Lyrica Receives FDA Approval to Treat Fibromyalgia

Friday June 22, 2007

Lyrica (pregabalin capsules CV) was approved June 21, 2007 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of fibromyalgia. The approval of Lyrica was long-awaited because it is the first medicine that is FDA-approved to treat fibromyalgia. Lyrica is marketed by Pfizer. Lyrica has been prescribed to more than 5 million patients throughout the world. The drug was previously FDA-approved for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy and post-herpetic neuralgia and as an additional therapy for adults with partial onset seizures.

According to the American College of Rheumatology, fibromyalgia affects between 2 to 4 percent of the population. Other drugs such as analgesics, NSAIDs, sleep medications, muscle relaxers, and antidepressants have been used to control fibromyalgia symptoms including:

pain and tenderness in the muscles and joints
fatigue
sleeping problems
other widespread symptoms

Symptoms associated with fibromyalgia have been linked to neurological changes related to how patients perceive pain. Fibromyalgia patients experience a heightened sensitivity to stimuli that are not normally painful. Lyrica binds to a protein within nerve cells responsible for the heightened sensitivity. In clinical trials, patients receiving Lyrica had "rapid and sustained" improvement in pain levels compared to placebo. Patients receiving Lyrica also reported that they felt better and had improved physical function.

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