Single pill combining pain reliever, drug vs stomach ulcer

Dealing with the pain caused by chronic arthritis can be a tough ordeal.

In the Philippines alone, about 3 million people experience the pain caused by the various forms of chronic arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

Dr. Leo Caro, chair of the Philippine Board of Orthopedics, explained that osteoarthritis, which is more common among females, is a degenerative joint disease caused by the breakdown and eventual loss of the cartilage of one or more joints. It is the most common form of arthritis and the most common cause of chronic pain.

“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,” Caro said in a recent briefing hosted by AstraZeneca, an integrated biopharmaceutical firm.

Chronic disease

Meanwhile, Caro explained that rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease characterized by inflammation of the lining of the joints. Left untreated, it can lead to long-term joint damage resulting in chronic pain, loss of function and disability.

A third type, which is the ankylosing spondylitis, is also a chronic inflammatory disease that primarily affects the lower back and hips. It causes pain and inflammation of the joints between the vertebrae of the spine and the joints between the spine and pelvis, Caro further noted.

While there are a number of pain-killers available in the market to help people cope with pain of chronic athritis, users also have to contend with the side effects which, at times, can be as problematic and painful.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), although effective, may cause gastrointestinal side effects such as stomach ulcers when taken on a long-term basis.

The real challenge, therefore, lies in finding the right treatment with the least, if not completely free of, side effects. This is why AstraZeneca introduced to the market its Naproxen/Esomeprazole.

“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,” said Dr. Chinnie Tan, medical director at AstraZeneca Philippines.

Right drug at right time

“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,” Tan explained during the briefing.

Also present during the briefing is Dr. Yvonne Sherrer, medical director and director of Clinical Research at the Center for Rheumatology, Immunology and Arthritis in Florida, United States, who said “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.”

Naproxen/Esomeprazole is a fixed-dose combination of naproxen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, and esomeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), approved for the symptomatic relief of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondilitis, in patients at risk of developing NSAID-associated gastric ulcers.

“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,” added Amal Kelshikar, president of AstraZeneca Philippines.