Bioprogress Future2

stupidboypike - 24 Dec'05 - 07:43 - 8765 of 8801


"This JV brings significant new skill sets to the Group including manufacturing and regulatory know-how and a wide range of product licences for generic medicines including NSAIDs, simvastatin and diazepam."

using google search:-

NSAIDs comprise a large class of drugs with many different options. In addition to aspirin, there are currently several types of both non-prescription (over-the-counter) NSAIDs and prescription brands of NSAIDs. The three types of NSAIDs most commonly used to treat many types of back pain and neck pain include:

Ibuprofen (e.g. brand names such as Advil, Motrin, Nuprin)

Naproxen (e.g. brand names such as Aleve, Naprosyn)

COX-2 inhibitors (e.g. brand names such as Bextra, Celebrex)


Nice to see Ibuprofen included. I have just re-re-read the RNS. We're going to be rich boys and girls!!!

Best regards to all

SBP ( Very long BPRG )

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This post by SBP prompted me to do a bit of research on NSAIDS and simvastatin. Here is a summary of my findings:


First NSAIDS:

What is Naproxen?

Naproxen (trade names: Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn, Naprelan) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) commonly used for the reduction of mild to moderate pain, fever, inflammation and stiffness caused by conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, ankylosing spondylitis, injury, menstrual cramps, tendinitis, bursitis, and the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. It works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naproxen


What are COX-2’s?



Cyclooxygenase ( COX) -2 inhibitors were first sold under the name Vioxx in 1999 and which was touted for relieving pain without causing the gastritis and ulcers that some people developed from taking ibuprofen, naproxen and other painkillers known as non-selective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs.

There seemed to be an over marketing of these, as over the next four years, Vioxx was adopted way beyond that market niche: millions of people who had little risk of gastrointestinal bleeding ended up getting prescriptions for Vioxx, Celebrex and other medicines in their class, known as COX-2 inhibitors.
What makes the heavy use of COX-2 drugs so troubling is that they aren’t any more effective at controlling pain than NSAIDs. Also, while they were seen as a welcome alternative for those at greatest risk of gastrointestinal side effects from NSAIDs, they are much more expensive. A daily dose of Vioxx at $2.64 costs about six times as much as a daily dose of ibuprofen at 42 cents, according to a 2002 compendium of drug prices.

Researchers point to a couple of key factors behind the rapid growth of COX-2s. Prime among these is the heavy marketing of the medications. In 2000, for instance, Vioxx topped all direct-to-consumer drug advertising with expenditures of $161 million. The researchers also found that during the time period they studied, the COX-2 drugs eroded NSAID market share while increasing the total market demand for painkillers.



The bad news for the COX-2 pain relievers started in September 2004. Rofecoxib (Vioxx) was pulled from the market after a study testing whether the pain reliever could prevent colon polyps instead showed that it doubled heart attack and stroke risk.
By the beginning of 2005, the COX-2 headache was wearing off a bit. A consensus had developed: The evidence for cardiovascular side effects is strongest for Vioxx and Bextra, intermediate for Celebrex, and weak for naproxen.

In the spring of 2005, the FDA asked Pfizer to voluntarily withdraw Bextra from the market — and asked manufacturers of all prescription NSAIDs to include a boxed warning that highlights the potential increased risk for cardiovascular events and serious gastrointestinal bleeding associated with these drugs. Manufacturers of over-the-counter NSAIDs were also asked to change their labeling to provide more specific information about the potential risks from these drugs and to remind consumers to take these medications according to the package instructions.

Well before the COX-2 drugs were on the market, experts suspected that they might raise the risk for narrowed arteries and blood clots, a combination that would lead to heart attack and stroke. We are also reminded that although these studies found a doubled or even tripled risk for heart attack and stroke, the risk was less than 1% to begin with and developed after the drugs were taken for a year and a half or more. A doubling of risk is hardly trivial, but a small risk doubled remains a small risk.

But the benefit may outweigh the risk for a younger person without heart disease who can’t tolerate the side effects of the older pain relievers and who doesn’t get relief from acetaminophen (Tylenol, other brands). That’s why many people were unhappy that some of these drugs were pulled from the market.
The COX-2 inhibitors were showing real promise in reducing the development of precancerous polyps and their growth into full-blown colon cancer. In fact, the heart disease risks came to light in trials testing them for that purpose. Certainly some would accept an increased risk of heart disease as the price for lowering their risk of colon cancer.