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Rheumatoid Relief
Relief may be possible for the
more than 2 million Americans
suffering from rheumatoid arthritis
(RA). Rituximab (Rituxan),
jointly marketed by Biogen Idec
Inc, and Genentech, Inc, has been
approved by the US Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) for
the treatment of cases of RA in
which patients do not respond to
tumor necrosis factor blockers.
Rituximab, originally approved
8 years ago for the treatment of
non-Hodgkin lymphoma, targets
the immune cells that attack joint
tissue causing the pain, inflammation,
and debilitation associated
with RA.
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Patching-up Depression
The FDA has approved Bristol- Myers Squibb Company's selegiline
transdermal system (Emsam) for use in the treatment of major depression.
Initially approved in capsule form for use in Parkinson disease,
selegiline is the first transdermal patch approved for this indication.
Approval has been delayed 2 years because of possible interactions
of the drug with tyramine, which could cause a sudden rapid increase
in blood pressure. In a low dose of 6 mg, use of the patch does
not require dietary restrictions; however, at higher doses of 9
and 12 mg, patients are advised to avoid foods containing tyramine.
Transdermal selegiline is not approved for patients under age 17
years.
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Prenatal DHA Supplement
Mission Pharmacal Company
has introduced a prescription
prenatal supplement with docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA)
(Citracal Prenatal + DHA) to
their product line. Most women
receive only 20% to 30% of
the recommended dietary intake
of DHA during pregnancy
and nursing. Deep water fish is
an excellent source of DHA,
but with concerns over mercury
intake during pregnancy, the
plant-derived DHA in the supplement
is meant to provide a
safer alternative. The prenatal
pack contains a balanced daily
dose of prescription-strength
vitamins and minerals in a
tablet, and a 250-mg capsule
of DHA.
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Generic Flonase
SmithKline's fluticasone propionate for inhalation (Flonase), is now available
in generic form. Due to the expiration of the company’s patent
in late November 2005, the product's generic alternative has been
approved for the treatment of stuffy nose and other nasal symptoms
linked to both allergic and nonallergic rhinitis in adults and children
over age 4 years. The company maintains that barring the price, the
generic form is equivalent to its brand name counterpart.
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Relief for Head and
Neck Cancer
Cetuximab (Erbitux), approved
in 2004 for the treatment of
colorectal cancer, has now been
cleared to treat cancers of the
head and neck. A study has
found that the drug, in conjunction
with radiation, increased the
survival rate of head and neck
cancer patients by 20 months,
compared to treatment with radiation
alone. Cetuximab is effective
in the treatment of surgically
inoperable squamous cell cancer
of the head and neck, as well as
the treatment of patients in
whom chemotherapy has failed.
With approximately 29,000 US
citizens diagnosed with cancer of
the head and neck each year, and
no new therapies since the 1950s,
the product addresses a need for
new treatments.
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