Intellipharmaceutics Announces Successful Bioequivalence Results for Abuse Deterrent Rexista™ Oxycodone XR 
TORONTO, January 14, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intellipharmaceutics International Inc. (Nasdaq:IPCI) (TSX:I) (“Intellipharmaceutics” or the “Company”), a pharmaceutical company specializing in the research, development and manufacture of novel and generic controlled-release and targeted-release oral solid dosage drugs, today announced that pivotal bioequivalence trials of the Company’s Rexista™ Oxycodone XR (abuse deterrent oxycodone hydrochloride) extended release tablets, dosed under fasted and fed conditions, had demonstrated bioequivalence to Oxycontin® (oxycodone hydrochloride) extended release tablets as manufactured and sold in the United States by Purdue Pharma LP. The study design was based on United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) recommendations and compared the lowest and highest strengths of exhibit batches of the Company’s Rexista™ Oxycodone XR to the same strengths of Oxycontin®. The results show that the ratios of the pharmacokinetic metrics, Cmax, AUC0-t and AUC0-f  for Rexista™ vs. Oxycontin®, are within the interval of 80% - 125% required by the FDA with a confidence level exceeding 90%. 
The Company had earlier announced, in March 2015, that topline data results of three definitive Phase I pharmacokinetic clinical trials (single dose fasting, single dose steady-state fasting, and single dose fed), conducted on pilot batches of the Company’s Rexista™ Oxycodone XR, all met the FDA bioequivalence criteria when compared to the existing branded drug Oxycontin®.
The Company had also earlier announced, in May 2015, that the FDA had provided the Company with notification regarding its Investigational New Drug Application (“IND”) submission for Rexista™ Oxycodone XR.  The notification from the FDA had stated that the Company would not be required to conduct Phase III studies if bioequivalence to Oxycontin® was demonstrated.
Having now demonstrated such bioequivalence for its Rexista™ Oxycodone XR product to be marketed upon FDA approval, the Company intends to complete the regulatory filing requirements and file a New Drug Application (“NDA”) for Rexista™ Oxycodone XR with the FDA within the next 6 months in accordance with the NDA 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway.  There can be no assurance that the FDA will ultimately approve the NDA for the sale of Rexista™ Oxycodone XR in the U.S. market, or that it will ever be successfully commercialized.
“We take great pride in being the first pharmaceutical company, to the best of our knowledge, to have demonstrated bioequivalence in both fasted and fed conditions to the brand reference drug Oxycontin®.  This enables us to accelerate the development and commercialization of our abuse deterrent Rexista™ Oxycodone XR product candidate without the need for costly and time-consuming Phase III efficacy trials”, stated Dr. Isa Odidi, CEO and co-founder of Intellipharmaceutics. “We look forward to filing an NDA within the next six months, which we hope will lead to a positive contribution in addressing an unmet need in opioid abuse and addiction.” 
Rexista™ Oxycodone XR
Rexista™ Oxycodone XR is the Company’s non-generic extended release formulation intended for the management of moderate to severe pain when an around-the-clock analgesic is required. The formulation is intended to present a significant barrier to tampering when subjected to various forms of anticipated physical and chemical manipulation commonly used by abusers. It is also designed to prevent dose dumping when inadvertently or intentionally co-administered with alcohol. In addition, when crushed or pulverized and hydrated, the proposed extended release formulation is designed to coagulate instantaneously and entrap the drug in a viscous hydrogel, which is intended to prevent syringing, injecting or snorting. 
About Intellipharmaceutics
Intellipharmaceutics International Inc. is a pharmaceutical company specializing in the research, development and manufacture of novel and generic controlled-release and targeted-release oral solid dosage drugs. The Company’s patented Hypermatrix™ technology is a multidimensional controlled-release drug delivery platform that can be applied to the efficient development of a wide range of existing and new pharmaceuticals. Based on this technology platform, Intellipharmaceutics has developed several drug delivery systems and a pipeline of products (our dexmethylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release capsules for the 15 and 30 mg strengths which received final FDA approval) and product candidates in various stages of development, including Abbreviated New Drug Applications (“ANDAs “) filed with the FDA (and one Abbreviated New Drug Submission (“ANDS”)  filed with Health Canada) in therapeutic areas that include neurology, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal tract, diabetes and pain.
Intellipharmaceutics also has NDA 505(b)(2) specialty drug product candidates in its development pipeline. These include Rexista™ Oxycodone XR, an abuse deterrent oxycodone based on its proprietary nPODDDS™ novel Point Of Divergence Drug Delivery System and PODRAS™ Paradoxical OverDose Resistance Activating System, and Regabatin™ XR pregabalin extended-release capsules. Our current development effort is increasingly directed towards improved difficult-to-develop controlled-release drugs which follow an NDA 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway. The Company has increased its research and development emphasis towards new product development, facilitated by the 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway, by advancing the product development program for both Rexista™ and Regabatin™.  The 505(b)(2) pathway (which relies in part upon the approving agency’s findings for a previously approved drug) both accelerates development timelines and reduces costs in comparison to NDAs for new chemical entities. An advantage of our strategy for development of NDA 505(b)(2) drugs is that our product candidates can, if approved for sale by the FDA, potentially enjoy an exclusivity period which may provide for greater commercial opportunity relative to the generic ANDA route.
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 CONTACT:
 
Company Contact:
 
Intellipharmaceutics International Inc.
Domenic Della Penna
Chief Financial Officer
416-798-3001 ext 106
investors@intellipharmaceutics.com
 
Investor Contact:
 
ProActive Capital
Kirin Smith
646-863-6519
ksmith@proactivecapital.com