Valdecoxib

Last updated
Valdecoxib
Valdecoxib2DACS.svg
Clinical data
Trade names Bextra
Pregnancy
category
Routes of
administration
Oral
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability 83%
Protein binding 98%
Metabolism Hepatic (CYP3A4 and 2C9 involved)
Elimination half-life 8 to 11 hours
Excretion Renal
Identifiers
  • 4-(5-methyl-3-phenylisoxazol-4-yl)benzenesulfonamide
CAS Number
PubChem CID
IUPHAR/BPS
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
ChEBI
ChEMBL
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
ECHA InfoCard 100.229.918 OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Chemical and physical data
Formula C16H14N2O3S
Molar mass 314.36 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
  • O=S(=O)(N)c3ccc(c2c(onc2c1ccccc1)C)cc3
  • InChI=1S/C16H14N2O3S/c1-11-15(12-7-9-14(10-8-12)22(17,19)20)16(18-21-11)13-5-3-2-4-6-13/h2-10H,1H3,(H2,17,19,20) Yes check.svgY
  • Key:LNPDTQAFDNKSHK-UHFFFAOYSA-N Yes check.svgY
 X mark.svgNYes check.svgY  (what is this?)    (verify)

Valdecoxib is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used in the treatment of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and painful menstruation and menstrual symptoms. It is a selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor. It was patented in 1995. [2]

Contents

Valdecoxib was manufactured and marketed under the brand name Bextra by G. D. Searle & Company as an anti-inflammatory arthritis drug. [3] It was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on November 20, 2001, to treat arthritis and menstrual cramps. [4] [5] and was available by prescription in tablet form until 2005 when the FDA requested that Pfizer withdraw Bextra from the American market. [6] The FDA cited "potential increased risk for serious cardiovascular (CV) adverse events," an "increased risk of serious skin reactions" and the "fact that Bextra has not been shown to offer any unique advantages over the other available NSAIDs." [6]

In 2009, Bextra was at the center of the "largest health-care fraud settlement and the largest criminal fine of any kind ever." [4] [7] Pfizer paid a $2.3 billion civil and criminal fine. Pharmacia & Upjohn, a Pfizer subsidiary, violated the United States Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act for misbranding Bextra "with the intent to defraud or mislead." [3]

A water-soluble and injectable prodrug of valdecoxib, parecoxib, is marketed in the European Union under the tradename Dynastat.

Uses until 2005

In the United States, the FDA approved valdecoxib for the treatment of osteoarthritis, adult rheumatoid arthritis, and primary dysmenorrhea. [8]

Valdecoxib was also used off-label for controlling acute pain and various types of surgical pain. [8]

Side effects and withdrawal from market

On April 7, 2005, Pfizer withdrew Bextra from the U.S. market on recommendation by the FDA, citing an increased risk of heart attack and stroke and also the risk of a serious, sometimes fatal, skin reaction. This was a result of recent attention to prescription NSAIDs, such as Merck's Vioxx. Other reported side effects were angina and Stevens–Johnson syndrome.

Pfizer first acknowledged cardiovascular risks associated with Bextra in October 2004. The American Heart Association soon after was presented with a report indicating patients using Bextra while recovering from heart surgery were 2.19 times more likely to suffer a stroke or heart attack than those taking placebos.

In a large study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association in 2006, valdecoxib appeared less adverse for renal (kidney) disease and heart arrhythmia compared to Vioxx, but elevated renal risks were slightly suggested. [9]

2009 settlement for off-label uses promotions

On September 2, 2009, the United States Department of Justice fined Pfizer $2.3 billion after one of its subsidiaries, Pharmacia & Upjohn Company, pleaded guilty to marketing four drugs, including Bextra, "with the intent to defraud or mislead." [10] Pharmacia & Upjohn admitted to criminal conduct in the promotion of Bextra, and agreed to pay the largest criminal fine ever imposed in the United States for any matter, $1.195 billion. [11] A former Pfizer district sales manager was indicted and sentenced to home confinement for destroying documents regarding the illegal promotion of Bextra. [12] [13] In addition, a regional manager pleaded guilty to distribution of a misbranded product, and was fined $75,000 and 24 months on probation. [14]

The remaining $1 billion of the fine were paid to resolve allegations under the civil False Claims Act case and is the largest civil fraud settlement against a pharmaceutical company. Six whistleblowers were awarded more than $102 million for their role in the investigation. [15] Former Pfizer sales representative John Kopchinski acted as a qui tam relator and filed a complaint in 2004 outlining the illegal conduct in the marketing of Bextra. [16] Kopchinski was awarded $51.5 million for his role in the case because the improper marketing of Bextra was the largest piece of the settlement at $1.8 billion. [17]

Analytical methods

Several HPLC-UV methods [18] have been reported for valdecoxib estimation in biological samples like human urine. [19] [20] Valdecoxib has analytical methods for bioequivalence studies, [21] [22] metabolite determination, [23] [24] [19] estimation of formulation, [25] and an HPTLC method for simultaneous estimation in tablet dosage form. [26]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug</span> Class of therapeutic drug for relieving pain and inflammation

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are members of a therapeutic drug class which reduces pain, decreases inflammation, decreases fever, and prevents blood clots. Side effects depend on the specific drug, its dose and duration of use, but largely include an increased risk of gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeds, heart attack, and kidney disease.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pfizer</span> American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation

Pfizer Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation headquartered at The Spiral in Manhattan, New York City. The company was established in 1849 in New York by two German entrepreneurs, Charles Pfizer (1824–1906) and his cousin Charles F. Erhart (1821–1891).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pharmacia</span> Pharmaceutical and biotechnological company

Pharmacia was a pharmaceutical and biotechnological company in Sweden that merged with the American pharmaceutical company Upjohn in 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ibuprofen</span> Medication used for treating pain, fever, and inflammation

Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is used to relieve pain, fever, and inflammation. This includes painful menstrual periods, migraines, and rheumatoid arthritis. It may also be used to close a patent ductus arteriosus in a premature baby. It can be used orally or intravenously. It typically begins working within an hour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rofecoxib</span> Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug

Rofecoxib is a COX-2-selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It was marketed by Merck & Co. to treat osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, acute pain conditions, migraine, and dysmenorrhea. Rofecoxib was approved in the US by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 1999, and was marketed under the brand names Vioxx, Ceoxx, and Ceeoxx. Rofecoxib was available by prescription in both tablets and as an oral suspension.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celecoxib</span> Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug

Celecoxib, sold under the brand name Celebrex among others, is a COX-2 inhibitor and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is used to treat the pain and inflammation in osteoarthritis, acute pain in adults, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, painful menstruation, and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. It may also be used to decrease the risk of colorectal adenomas in people with familial adenomatous polyposis. It is taken by mouth. Benefits are typically seen within an hour.

COX-2 inhibitors (coxibs) are a type of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that directly target cyclooxygenase-2, COX-2, an enzyme responsible for inflammation and pain. Targeting selectivity for COX-2 reduces the risk of peptic ulceration and is the main feature of celecoxib, rofecoxib, and other members of this drug class.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pharmacia & Upjohn</span> Global pharmaceutical company

Pharmacia & Upjohn was a global pharmaceutical company formed by the merger of Sweden-based Pharmacia AB and the American company Upjohn in 1995. Today the remainder of the company is owned by Pfizer. In 1997, Pharmacia & Upjohn sold several brands to Johnson & Johnson, including Motrin and Cortaid.

G.D. Searle, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Pfizer. It is currently a trademark company and subsidiary of Pfizer, operating in more than 43 countries. It also operates as a distribution trademark for various pharmaceuticals that were developed by G. D. Searle & Company. Searle is most notable for having developed the first female birth control pill, and the artificial sweetener NutraSweet. Searle also developed the drug Lomotil, an antidiarrheal medication. One of the notable Alumni of Searle is Donald Rumsfeld, the Secretary of Defense for George W. Bush in the 2000s. Prior to its 1985 merger with Monsanto, Searle was a company mainly focusing on life sciences, specifically pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and animal health.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meloxicam</span> Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fenoprofen</span> NSAID analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug

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The ethics involved within pharmaceutical sales is built from the organizational ethics, which is a matter of system compliance, accountability and culture. Organizational ethics are used when developing the marketing and sales strategy to both the public and the healthcare profession of the strategy. Organizational ethics are best demonstrated through acts of fairness, compassion, integrity, honor, and responsibility.

Cyclooxygenases are enzymes that take part in a complex biosynthetic cascade that results in the conversion of polyunsaturated fatty acids to prostaglandins and thromboxane(s). Their main role is to catalyze the transformation of arachidonic acid into the intermediate prostaglandin H2, which is the precursor of a variety of prostanoids with diverse and potent biological actions. Cyclooxygenases have two main isoforms that are called COX-1 and COX-2. COX-1 is responsible for the synthesis of prostaglandin and thromboxane in many types of cells, including the gastro-intestinal tract and blood platelets. COX-2 plays a major role in prostaglandin biosynthesis in inflammatory cells and in the central nervous system. Prostaglandin synthesis in these sites is a key factor in the development of inflammation and hyperalgesia. COX-2 inhibitors have analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity by blocking the transformation of arachidonic acid into prostaglandin H2 selectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wyeth</span> American pharmaceutical company

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