QRxPharma Limited (ASX: QRX and OTCQX: QRXPY) announced positive results of its Phase 2 comparative proof-of-concept study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of its IV (intravenous) formulation of morphine plus oxycodone versus IV morphine alone for the treatment of moderate to severe post-operative pain in patients following hip replacement surgery. The main findings demonstrated that QRxPharma's formulation of MoxDuo IV resulted in fewer side effects and offered better pain relief than morphine alone.

"We are pleased to announce the encouraging data from this comparative study as it represents yet another important milestone demonstrating the significant efficacy and improved safety of our MoxDuo product portfolio across multiple Dual Opioid® formulations," said Dr. John Holaday, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, QRxPharma.

This double blind, active controlled, investigator initiated study was conducted in Germany in collaboration with QRxPharma at the Cologne-Merheim Medical Center, University Hospital of the Witten/Herdecke University, and Cologne University Hospital. 40 patients were randomized into two treatment groups morphine plus oxycodone IV or morphine IV after undergoing total hip replacement surgery and developing moderate to severe pain. The study consisted of two periods: a 65 minute dose-titration phase in which fixed doses were given once every 5 minutes until a strong analgesic effect occurred, and then a 47 hour patient controlled analgesia (PCA) phase in which patients could self administer a fixed amount of study drug as frequently as once every 6 minutes.

Primary endpoints determined whether: (1) intravenous co-administration of morphine and oxycodone (Dual Opioid) had fewer opioid-related adverse events than morphine alone at equi-analgesic doses and (2) Dual Opioid provided a different analgesic response than morphine alone.

During the initial 65 minute dose-titration period, the primary endpoint for evaluating efficacy was the difference in the sum of pain intensity (SPID) scores from baseline for each patient. Over this period, SPID subscript 65 min scores were 50% higher (i.e. 50% better pain relief/analgesic efficacy) among patients in the Dual Opioid IV study group compared to those receiving morphine alone. 67% of patients receiving Dual Opioid IV dosing reported good to excellent global improvement (i.e. experienced good to very good pain relief) compared to 53% of those receiving morphine alone.

During the entire 48 hour study period (dose titration plus PCA period), SPID subscript 48 scores were 10% higher among patients in the Dual Opioid IV study group compared to those receiving morphine alone. PCA data also indicated that patients in the Dual Opioid IV study group were able to achieve better pain relief faster and with less drug (13 IV doses of Dual Opioid vs. 17 doses of morphine IV).

Dual Opioid IV product dosing was well tolerated, with nausea and vomiting being the most common adverse events. For Dual Opioid dosing, 24% of patients experienced mild nausea and 5% experienced moderate to severe nausea compared to 53% experiencing mild nausea and 11% experiencing moderate to severe nausea on morphine alone. 10% of patients receiving Dual Opioid IV experienced mild vomiting and zero incidences of severe vomiting were reported compared to 16% of patients receiving morphine alone who experienced mild vomiting and 11% who experienced moderate to severe vomiting. These results are consistent with a continually growing body of data from both QRxPharma generated clinical trials (5 studies) and outside investigators (5 studies), demonstrating better pain control with at least a 50% reduction of these clinically significant opioid induced adverse events when Dual-Opioid therapy is used.

Among patients receiving Dual Opioid IV, none experienced low blood oxygen levels (SPO subscript 2