J&J receives complete response letter for tapentadol ER

RARITAN, N.J. The Food and Drug Administration turned down a regulatory approval application from Johnson & Johnson for a drug to treat chronic pain, J&J said Monday.

The drug maker said the FDA issued a complete response letter for tapentadol extended-release tablets. The agency is requesting data concerning the conversion of the extended-release formulation of the drug used in clinical trials to a different formulation designed to increase the drug’s resistance to breaking or crushing by drug abusers. The FDA issues a complete response letter when it needs more data before it can approve a drug.

“We will engage the FDA in active discussions as quickly as possible so that we can address the requests in the complete response letter,” Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical research and development therapeutic area head for analgesia Juergen Haeussler said. “We remain fully committed to bringing tapentadol ER to patients experiencing chronic pain as quickly as possible.”