Kos reports benefits of combining aspirin with Niaspan

Kos Pharmaceuticals of the USA has announced results from a study that demonstrates the benefits of combining aspirin with its new optimized Niaspan (niacin extended-release tablets) Caplet Formulation (CF). This was a single-dose, placebo-controlled three-way crossover, flush provocation trial (n=156) evaluating the benefits of aspirin in combination with a maximum dose of optimized Niaspan CF for reducing the incidence, duration and severity of flushing, a relatively common, but transient effect for patients who take Niaspan to increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

The study shows that 2000mg of optimized Niaspan CF, when given with aspirin, results in approximately 44% reduction in the incidence, duration and severity of flushing relative to optimized Niaspan CF alone The study results are in addition to previously-reported decreases in flushing severity and duration when comparing optimized Niaspan CF to currently available Niaspan in the absence of aspirin.

A supplemental New Drug Application for a complete dosage range of new Niaspan CF products was recently submitted to the Food and Drug Administration, says Kos, which notes that additional longer term and confirmatory studies are planned.