Wyeth opioid bowel dysfunction drug makes “important progress”

Wyeth has announced that methylnaltrexone, its investigational drug for the treatment of opioid-induced bowel disorder (OBD) developed in conjunction with Progenics, is making “important progress”.

OBD is caused as a side-effect of opioid-based analgesics and is characterised by abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, nausea, constipation and loss of appetite. Wyeth says methylnaltrexone has been developed to relieve these symptoms without interfering with the painkilling powers of opioids.

Progenics has already completed two phase III trials for the subcutaneous form of the drug in patients with terminal diseases, which fills an “important unmet medical need”. In addition, a phase II trial for the intravenous form for postoperative OBD and a phase I trial for an oral form of the drug in healthy volunteers have also been completed.

Wyeth’s senior vice-president and president of research, Robert R Ruffolo, said: “The collaboration has been working with agility and speed, making important progress in shaping the clinical development of all three forms of methylnaltrexone.”

“Opioid-induced and post-operative bowel dysfunctions represent serious medical needs for which there are currently no approved prescription therapies. As methylnaltrexone achieves clinical and regulatory milestones, we plan to communicate our progress regularly,” he concluded.

In December 2005, Progenics and Wyeth entered an agreement worth over $400 million (215.5 million pounds) for the development of the drug, dependent on certain milestones.

Last week, GlaxoSmithKline announced that Adolor, with which it had developed Entereg, another drug for OBD, had sent a “complete response” to the FDA in order to aid the regulatory approval of the drug.

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