WILMINGTON, Del--Zeneca Inc. has received FDA clearance to market Kadian (morphine sulfate sustained release) capsules, a new single daily dose sustained-release (SR) morphine formulation, for the management of moderate to severe chronic pain when treatment with an opioid analgesic is indicated for more than a few days.

Kadian is the first oral SR morphine in the US that offers the option of 24-hour pain control with a single dose, the company said.

The largest controlled clinical study of Kadian was conducted in cancer patients with moderate to severe chronic pain at 28 US centers.

After stabilization with an immediate-release morphine solution, 152 patients were randomized to receive one of three treatments: Kadian once every 24 hours, Kadian every 12 hours, or MS Contin (morphine sulfate controlled-release) every 12 hours.

Kadian once every 24 hours was shown to be as effective as the other two regimens, and there were no significant differences in side effects.