Pacira Biosciences is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on delivering non-opioid pain therapies. The company aims to transform pain management by offering solutions that reduce reliance on traditional systemic opioids, particularly in the acute post-surgical setting. This approach provides effective pain control while mitigating risks associated with opioid use, such as addiction and adverse side effects. Pacira’s innovation centers on a proprietary drug delivery system designed to extend pain relief from a single, localized application. This allows healthcare providers to implement multimodal pain management strategies, combining multiple non-opioid agents during the critical recovery phase.
The DepoFoam Drug Delivery System
Pacira’s foundational technology is the DepoFoam drug delivery system, an advanced platform engineered for the sustained release of therapeutic agents. This system works by encapsulating medication within microscopic, multivesicular liposomes. Each liposome features a complex internal structure of numerous non-concentric chambers separated by lipid membranes, resembling a foam-like matrix. This architecture allows for a higher drug load and a controlled release profile, distinct from simple liposomes.
When the DepoFoam formulation is injected, the lipid membranes of these vesicles slowly degrade due to normal tissue metabolism. This gradual breakdown continuously releases the encapsulated drug into the surrounding tissue. This mechanism extends the exposure of the target site to the medication, sustaining therapeutic concentrations for a prolonged period. This local, slow-release delivery minimizes the drug’s systemic exposure, reducing the risk of unwanted side effects.
Exparel: Extended Pain Relief
The company’s primary commercial product, Exparel (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension), utilizes the DepoFoam platform to deliver the local anesthetic bupivacaine. As a single-dose, non-opioid injection, Exparel is administered directly into the surgical site or near a nerve during the procedure. The anesthetic provides localized pain relief by blocking nerve signals from the surgical area, preventing pain impulses from reaching the brain.
The drug’s slow-release profile is designed to manage acute post-surgical pain for up to 96 hours following surgery. This duration covers the period when patients typically experience the most intense discomfort. By providing long-lasting, localized analgesia, Exparel helps reduce or eliminate the need for systemic opioids during the initial recovery period. Clinical studies show that patients receiving the injection often experience lower cumulative pain scores and consume fewer opioids.
Surgical Applications of Non-Opioid Management
Exparel has been integrated into numerous clinical protocols across surgical specialties to support multimodal pain management. The drug is approved for use as a local analgesic via infiltration into the surgical wound in patients aged six years and older. It is also indicated for regional analgesia in adults through specific nerve blocks, such as the interscalene brachial plexus nerve block, the sciatic nerve block, and the adductor canal block.
The practical applications span many surgical areas:
- Orthopedic procedures, including total knee and hip replacements, foot and ankle surgery, and shoulder repairs.
- General surgery procedures, such as hernia repairs and colectomies.
- Women’s health procedures, including Cesarean section and hysterectomy.
- Oral and maxillofacial surgery for wisdom tooth extraction and implant placements.
By controlling pain directly at the surgical site, the long-acting anesthetic supports enhanced recovery protocols. These protocols aim to improve patient mobility, shorten hospital stays, and accelerate the return to normal function.
Pacira’s Development Pipeline
Beyond its established products, Pacira is actively expanding its portfolio, focusing on musculoskeletal pain and adjacent therapeutic areas. The company is pursuing expanded indications for Exparel, including research into its use in pediatric patients younger than six years old and for new types of regional nerve blocks. This effort aims to make the non-opioid option accessible to a broader patient population undergoing surgery.
The development pipeline also includes PCRX-201, a novel gene therapy candidate designed to provide long-term relief for knee osteoarthritis. This therapy is locally administered and targets the cellular processes that cause chronic inflammation and pain in the joint. Pacira has articulated a “5×30” growth plan, which includes expanding the clinical pipeline with five novel programs for both acute and chronic pain conditions.