Salix Pharmaceuticals

Salix hopes to gain full FDA approval to market Metozolv as a short-term therapy (4-12 weeks) for adults with symptomatic, documented gastroesophageal reflux (GERD or heartburn) who fail to respond to conventional therapy, and for the relief of symptoms associated with acute and recurrent diabetic gastroparesis, or delayed emptying of the stomach. Salix currently has 96 salespeople and wants to hire and additional 64 people to its sales force this year to help push the new product.

Drugs for such gastrointestinal ailments as gastroparesis are few and far between and not without their issues. It remains to be seen if when Metozolv hits the market, it will carry the same black box warning already on Reglan, an oral tablet form of metoclopramide that is swallowed. The boxed warning came after it was revealed that long-term use of the drug was linked to a serious involuntary movement disorder known as Tardive Dyskinesia. There is no known cure for the condition, and symptoms may persist even after the medication has been discontinued.

Source: The News & Observer

SOURCE: Reglan Side Effects › Salix plans to increase sales force to push new gastroparesis drug