6 Week Open-label Trial With Lumiracoxib 200mg o.d. in Primary Knee Osteoarthritis or Rheumatoid Arthritis

A 6 Week, Multicenter, Open-label Trial to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of Lumiracoxib 200mg o.d. in Patients With Primary Knee Osteoarthritis or Rheumatoid Arthritis

This study tested the safety, tolerability and efficacy of lumiracoxib - a COX-2 inhibitor- in patients with primary knee osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Requirement of regular NSAID therapy
• With primary osteoarthritis of the target knee (by ACR Criteria) or with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (by ACR Criteria)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Evidence of active ulceration of the UGI tract within 6 months prior to the screening visit or history of active bleeding of the UGI tract within the previous 5 years. As well as with pyloric or duodenal obstruction or with history of gastrointestinal parasites.
• History of cardiac and cerebral thrombotic/ischemic diseases and/or events
• Patients taking additional NSAIDs (including COX-2 inhibitors) during the course of the study.

Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply