European Union's CHMP Issues Positive Opinion on ...( Anesthesiologists to have new tool th...),Health

Anesthesiologists to have new tool that works within minutes, upon European

approval

KENILWORTH, N.J., June 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Schering-Plough Corporation (NYSE: SGP) today reported that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has recommended approval of sugammadex for routine reversal of the muscle relaxants rocuronium or vecuronium and for immediate reversal of rocuronium in adults, and for routine reversal following rocuronium in children and adolescents (2-17 years of age). Rocuronium and vecuronium are marketed in Europe under the trade names ESMERON(R) and NORCURON(R), respectively.

The CHMP recommendation serves as the basis for a European Commission approval of this novel medicine. Upon European approval, sugammadex will be the first and only selective relaxant binding agent (SRBA) and will enable anesthesiologists to rapidly and predictably reverse both moderate and deep muscle relaxation induced by rocuronium and vecuronium. Sugammadex creates the opportunity for anesthesiologists to maintain optimal muscle relaxation to the end of a surgical procedure and to reverse the block in minutes.

"This is an important first step in realizing the promise of our Organon BioSciences acquisition," said Fred Hassan, chairman and CEO of Schering- Plough. "This was a relatively unknown asset before our acquisition announcement last March, and we are pleased we saw this opportunity."

"This product has the potential to modernize the use of anesthesia around the world," added Thomas P. Koestler, Ph.D., executive vice president and president, Schering-Plough Research Institute.

Muscle relaxants play several critical
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