Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Merck's Arcoxia (Cox 2 ) Facing Hurdles

Merck has reported that Arcoxia - a not yet approved drug - had the same cardiovascular risks as diclofenac according to studies involving more than 30,000 arthritis patients.

Diclofenac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID, the same class that includes naproxen and ibuprofen.

The fuss over Arcoxia started months ago, before Merck released the results of the study known as MEDAL. Critics hammered Merck, suggesting that the company should not have used diclofenac in the studay as it may have a higher cardiovascular risk than naproxen.

You can read more by going here.