Clinical pharmacology of selective COX-2 inhibitors
Abstract
The discovery of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 has provided the rationale for the development of a new class of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), the selective COX-2 inhibitors (denominated coxibs), with the aim of reducing the gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity associated with the administration of NSAIDs by virtue of COX-1 sparing. Rofecoxib and celecoxib are the first selective COX-2 inhibitors approved by the FDA and EMEA for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA) and for relief of acute pain. Rofecoxib has been shown to spare COX-1 activity ex vivo, in platelets and gastric mucosa, when administered at therapeutic doses or above. In a large clinical trial, COX-2 inhibitors have been demonstrated to halve the incidence of serious upper GI events vs a nonselective NSAID. Recently, other selective COX-2 inhibitors with different COX-1/COX-2 selectivity and pharmacokinetic features have been developed, i.e. valdecoxib, parecoxib, etoricoxib and lumiracoxib. The improved biochemical selectivity of valdecoxib vs celecoxib in vitro (COX-1/COX-2 ratio: 60 vs 30, respectively) may be clinically relevant leading to an improved GI safety. Interestingly, parecoxib, a pro-drug of valdecoxib, is the only injectable coxib. Etoricoxib, showing only a slightly higher COX-2 selectivity than rofecoxib in vitro (COX-1/COX-2 ratio: 344 vs 272, respectively), has been reported to cause a similar specific COX-2 inhibition ex vivo that should translate into comparable…
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