Ulcer Drug Clears Late-stage Hurdles

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - Pozen Inc. said its experimental ulcer treatment worked in two late-stage clinical trials.

Pozen's drug candidate PA32540 combines omeprazole, the active ingredient in heartburn drugs like Prilosec, with aspirin. The omeprazole is released as soon as the drug is taken and the aspirin is released over time. Pozen said patients who took PA32540 in the clinical trials had fewer gastric ulcers than patients who took a placebo, and the drug also met secondary goals, like reducing gastroduodenal ulcers.

There were a total of 1,049 patients in the studies. All of them were taking aspirin to prevent heart problems, and they were at risk for aspirin-related ulcers. Patients took either PA32540 or placebo once per day for six months.

Pozen said it will file for marketing approval of PA32540 in the third quarter.

Pozen's drugs include the arthritis drug Vimovo. It helped develop the migraine treatment Treximet, although it sold most of its royalty rights to the drug in 2011.

Date: March 22, 2012
Source: Associated Press