Pacira Pharmaceuticals announced positive results from its phase I study evaluating Exparel (bupivacaine extended-release liposome injection) in patients with moderate hepatic impairment.  The results were presented at the 2011 American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ASCPT) 112th Annual Meeting in Dallas, Texas.

Results from the phase I, open-label, parallel-group volunteer study demonstrated the differences in plasma exposure of Exparel between subjects with moderate, stable hepatic impairment compared to subjects with normal hepatic function were small and unlikely to require a dose adjustment of Exparel.