The Prime Therapies lawsuit is one of the most common patent infringement lawsuits in the country. The patent being issued to Prime Therapies is for an anti-inflammatory pain med called Celebrex. Over the past ten years, however, a new anti-inflammatory agent called Celebrex was released into the market by Janssen Pharmaceuticals. The drug was originally designed to reduce swelling associated with arthritis and in turn reduce the pain associated with it.
Unfortunately, Celebrex was never intended to perform as intended.
As with many other medications on the market, Celebrex works by blocking receptors in the brain that are responsible for pain. The drug is clinically known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Unfortunately, it has been found to cause serious side effects in some patients when taken over a long period of time.
Because of these findings, the US Patent and Trademark Office have decided to deny the new drug a patent because it will require too many needless changes to be made to the medicine.
According to the USPTO, the new medicine is not capable of treating or curing arthritis. The USPTO is leaning towards granting the prime therapeutic indications for the drug rather than the claims of therapeutic value made by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, the company that holds the exclusive rights to prime Therapies. The drug therefore must seek approval from the European Medicines Agency and the Food and Drug Administration.
If this drug proves to be a legitimate treatment for osteoarthritis then it may become the gold standard for pain meds.
However, until such time arises, it is recommended that patients continue to use their current arthritis treatments, including glucosamine, chondroitin, and joint protection injections. Chondroitin has been found to reduce inflammation in osteoarthritis, which may help relieve some of the symptoms of the disease. While Chondroitin may not cure osteoarthritis, it may significantly reduce the debilitating effects of the disease.
A number of people suffering from arthritis are now turning to therapeutic exercise as a means to manage their pain.
In vitro and animal studies at the University of Florida have shown promising results in the use of NSAIDS, which may be beneficial for reducing pain and improving joint function. However, it is unclear how much of the therapeutic effect is due to the drug and how much is related to the improvement of the patient’s condition. For this reason, it may take years before we have enough data to determine whether the use of NSAIDS in arthritis sufferers is safe and effective.
In the meantime, patients with joint or muscle pain should discuss any therapeutic use with their physician or pharmacist before beginning any regimen.
Doctors and pharmacists are generally aware of all prime meridian drug information and can provide patients with reliable advice on which therapy may be best for them. While arthritis is a progressive disease, patients need to make every effort to avoid injury during activities of daily living, such as driving, and should wear protective gear if possible. Prime meridian therapy is not recommended for anyone with a history of liver disease, diabetes, obesity, congestive heart failure or other serious medical conditions.
