Business Standard, Thursday 16th April 2009, Ahmedabad

Troikaa launches breakthrough cancer pain drug, anesthetiser for oral cavity

Aims to reach out to 25-30 countries

After four years of research and development, Troikaa Pharmaceuticals Ltd has come up with Trofentyl OTFC, lozenge (tablet) for “breakthrough pains” in cancer patients. The new drug will substantially alleviate pain in cancer patients occurring due to the disease.

Trofentyl OTFC lozenge, containing the active drug is mounted on a lozenge holder which comes in the form of a stick. The patient should sucks lozenge in mouth holding it with the lozenge holder, to experience the therapeutic benefit.

The company has also launched medicated lozenge Xynova, which is useful for anesthetising oral cavity to ensure minimum patient discomfort during endoscopic procedures. The research for Xynova started about a year and a half ago with an investment between Rs.85 lakhs to Rs.1 Crore.

The company is aiming to garner Rs.2 crore in the first year from sales of cancer drug.

According to Ketan Patel, managing director, Troikaa Pharmaceuticals, “currently we are assisting hospitals across the country to get he required licences to procure the product. While Trofentyl OTFC helps relieve the pain of cancer by streaming into the membrane, Xynova anaesthesizes the membranes to convenience patients for endoscopic procedures. This is an alternate for injection.  Both the products are first of their kinds and we also plan to sell them in 25-30 countries, within the next six months to 1.5 years. We have invested Rs.1.5 crore for Trofentyl and roughly about Rs.85 lakhs to Rs.1 crore for Xynova.

Both the lozenges and the holder are indigenously designed and patented.  The products will be marketed through the company's Hospitroy division, which is an endeavour to serve hospital, rural healthcare system with high quality critical care products.

Patel adds that appropriate taste masking technology is used to ensure that the lozenge has a pleasant taste. Also, patient feeling any discomfort produced by the drug being administered can promptly remove the lozenge from the mouth. The unique formulation of the lozenge ensures to produce the desired therapeutic effect within minutes.

Terminally ill cancer patients are administered analgesics to provide a blanket of pain relief. However, more than once in 24 hours, the pain breaks through the protective blanket of analgesics, causing severe agony to the patient. This bout of severe pain usually lasts for 30-60 minutes and thereafter subsides. But it wears out the ailing patient and diminishes the quality of life. Trofentyl OTFC medicated lozenge promptly aborts the bout of breakthrough pain and significantly improves quality of life of cancer patients,” he said.

The lozenge undergoes rapid enzymatic degradation within the gut or breaks down into inactive components in the liver once the medicine is swallowed. The challenge is to ensure absorption of the drug through the oral mucosa, the membrane lining our oral cavity, says Patel.

Ahmedabad based Troikaa Pharmaceuticals holds unique, patented technology platforms  for various novel drug delivery systems – intra oral, oral, parenteral, sustain release and topical. It has two manufacturing facilities located in Ahmedabad and Dehradun (Uttaranchl).  The Ahmedabad facility located at Thol, An industrial area 25 km from Ahmedabad has the capability to manufacture high quality critical care injectables, tablets and topical preparations.