Cipher Pharmaceuticals Reports Health Canada Approval of PrBeteflam™

Cipher Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:CPHR; TSX:CPH) reports that Health Canada has approved ^PrBeteflam™ (betamethasone valerate topical patch), a novel, patent-protected treatment for plaque psoriasis of the elbows and knees.
According to the press release:

“We are pleased to make Beteflam available as a valuable new treatment option to Canadian dermatologists and to the patients who suffer from this disease,” said Shawn O’Brien, President and CEO of Cipher. “Psoriasis affects one million Canadians¹ and can profoundly impact the quality of life for many patients. Once the product is launched in Q2 2016, Beteflam is expected to be our fourth marketed product in Canada behind Epuris®, Vaniqa®, and Actikerall™. With potentially six commercial products on the Canadian market by the end of 2016, we have multiple new near-term revenue streams as we work toward our goal of reaching $50 million in annual sales in our Canadian dermatology business.”
Topical corticosteroids remain the primary treatment for steroid-responsive inflammatory skin diseases, including mild to moderate chronic plaque psoriasis. Occlusion with plastic film dressings is a widely accepted procedure to enhance their efficacy, especially in the treatment of psoriasis. Beteflam is a patch that is applied once daily to the affected region and may be cut to fit the particular size and shape of the psoriatic lesion thereby reducing potential contact of the steroid with healthy areas of skin.

Click here to read the full press release.