Pfizer's Lyrica performs in Japanese fibromyalgia trial

Pfizer has racked up some positive data for Lyrica in Japan. A new study found that fibromyalgia patients saw a statistically significant reduction in their mean pain score after treatment with Lyrica versus a placebo. The preliminary data will be sliced and diced further, Pfizer said in a statement, presumably in hopes of gaining a new indication for the drug.

Lyrica is approved in Japan for peripheral neuropathic pain, but not yet for treating fibromyalgia. "We are pleased with the top-line results of this study and look forward to more fully understanding the potential benefits that Lyrica may bring to fibromyalgia patients in Japan," Pfizer Japan VP Akihisa Harada said in a statement. Pfizer co-markets Lyrica in Japan with Eisai. 

The 16-week study comprised 501 patients scattered across Japan. The participants were given either a placebo drug or 300 to 450 mg of Lyrica per day. Among the most common adverse events were sleepiness, dizziness, weight gain and constipation. The drug is approved for use in fibromyalgia patients in the U.S., the first treatment FDA-approved for management of the disorder.

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