Boehringer Ingelheim has launched its non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug Mobic (meloxicam) in the UK, its third market after South Africa and Germany (Marketletter May 20).
The drug works to preferentially inhibit the cyclo-oxygenase-2 enzyme, which produces prostaglandins from arachidonic acid and is implicated in inflammation. It has a reduced action on COX-1, which has a protective function on the gastrointestinal tract. In over 30 trials worldwide, involving more than 4,000 patients, meloxicam has been shown to have an efficacy comparable to NSAIDS such as diclofenac, piroxicam and naproxen, but with fewer GI adverse reactions.
GI effects are common problems with traditional NSAIDS as they inhibit both the COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes. When it is considered that there are 30,000 NSAID-related GI emergencies (from severe bleeding and perforation) and between 2,000 and 4,000 deaths as a result of NSAIDs each year in the UK alone, a drug that could potentially reduce such problems becomes highly important.
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