New purchasing channel expands access to AFT Pharmaceuticals’ prescription non-opioid treatment for mild to moderate acute pain

DALLAS and AUCKLAND, New Zealand , Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — AFT Pharmaceuticals today announced that COMBOGESIC® (acetaminophen 325 mg/ibuprofen 97.5 mg) tablets are now available for purchase by registered healthcare organizations through Mark Cuban Cost Plus Marketplace.

The launch marks the next milestone in the partnership announced in September and provides pharmacies, hospitals, clinics and other eligible healthcare organizations with an additional channel to source COMBOGESIC, supporting AFT’s commitment to improving access to non-opioid prescription pain treatments in the United States.

COMBOGESIC is a prescription-only, fixed-dose combination of two of the world’s most established pain relievers. It is indicated in adults for the short-term management of mild to moderate acute pain. Under its FDA-approved dosing regimen, patients may take three tablets every six hours as needed, up to a maximum of 12 tablets in 24 hours. This provides a maximum daily dose of 3,900 mg acetaminophen and 1,170 mg ibuprofen¹.

COMBOGESIC is manufactured using AFT’s patented QikSolv® formulation technology, using a proprietary micronization process made in, and exclusive to, the U.S. market.

A newly launched non-opioid option for acute pain

The 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline found that non-opioid therapies are at least as effective as opioids for many common types of acute pain, and recommends clinicians make maximum use of non-opioid options.² COMBOGESIC gives hospitals, surgery centers and clinics a prescription-strength, non-opioid option to support that approach.

With a few clicks on their Mark Cuban Cost Plus Marketplace account, healthcare organizations can now order a prescription non-opioid option for their patients. For patients, that means one clinically studied regimen in every tablet, prescribed and supervised by their clinician, instead of working out a schedule for two separate products.

More than the sum of its parts

In the Phase 3 study of 408 adults with moderate-to-severe pain following dental surgery, only 23.9% of patients receiving COMBOGESIC required opioid rescue medication, compared with 43.2% on ibuprofen alone and 53.2% on acetaminophen alone.³ COMBOGESIC also provided 78% more effective pain relief than acetaminophen alone and 36% more than ibuprofen alone (both P<0.001), with tolerability comparable to either component.³

“People often assume a combination like this is just two familiar pills in one. The data show it’s more than that,” said Dr. Hartley Atkinson, founder and managing director of AFT Pharmaceuticals. “Fewer patients on COMBOGESIC needed opioid rescue medication than those taking either ingredient on its own. Through the Marketplace, healthcare organizations across the U.S. can now give their clinicians that option.”

“We should all get excited to have more prescription non-opioid options to combat pain,” said Mark Cuban, founder of Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company. “We started Mark Cuban Cost Plus Marketplace because every American should have access to safe, affordable medicines as an essential part of advancing healthcare. So ultimately patients benefit when new medications are paired with access and price transparency. That’s exactly what this partnership is about. We’re proud to help make COMBOGESIC available to patients across the country.” 

COMBOGESIC is backed by extensive clinical evidence, is already available in 67 countries worldwide, and is now available through Mark Cuban Cost Plus Marketplace.

For more information: Combogesic.com or Access Combogesic

Sources: 1. COMBOGESIC® (acetaminophen and ibuprofen) tablets [Prescribing Information]. AFT Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.; November 2024. 2. Dowell D, et al. CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain: United States, 2022. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2022;71(3):1–95. 3. Daniels SE, et al. Clin Ther. 2018;40(10):1765–1776.

About AFT Pharmaceuticals 

AFT is a growing New Zealand-based multinational pharmaceutical company that develops, markets, and distributes a broad portfolio of pharmaceutical products across a wide range of therapeutic categories, which are distributed across all major pharmaceutical distribution channels: over the counter (OTC), prescription and hospital. Our product portfolio comprises both proprietary and in-licensed products, and includes patented, branded, and generic drugs. Our business model is to develop and in-license products for our markets of Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, USA, Canada, EU ex Ireland and UK, and to out-license our products to licensees and distributors in over 125 countries around the world. For more information about the company, visit our website www.aftpharm.com 

About Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs

The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, PBC (Cost Plus Drugs) aims to fundamentally change the way the pharmaceutical industry operates. As a public-benefit corporation, its social mission of improving public health is just as important as the bottom line. Cost Plus Drugs transparently charges a standard markup on every drug it sells. The costplusdrugs.com online pharmacy launched in January 2022 now carries over 2,300 prescription products, delivered by mail to thousands of happy customers every day. Customers can also go to participating retail pharmacies to receive Cost Plus Drugs pricing through the Team Cuban Card. Cost Plus Drugs is working with health plans, managed-care organizations, PBMs, and self-insured employers to bring these same savings to benefit plans nationwide. Learn more at www.markcubancostplusdrugcompany.com. For Pharmacies and other healthcare organizations looking for a safe, reliable and transparent place to purchase medications, sign up today at https://business.costplusdrugs.com/

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

INDICATIONS AND USAGE
COMBOGESIC® is a combination of acetaminophen and ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and is indicated in adults for the short-term management of mild to moderate acute pain.

See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning.

Contraindications

• patients with known hypersensitivity to acetaminophen, ibuprofen, other NSAIDs, or to any of the excipients in this product
• patients with a history of asthma, urticaria, or other allergic-type reactions after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs.
• Severe, sometimes fatal, anaphylactic reactions to NSAIDs have been reported in such patients.
• the setting of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

Warnings and Precautions

• Hepatotoxicity. COMBOGESIC® contains acetaminophen and ibuprofen.  Acetaminophen has been associated with cases of acute liver failure; the risk is higher in those with underlying liver disease and in those who ingest alcohol. Use in patients with hepatic impairment is not recommended. Elevations of ALT or AST have been reported in NSAID-treated patients.
• Cardiovascular Thrombotic Events. To minimize the potential risk for an adverse CV event in NSAID-treated patients, use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration possible.
• Gastrointestinal Bleeding, Ulceration, and Perforation. NSAIDs may cause serious and sometimes fatal GI adverse events at any time and without warning. Avoid use in patients at higher risk. In concomitant use with low-dose aspirin, monitor patients more closely for evidence of GI bleeding.
• Hypertension. NSAIDs can lead to onset of new hypertension or worsening of pre-existing hypertension, which may contribute to the increased incidence of CV events.
• Heart Failure and Edema. Avoid use in patients with severe heart failure unless benefits outweigh risk.
• Renal Toxicity and Hyperkalemia. Use in patients with renal impairment is not recommended.  Long-term administration of NSAIDs has resulted in renal papillary necrosis and other renal injury. Increases in serum potassium concentration, including hyperkalemia, have been reported.
• Hypersensitivity and Anaphylactic Reactions. Hypersensitivity and anaphylaxis associated with ibuprofen and acetaminophen have been reported, including life-threatening anaphylaxis associated with acetaminophen.
• Exacerbation of Asthma Related to Aspirin Sensitivity. Patients with asthma may have intolerance to aspirin and other NSAIDs.
• Serious Skin Reactions. Acetaminophen or NSAIDs may cause serious skin reactions such as exfoliative dermatitis, acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP), Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), or fixed drug eruption (FDE), generalized bullous fixed drug eruption (GBFDE), which can be fatal and may occur without warning.  Discontinue the use of COMBOGESIC® at the first appearance of skin rash or any other sign of hypersensitivity.
• Drug Rash with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS). DRESS that may be life-threatening or fatal has been reported in patients taking NSAIDs.
• Fetal Toxicity: Premature Closure of Fetal Ductus Arteriosus. Avoid use of COMBOGESIC® in pregnant women at about 30 weeks gestation and later. COMBOGESIC® increases the risk of premature closure of the fetal ductus arteriosus at approximately this gestational age.
• Oligohydramnios/Neonatal Renal Impairment. Use of COMBOGESIC® at about 20 weeks gestation or later in pregnancy may cause fetal renal dysfunction leading to oligohydramnios and, in some cases, neonatal renal impairment.
• Hematologic Toxicity. Anemia has occurred in NSAID-treated patients and NSAID-treatment may increase the risk of bleeding events.
• Ophthalmological Effects. Blurred or diminished vision, scotomata, and/or changes in color vision have been reported with oral ibuprofen.
• Aseptic Meningitis. Aseptic meningitis with fever and coma has been observed in patients on oral ibuprofen.
• Masking of Inflammation and Fever. Activity of COMBOGESIC® in reducing inflammation, and possibly fever, may diminish signs of infections.
• Laboratory Monitoring. Monitor patients on long-term NSAID treatment with a CBC and a chemistry profile periodically.

Adverse Reactions
The most common adverse reactions (> 2%) are nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, somnolence, post-procedural hemorrhage, and swelling of the face.

Drug Interactions

• Drugs That Interfere with Hemostasis. Ibuprofen and anticoagulants have a synergistic effect on bleeding. Concomitant use increases the risk of serious bleeding. Concomitant use of drugs that interfere with serotonin reuptake and an NSAID may increase the risk of bleeding.
• ACE Inhibitors, Angiotensin Receptor Blockers, and Beta-Blockers. NSAIDs may diminish the antihypertensive effect of ACE inhibitors, ARBs, or Beta-Blockers.  In the elderly, volume depleted, or those that have renal impairment, concomitant use with ACE inhibitors or ARBs may result in deterioration of renal function, including possible acute renal failure.
• Diuretics. NSAIDs can reduce the natriuretic effect of loop diuretics and thiazides in some patients.
• Digoxin. Concomitant use of ibuprofen with digoxin has been reported to increase the serum concentration and prolong the half-life of digoxin.
• Lithium. NSAIDs produced an elevation of plasma lithium levels and a reduction in renal lithium clearance.
• Methotrexate. Concomitant use of NSAIDs and methotrexate may increase the risk for methotrexate toxicity.
• Cyclosporine.  Concomitant use of NSAIDs and cyclosporine may increase cyclosporine’s nephrotoxicity.
• NSAIDS and Salicylates.  Concomitant use with other NSAIDs or salicylates increases the risk of GI toxicity.
• Pemetrexed.  Concomitant use of NSAIDs and pemetrexed may increase the risk of pemetrexed-associated myelosuppression, renal, and GI toxicity.

To report an adverse event or product complaint, please contact us at customer.service@aftpharm.com or call 1-248-631-4810. Adverse events may also be reported to the FDA directly at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/combogesic-a-prescription-non-opioid-pain-medication-now-available-to-healthcare-organizations-through-mark-cuban-cost-plus-marketplace-302924035.html

SOURCE AFT Pharmaceuticals