Sunshine Biopharma's Canadian Subsidiary, Nora Pharma, Launches Gabapentin, A New Generic Prescription Drug In The Therapeutic Class Of Anticonvulsants

Sunshine Biopharma Inc. (NASDAQ:SBFM) (the "Company"), a pharmaceutical company offering and researching life-saving medicines in a variety of therapeutic areas including oncology and antivirals today announced that its wholly owned Canadian subsidiary, Nora Pharma Inc., has launched Gabapentin, a new generic prescription drug in the therapeutic class of anticonvulsants.

Gabapentin is a generic version of Neurontin®. Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant medication used to treat neuropathic pain and epilepsy. It is also used for the treatment of pain caused by diabetic neuropathy, central pain, and postherpetic neuralgia (a painful condition that can occur after a shingles outbreak). Nora Pharma's Gabapentin is available in strengths of 100 mg, 300 mg, and 400 mg and comes in bottles of 500 capsules. Nora Pharma elected to supply its Gabapentin in capsule format which is the market leader owing to their ease of administration, including in children and the elderly.

Gabapentin acts by decreasing the activity of the voltage-dependent calcium channel protein, alpha-2/delta-1. By binding to alpha-2/delta-1, Gabapentin lowers the release of excitatory neurotransmitters and as a result, reduces excess excitation of the neuronal networks in the brain and spinal cord.

According to GlobeNewswire, the global Gabapentin market was valued at $1.92 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $3.07 billion by 2030. The growth in market size for Gabapentin is driven by (i) increasing prevalence of neurological disorders, (ii) expanding applications beyond neuropathic pain and epilepsy, (iii) shift away from the use of opioids for pain management, and (iv) aging population where individuals are more prone to having chronic pain and neurological disorders.

Canada represents approximately 1.2% of the global pharmaceutical market for Gabapentin. Despite its relatively small share, Canada is ranked as the eighth-largest pharmaceutical market in the world (Statista). Factors contributing to Canada's prominence in this sector include innovative pharmaceutical sector, aging population, and increasing healthcare expenditures.