Insys Therapeutics is looking to sell its opioid-related assets after spending the last year battling lawsuits and facing criticism about its tactics to push prescriptions of Subsys, a mouth-spray version of fentanyl, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Subsys, approved to treat cancer-related pain, has been available in the U.S. since 2012. Its sales led Insys to become one of the best-performing initial public offerings in 2013. But the drug has also caused several issues for the company.
In 2017, Insys co-founder John Kapoor, along with other executives, were arrested and indicted for allegedly bribing physicians to prescribe Subsys after a federal probe into the company's marketing tactics. All involved executives pleaded not guilty.
In addition to Subsys, Insys would include other opioid-related assets in the potential sale, including buprenorphine, which reduces withdrawal symptoms and cravings, as well as its buprenorphine and naloxone combination drug.
Insys said it believes its opioid assets may draw interest from cancer companies. The drugmaker made the announcement Nov. 5 during its third-quarter earnings call.
Read the full report here.