AstraZeneca has VIMOVO drug application accepted

AstraZeneca has announced that the application it submitted for the treatment VIMOVO has been accepted by the Food and Drug Administration.

The request was submitted in June by the firm’s development partner Pozen for VIMOVO – enteric-coated naproxen/immediate release esomeprazole magnesium tablets, which were formerly known as PN400.

VIMOVO is currently under investigation for the treatment of gastric ulcers in patients displaying symptoms of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

It is a fixed-dose combination of enteric-coated naproxen, a pain-relieving non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and an immediate release esomeprazole proton pump inhibitor.

According to statistics from the firm, 140 million people worldwide suffer from osteoarthritis and many are treated with NSAIDS. However, only a quarter of those at risk of developing stomach ulcers are prescribed the treatment they need to keep these at bay, it added.

Last month, AstraZeneca announced that it is collaborating with Forest Laboratories for the development and commercialisation of the complicated skin and skin structure infections treatment ceftaroline.