November 16, 1998

A recent report concludes that Searle and Pfizer's investigational drug Celebrex (celecoxib) relieves arthritis-related pain as well as full therapeutic doses of commonly-prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) pain relievers.

Celebrex, a specific COX-2 inhibitor, was tested in a 12-week trial of 1,149 patients with rheumatoid arthritis to collect data.

It was found that Celebrex was effective as the commonly-used NSAID naproxen in relieving joint tenderness, pain, and swelling.

Authors further note that the gastrointestinal side-effects associated with use of Celebrex were comparable to those seen in patients who received a placebo, while naproxen-treated patients experienced significantly greater levels of such side-effects.

A separate study involving 600 arthritis patients found Celebrex to be as effective in relieving symptoms of the condition as was the NSAID diclofenac, and that the rate of gastrointestinal complaints was 33% higher in the diclofenac-treated group.

The findings were presented at the 62nd national meeting of the American College of Rheumatology in San Diego (November 13, 1998).

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