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Oral drug effective for 38% wins okay
ROCKVILLE, Md.-The first oral agent for relief of chronic interstitial cystitis has won the FDA’s approval.
In studies of pentosan polysulfate (Elmiron, Baker Norton) with those fitting NIH’s definition of IC, 100 mg three times a day gave 38% of patients more than 50% improvement in bladder pain, vs. 18% of placebo controls.
Though some patients respond quickly and dramatically, it may take three to six months for the drug to take effect. The drugmaker says that in unblinded studies about 50% of those who didn’t respond to catheter-delivered DMSO-the only other medical therapy for IC-did respond to pentosan polysulfate.
The drug, says the maker, will cost patients about $5 a day. -Mark Bloom
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