Pacira Partners with Molteni Farmaceutici to Expand EXPAREL in Europe

BRISBANE, Calif., Oct. 05, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Pacira BioSciences, the industry leader in non-opioid pain therapies, has entered into a strategic partnership with Molteni Farmaceutici to expand access to EXPAREL® (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension) in the European Union and United Kingdom. This agreement is part of Pacira’s 5x30 growth strategy, aimed at increasing patient access to opioid-sparing postsurgical pain management.

Under the terms of the partnership, Molteni Farmaceutici will receive exclusive rights to distribute and commercialize EXPAREL® in the licensed territories, including Italy, Germany, Austria, and Poland. The first commercial sale is expected in 2027, marking a significant step in Pacira’s efforts to expand its reach in Europe.

Molteni Farmaceutici, an Italian pharmaceutical company with over 130 years of heritage, is recognized for its commitment to excellence in pain management and oncology supportive care. The company’s strong commercial execution capabilities and deep understanding of local European markets will be instrumental in unlocking the full potential of EXPAREL® in key regions.

The partnership will see Pacira BioSciences manufacturing EXPAREL® while Molteni Farmaceutici will lead regulatory, market access, and commercialization activities. Molteni Farmaceutici plans to launch EXPAREL® sequentially, starting with Italy, Germany, Austria, and Poland, and pursue approval in Switzerland.

In related news, Pacira BioSciences has announced the granting of inducement awards to two new employees on October 2, 2026. Under Pacira’s Amended and Restated 2014 Inducement Plan, the employees received stock options to purchase 3,600 shares of Pacira common stock and restricted stock units for 4,200 shares of Pacira common stock. The stock options have a 10-year term and a four-year vesting schedule, with 25 percent of the underlying shares vesting on the first anniversary of the recipient’s first day of employment and in successive equal quarterly installments over the 36 months thereafter. The stock options have an exercise price of $25.21 per share, the closing trading price of Pacira common stock on the date of grant.

Pacira BioSciences continues to advance its pipeline of clinical-stage assets, with PCRX-201 (enekinragene inzadenovec) as its most advanced product candidate, a novel locally administered gene therapy in Phase 2 clinical development for osteoarthritis of the knee. The company remains focused on improving postsurgical pain management by combining its differentiated product with Molteni Farmaceutici’s strong commercial execution capabilities and deep understanding of local European markets.