J&J's Ionsys pain patch gets European OK

Last Updated: 2006-01-30 14:00:33 -0400 (Reuters Health)

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson on Monday said it has received European regulatory approval to sell a pain patch that allows patients to control the dose of medication with the push of a button.

The Ionsys patch, which dispenses the narcotic fentanyl, will be launched in 2007.

Ionsys was developed by J&J's Alza unit for the treatment of post-operative pain. The product uses a low-level electrical current to deliver the medication through the skin and into the bloodstream.

The patch is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Sales of J&J's Duragesic, another fentanyl patch, have fallen sharply since the company lost patent protection last year.