AstraZeneca promotes new drug formulation

International pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has promoted a new formulation of Nexium, the company’s prescription proton pump inhibitor.

The solution for the delayed release oral suspension formulation of the drug mixes 20mg or 40mg of active ingredient esomeprazole with water for administration.

The drug has recently gained approval from the US Food and Drug Administration.

Doug Levine, executive director and clinical development leader for Nexium, noted that some sufferers of acid-related diseases had problems swallowing medication in the form of a solid pill.

“This new prescription option to swallow an oral suspension of Nexium or to have it administered via a stomach tube provides these patients with an alternative method of administration that they can take instead of the Nexium capsule,” he said.

Nexium was first approved by the European Union in July 2000, through its mutual recognition procedure, and was made available to 15 member states.

The drug is indicated for the treatment of erosive reflux esophagitis and the prevention of relapse of long-term patients with healed esophagitis.