Novartis reports efficacy of Voltaren gel

Novartis has reported that Voltaren gel (diclofenac sodium topical gel) one per cent has a good safety profile and is an effective treatment for osteoarthritis of the hand and knee, offering patients a viable alternative to orally-administered drugs.

The treatment has recently been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, becoming the first topical prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory applicable directly to the site of osteoarthritis pain approved in the US.

Approval of the compound is based on a number of studies which showed pain levels in patients with osteoarthritis of the hand to be reduced by 46 per cent following administration of the gel, with a 51 per cent reduction in pain levels seen in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee.

Roy Altman, professor of medicine in the division of rheumatology and immunology at UCLA, said: “Voltaren Gel is proven to be effective for osteoarthritis of the hand and knee and has a favorable safety profile.”

He added that the compound offers comparable efficacy to diclofenac in conjunction with significantly reduced systemic absorption to lower the risk of adverse effects.

In August 2007, Novartis arthritis drug Prexige (lumiracoxib) was recalled in Australia following reports of potential serious adverse affects in patients receiving the compound.