France's NicOx announced positive results from a 118 patient blood pressure trial, which compared its experimental arthritis drug naproxcinod and a traditional painkiller, naproxen, in osteoarthritis patients with controlled hypertension. Naproxcinod is the first investigational drug in the new Cyclooxygenase-Inhibiting Nitric Oxide-Donator (CINOD) class of anti-inflammatory agents and part of the trial goal was to evaluate how naproxcinod compared with existing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs), such as naproxen and ibuprofen as these meds can raise blood pressure.
Naproxcinod is nearing the end of a Phase III trial and the company expects to be ready to submit its application to the FDA by mid-209.
- check out the NiCox release
- read the article in Network Medica for more