An important announcement
involving Italy and Sweden: Opocrin, a pharmaceutical company from Modena specialising in the
production of heparin and other active ingredients, welcomes the conclusion of
phase 2b trial of a modified heparin molecule tafoxiparin. The trial was conducted by the Swedish pharmaceutical
company Dilafor, in which Opocrin is the second largest shareholder with a 22%
stake. The study involved pharmacological induction of labour in women in their
first full-term pregnancy and showed a significant positive impact on cervical dilation, compared to placebo,
facilitating the onset of physiological labour with beneficial effects on
mothers and babies.
About a quarter of pregnant women
are subjected to induction of labour by pharmacological and mechanical methods,
which unfortunately are not always fully effective. This can lead to prolonged
labour, which can increase the need for a caesarean section and thus the risk
of complications for mother and child.
Phase 2b trial involved 170 women in their first pregnancy who
received a subcutaneous injection of tafoxiparin or placebo once daily in the
week prior to the planned induction of labour. The primary objective of the
study was to document the effect of tafoxiparin on cervical dilation by
measuring it according to the Bishop score (a scoring system that assesses the
preparation of the cervix for delivery).
The results showed that
tafoxiparin had a significantly better effect on cervical dilation than
placebo, with a highly significant difference. Based on these largely positive
results, the phase 2b trial will be extended to document the effect of
tafoxiparin even at lower doses than those used and studied so far.
Extensive market analyses have
shown that a drug like this, which induces cervical dilation and promotes the
mechanisms of labour in childbirth, has the potential for annual sales in excess of $1 billion in the US alone.
"With COVID-19, the importance of heparin as a life-saving molecule came
to the forefront of public opinion. Opocrin and its subsidiary Dilafor have
demonstrated that this molecule is not limited to the functions that have been
known for some time – commented Federico Saetti, CEO of the Opocrin Group -: there is a universe to be discovered and we
are the first company in the world to do so with a clinical trial of this
magnitude. A new era is opening up for the pharmacological induction of labour,
to make this incredible event in the life of a couple even safer for mother and
baby".
Opocrin, with a turnover of more than 170 million euro
and more than 350 employees, has always been a constantly evolving company
with an increasing turnover trend. Under the guidance of the Bianchini - Saetti
family, the company's development has allowed investments in human resources
and facilities in order to guarantee growth and lead to excellent quality
standards. Many companies in Italy and abroad rely on Opocrin's quality and
professionalism. The company operates successfully all over the world.
