Arthritis drug launched

MANILA, Philippines - Pain relief for patients with chronic arthritis has always been problematic because non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), one of the most widely prescribed agents for these conditions, cause gastrointestinal side effects such as stomach ulcers. This problem may soon be effectively addressed with the Philippine launch of the combination pill, naproxen/esomeprazole. 

 A product of research-based biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, naproxen/esomeprazole is approved in the Philippines for the symptomatic relief in the treatment of chronic arthritis namely osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis in patients at risk of developing NSAID-associated ulcers.

Naproxen/esomeprazole is a fixed-dose combination of naproxen, a pain-relieving NSAID, and esomeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) whose main action is inhibition of acid in the stomach.

Naproxen/esomeprazole was first approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in April 2010, and is now available in the US, UK, Canada, with expected launches in various countries in the coming months. Philippines is the first country to launch in Asia.

Many patients suffering from chronic arthritic pain need to take NSAIDs on a long-term basis to treat their symptoms. However, half of chronic NSAID users are at risk of developing gastrointestinal side effects, hence are also prescribed with gastroprotective agents such as PPIs. Additional problems arise when patients do not adhere to their treatments.

“Building on what is known about the disease and finding new delivery systems to help patients comply to their therapy is at the heart of this innovation. The innovative sequential-delivery technology for this drug ensures that esomeprazole component is released first in the stomach to reduce stomach acid secretion, followed by naproxen, which is released later, primarily in the small intestine where it is absorbed. In what we do, we ensure that the right patients get the right drug at the right time,” said Dr. Chinnie Tan, medical director of AstraZeneca Philippines.

“A single pill combining a proven pain reliever and a highly effective drug against NSAID-associated stomach ulcers is certainly welcome news to the millions of arthritis patients worldwide. Naproxen/esomeprazole will help improve patient compliance and treatment outcomes,” said Dr. Yvonne Sherrer, medical director and director of clinical research at the Center for Rheumatology, Immunology and Arthritis in Florida, USA.

Sherrer is in Manila to share with Filipino medical specialists and local media the latest clinical studies and information on naproxen/esomeprazole.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease caused by the breakdown and eventual loss of the cartilage of one or more joints. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and the most common cause of chronic pain, affecting 151 million individuals worldwide. In the Philippines, over three million Filipinos suffer from chronic arthritis diseases.

“A combination of factors can contribute to osteoarthritis, including being overweight, aging, joint injury or stress, heredity and muscle weakness. Osteoarthritis commonly affects the hands, spine or large weight-bearing joints, such as the hips and knees,” said Dr. Leo Daniel Caro, orthopedic surgeon and clinical associate professor of the UP College of Medicine-Philippine General Hospital.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis will also benefit from naproxen/esomeprazole. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease, mainly characterized by inflammation of the lining, or synovium, of the joints. It can lead to long-term joint damage, resulting in chronic pain, loss of function and disability.

Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that primarily causes pain and inflammation of the joints between the vertebrae of the spine and the joints between the spine and pelvis (sacroiliac joints).

“The development of naproxen/esomeprazole demonstrates the commitment of AstraZeneca to provide a new pain relief option that addresses the unmet medical needs in these types of patients,” said Amal Kelshikar, president of AstraZeneca Philippines.