News Release

ALPHARETTA, Ga. and PARSIPPANY, N.J., Sept. 15, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IPG, the industry-leading provider of surgical cost management solutions, and Pacira BioSciences, Inc. (NADSAQ: PCRX), a leading provider of non-opioid pain management options, today announced a collaboration to reduce postsurgical opioid prescribing and surgical procedure costs across the IPG national health plan and provider network.

Through this partnership, IPG will offer reimbursement for EXPAREL^® (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension) to its health plan provider clients across the country to further support its mission to bring high quality, cost-effective surgical solutions to the U.S. healthcare market. Pacira will work alongside IPG to provide education and training to ensure consistent, positive outcomes are achieved across procedures, clinicians, and provider facilities.

“We look forward to working with Pacira on this joint commitment to decrease surgical costs, reliance on opioids, and opioid-related adverse events through the reimbursement and expanded utilization of EXPAREL,” said Brian Holt, Chief Innovation Officer of IPG. “By increasing access to non-opioid options, our health plan partners can reduce the need for postsurgical opioids with no impact on the quality of care provided, all while helping to lower the total cost of the surgery and out-of-pocket costs for patients.”

Under the terms of the partnership, the organizations will co-develop clinician-facing educational materials and EXPAREL resources that will support best practice pain management for surgical patients.

“The use of non-opioid postsurgical pain management plays an integral role in improved clinical and economic outcomes, as well as increased patient satisfaction,” said Dave Stack, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Pacira BioSciences, Inc. “We are excited to partner with IPG on this initiative and commend their leadership in reducing opioids to offer patients the highest quality postsurgical recovery experience.”

“This collaboration furthers our commitment to quality and affordability of surgical care.” said Vince Coppola, President and Chief Executive Officer of IPG.

IPG works with the leading national and regional health plans across the country and their partnering providers, including large chains and independent ambulatory surgery centers.

About IPG
IPG is the leading provider of Device Benefit Management solutions, working with health plans, providers, surgical facilities and patients across the country to improve quality and reduce costs for surgical procedures through optimization of the most effective site of care and device selection, resulting in more affordable high-quality care to consumers. For more information about IPG, call us at 866.753.0046, or visit us on the web at www.ipg.com.

About Pacira BioSciences
Pacira BioSciences, Inc. is a leading provider of non-opioid pain management and regenerative health solutions dedicated to advancing and improving outcomes for health care practitioners and their patients. The company’s long-acting local analgesic, EXPAREL® (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension) was commercially launched in the United States in April 2012. EXPAREL utilizes DepoFoam®, a unique and proprietary product delivery technology that encapsulates drugs without altering their molecular structure, and releases them over a desired period of time. In April 2019, Pacira acquired the iovera° system, a handheld cryoanalgesia device used to deliver precise, controlled doses of cold temperature only to targeted nerves. To learn more about Pacira, including the corporate mission to reduce overreliance on opioids, visit www.pacira.com.

About EXPAREL
EXPAREL (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension) is indicated for single-dose infiltration in adults to produce postsurgical local analgesia and as an interscalene brachial plexus nerve block to produce postsurgical regional analgesia. Safety and efficacy have not been established in other nerve blocks. The product combines bupivacaine with DepoFoam^®, a proven product delivery technology that delivers medication over a desired time period. EXPAREL represents the first and only multivesicular liposome local anesthetic that can be utilized in the peri- or postsurgical setting. By utilizing the DepoFoam platform, a single dose of EXPAREL delivers bupivacaine over time, providing significant reductions in cumulative pain scores with up to a 78 percent decrease in opioid consumption; the clinical benefit of the opioid reduction was not demonstrated. Additional information is available at www.EXPAREL.com.

Important Safety Information for Patients
EXPAREL should not be used in obstetrical paracervical block anesthesia. In studies where EXPAREL was injected into the wound, the most common side effects were nausea, constipation, and vomiting. In studies where EXPAREL was injected near a nerve, the most common side effects were nausea, fever, and constipation. EXPAREL is not recommended to be used in patients younger than 18 years old or in pregnant women. Tell your healthcare provider if you have liver disease, since this may affect how the active ingredient (bupivacaine) in EXPAREL is eliminated from your body. EXPAREL should not be injected into the spine, joints, or veins. The active ingredient in EXPAREL: can affect your nervous system and your cardiovascular system; may cause an allergic reaction; may cause damage if injected into your joints.

Company Contacts:
Pacira BioSciences, Inc.
Susan Mesco, (973) 451-4030
Susan.Mesco@pacira.com

IPG
Kerry Lee Perry, (404) 849-1380
kperry@ipg.com

Media Contact:
Coyne Public Relations
Alyssa Schneider, (973) 588-2270
aschneider@coynepr.com 

Source: Pacira BioSciences