Pacira and JNJ Partner to Expand Zilretta's Availability for Knee Pain Treatment

Pacira BioSciences has partnered with Johnson & Johnson MedTech to expand the availability of Zilretta, a treatment for knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. The collaboration will utilize Johnson & Johnson's specialized sales team to promote Zilretta, aiming to enhance its distribution and availability to patients.

July 2, 2025 - Johnson & Johnson MedTech, a global leader in orthopaedic technologies, has announced a strategic co-promotion agreement with Pacira BioSciences, Inc. [1]. The collaboration aims to enhance the distribution and availability of ZILRETTA® (triamcinolone acetonide extended-release injectable suspension), an extended-release intra-articular therapy for managing osteoarthritis (OA) knee pain.

Under the agreement, Johnson & Johnson MedTech's specialized sales team will co-promote ZILRETTA, leveraging their expertise in early intervention to expand market reach. This collaboration is expected to significantly increase access to ZILRETTA, which has been shown to provide extended pain relief for up to 16 weeks in clinical trials [1]. The expanded promotional effort will target a broader range of physician specialties, including sports medicine, pain management, and rheumatology, beyond traditional orthopedic practices.

Pacira BioSciences, the industry leader in non-opioid pain therapies, is committed to transforming patient lives through innovative treatments. This collaboration aligns with Pacira's 5x30 strategy, which focuses on driving growth and improving patient outcomes through targeted partnerships [2]. The agreement is expected to increase ZILRETTA sales calls and expand patient access, potentially reaching a large portion of the seven million intra-articular knee injections administered annually in the U.S. [2].

The collaboration reflects Johnson & Johnson MedTech's broader mission to advance orthopaedic care with solutions that address changing patient needs and support better outcomes across the spectrum of disease severity. ZILRETTA's approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2017 marked a significant milestone in non-opioid pain management for OA knee pain [1].

References:
1. [1] https://www.jnj.com/media-center/press-releases/johnson-johnson-announces-strategic-agreement-with-pacira-biosciences-to-expand-early-intervention-offering-for-osteoarthritis-of-the-knee
2. [2] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/pacira-biosciences-announces-strategic-collaboration-120000814.html