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Saturday, March 17, 2012

FDA panel recommends droxidopa for neurogenic orthostatic hypotension.

Dow Jones Newswires (2/24, Tadena, Subscription Publication) reports an advisory panel for the US Food and Drug Administration has recommended approval of a drug called droxidopa [Northera], used to treat symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension.
        Bloomberg News (2/24, Edney) reports the medication is made by Chelsea Therapeutics International Ltd., and is intended "to treat a condition that can cause dizziness in people with central nervous system disorders." The reviewers "voted 7-4 today in Silver Spring, Maryland, the treatment called Northera, potentially the company's first on the market, should be approved." The agency "is scheduled to decide whether to clear the drug for sale by March 28."
        "An FDA staff review released before the meeting had recommended against approval, citing lack of evidence that the drug is effective for longer than four weeks and 'worrisome safety signals' seen in clinical trials," MedPage Today (2/24, Gever) adds. "Chelsea's marketing application was based largely on two randomized trials and an open-label extension to one of them." Though "one of the randomized studies failed to meet its primary efficacy endpoint, which the FDA staff review noted among the drug's negatives." Also covering the story is Reuters (2/24, Morgan).

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