Word: oraflex
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...such levels, it can cause stomach distress, ulcers and hemorrhaging. And so, spurred by a market that grows by a million persons a year in the U.S. alone, pharmacologists keep searching for a better drug. Within the past month, two companies claim to have found it: Oraflex (chemical name: benoxaprofen), introduced last week by Eli Lilly & Co., and Feldene (piroxicam), unveiled several weeks ago by Pfizer Inc. Both drugs have been successfully marketed abroad...
...drugs are anti-inflammatory agents like aspirin but remain in the bloodstream six times as long. Thus they are effective as once-a-day doses. They are also less apt to irritate the digestive tract. According to Lilly, Oraflex causes 50% fewer gastrointestinal side effects than aspirin. There remains a drawback. In clinical trials, Oraflex caused sun sensitivity leading to an itchy rash in about 20% of patients. This can be prevented by applying sunscreen lotions or even by getting a protective suntan before using the drug...
Feldene and Oraflex both work like aspirin in that they block the release of certain prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that contribute to pain and swelling. Perhaps in an effort to distinguish its product from Pfizer's, Lilly makes the additional claim that Oraflex may actually slow the progression of the disease. The claim is based on preliminary research showing that Oraflex inhibits the migration of macrophages, a type of white blood cell, to the inflamed joint. Macrophages ordinarily defend the body against foreign invaders, but in some forms of arthritis they appear to attack the body, destroying bone...