sankyo” (transdermal formulation), Daiichi Sankyo has launched hydromorphone hydrochloride Narusus tablets (extended release formulation), Narurapid tablets (immediate release formulation), and Naruvein injection (injection), and cxycodone hydrochloride extended release tablets “Daiichi Sankyo” (extended release formulation) and oxycodone tablets “Daiichi Sankyo” (immediate release formulation).