Zogenix has commenced first IND clinical trial for Relday in patients with chronic, stable schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

Relday is based on a combination of its DosePro needle-free, subcutaneous drug delivery system with a proprietary, subcutaneous once-monthly formulation of risperidone for treating schizophrenia.

The company expects the single-center, open-label, safety and pharmacokinetic (PK) study results by the end of 2012.

Zogenix chief executive officer Roger Hawley said Relday represents a significant opportunity to leverage our proprietary DosePro needle-free drug delivery system in combination with a novel long-acting formulation of an established antipsychotic to provide psychiatrists and their patients with an improved treatment option.

"We look forward to completing this trial by the end of the year which we believe will enable us to begin discussions with potential partners for rest-of-world development and commercialization," Hawley added.