Future Prescriber最新文献

Current treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) is effective in less than 50% of patients. Retreatment with the same regimen is poorly effective. The advent of direct-acting antiviral agents that target replication of HCV promises to improve therapy for the disease. Telaprevir is a new protease inhibitor that specifically targets the NS3/4A serine protease, rapidly reducing HCV ribonucleic acid (RNA) levels. Several phase 2 and phase 3 studies have assessed the efficacy and safety of telaprevir. The author discusses the results of these studies, which suggest that the addition of this specific protease inhibitor to PEG-IFN-alpha2 and RBV can signifi cantly improve the results of treatment in patients affected with chronic HCV infection with genotype 1, compared with the standard treatment. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Lixisenatide and albiglutide are glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists in clinical development that are similar to exenatide and liraglutide. This review critically considers the emerging evidence on the pharmacology, efficacy, safety and potential roles these two agents may have in clinical practice.

This series of company profiles looks at some of the major players in the UK pharmaceutical industry, their current areas of expertise, and forthcoming products and initiatives that will have an impact on therapeutics and prescribing in the near future. In this article we provide an overview of Lundbeck and its current portfolio, and look at its pipeline of new drugs and areas of research interest.

Plasma concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and its major protein component apolipoprotein (apo) A-I are strongly inversely correlated with cardiovascular risk, leading to the notion that therapy to increase HDL-C and apoA-I concentrations would be antiatherosclerotic and protective against cardiovascular disease (CVD) events.1,2 In this article, the authors discuss how inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) could potentially lead to an increase in HDL-C with a subsequent reduction in CVD events, a hypothesis being tested by the development of the drugs anacetrapib and dalcetrapib.

Saxagliptin (Onglyza) now offers a further treatment option for patients with type 2 diabetes and moderate to severe renal impairment, improving glycaemic control compared with placebo with a favourable tolerability profile.

Antiplatelet drugs such as aspirin and clopidogrel are the cornerstone of atherothrombotic prevention in patients with ACS following percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass grafting. However, due to variable response with these drugs many patients still experience atherothrombotic complications despite treatment. Ticagrelor (Brilique) reversibly and selectively inhibits adenosine diphosphate-mediated platelet activation. Because it does not require metabolic activation in the liver, it has rapid onset and is less likely to exhibit interpatient variability.

This series of company profiles looks at some of the major players in the UK pharmaceutical industry, their current areas of expertise, and forthcoming products and initiatives that will have an impact on therapeutics and prescribing in the near future. In this article we provide an overview of Boehringer Ingelheim and its recent strategic alliance with Eli Lilly & Co to develop new treatments for diabetes, a new therapeutic area for the company.

Advances in lung cancer therapy continue to impress - but can the NHS afford to keep pace with the service provision required to make optimal use of new targeted drugs?

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is increasing in prevalence and a major threat to health. Unfortunately, 60% of patients do not achieve a target HbA1c of .7%. Reasons for this include compliance issues, sideeffects, weight gain and fear of hypoglycaemia. A new once-weekly preparation of exenatide, a GLP-1 mimetic, has shown promise in patient-focussed perspectives such as quality of life, satisfaction and compliance. In this article the authors consider the clinical evidence to date relating to efficacy and adverse effects and the implications of these in the treatment of T2D.

Pain management in primary care relies on a combination of pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments. Opioid analgesics are widely employed but long-term use can lead to side-effects and issues including drug tolerance. In this article, Anthony Dickenson considers tapentadol, the first in a new class of centrally acting analgesics with two mechanisms of action in a single molecule and the promise of fewer sideeffects than pure opioid agonists.