A massive settlement of opioid litigation is intended to end the era of opioid marketing defined by OxyContin. It also like closes the books on efforts to rely on the US FDA to control the prescription abuse crisis.

US FDA advisory committee votes down Charleston’s emesis-reducing opioid once again, citing a poorly worded indication and REMS, along with a general lack of confidence that risk management plans can be successful in the real world.

After appealing FDA’s rejection, Charleston narrowly tailored the proposed indication for its emesis-reducing opioid to an in-patient population and crafted its own REMS to try and address advisors past safety concerns. Briefing documents indicate the FDA might have been learning towards approving the drug on the earlier review cycle, but the initial advisory committee vote shifted the agency’s thinking.

Recent regulatory trends at US FDA offer no clear path to success for sponsors developing opioids. As 2018 concludes with only one approval and at least five rejections, firms will need new strategies if they hope to bring the