WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alkermes, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALKS) today announced positive topline results from a phase 1 clinical study of an investigational combination of ALKS 33, one of Alkermes’ proprietary candidates, and buprenorphine, an existing medication for the treatment of opioid addiction, for the treatment of cocaine addiction. Data from the study showed that the combination therapy was generally well tolerated and sublingual administration of ALKS 33 effectively blocked the agonist effects of buprenorphine. Based on these positive results, Alkermes expects to initiate a phase 2a study of the combination therapy in the first half of calendar year 2011. The phase 2a study will be funded through a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). NIDA has granted Alkermes up to $2.4 million to accelerate the clinical development of the ALKS 33 and buprenorphine combination therapy. Currently, there are no medications approved for the treatment of cocaine addiction.
