EU Commission approves Dexdor for sedation of patients in Intensive Care

European Commission has granted Dexdor (dexmedetomidine) from Orion, centralised approval covering 27 European Union countries for sedation of adult intensive care unit patients requiring a level of sedation not deeper than arousal in response to verbal stimulation. The company plans to begin a European launch in Germany and Austria in early 2012. It will launch much later in other European countries. The drug is marketed outside the EU as Precedex by Hospira under licence from Orion.