@article {Ottoboni117, author = {Thomas Ottoboni and Barry Quart and Jayne Pawasauskas and Joseph F Dasta and Richard A Pollak and Eugene R Viscusi}, title = {Mechanism of action of HTX-011: a novel, extended-release, dual-acting local anesthetic formulation for postoperative pain}, volume = {45}, number = {2}, pages = {117--123}, year = {2020}, doi = {10.1136/rapm-2019-100714}, publisher = {BMJ Specialist Journals}, abstract = {Background and objectives Obtaining consistent efficacy beyond 12{\textendash}24 hours with local anesthetics, including extended-release formulations, has been a challenging goal. Inflammation resulting from surgery lowers the pH of affected tissues, reducing neuronal penetration of local anesthetics. HTX-011, an investigational, nonopioid, extended-release dual-acting local anesthetic combining bupivacaine and low-dose meloxicam, was developed to reduce postsurgical pain through 72 hours using novel extended-release polymer technology. Preclinical studies and a phase II clinical trial were conducted to confirm the mechanism of action of HTX-011.Methods In a validated postoperative pain pig model and a phase II bunionectomy trial, the analgesic effects of HTX-011, oral meloxicam (preclinical only), liposomal bupivacaine (preclinical only) and saline placebo were evaluated. The optimal meloxicam:bupivacaine ratio for HTX-011 and the effect of HTX-011 on incisional tissue pH were also evaluated preclinically.Results Preclinical data demonstrate the ability of HTX-011 to address local tissue inflammation as demonstrated by a less acidic tissue pH, which was associated with potentiated and prolonged analgesic activity. In the phase II bunionectomy study, HTX-011 achieved superior and sustained pain relief through 72 hours after surgery compared with each component in the polymer.Conclusions Preclinical animal and clinical results confirm that the low-dose meloxicam in HTX-011 normalizes the local pH in the incision, resulting in superior and synergistic analgesic activity compared with extended-release bupivacaine. HTX-011 represents an extended-release local anesthetic with a dual-acting mechanism of action that may provide an important advancement in the treatment of postoperative pain.Trial registration number NCT02762929.}, issn = {1098-7339}, URL = {https://rapm.bmj.com/content/45/2/117}, eprint = {https://rapm.bmj.com/content/45/2/117.full.pdf}, journal = {Regional Anesthesia \& Pain Medicine} }