A Study of Flurbiprofen 8.75 mg Lozenge in Patients With Pharyngitis

A Repeat-Dose, Multi-Centre, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Study to Determine the Safety and Efficacy of Flurbiprofen 8.75 mg Lozenge Compared to Its Vehicle Control Lozenge in Patients With Painful Pharyngitis

The purposes of this study is to demonstrate the analgesic efficacy of flurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenge compared to its vehicle lozenge and to demonstrate the safety of the flurbiprofen lozenge throughout the course of treating sore throat due to acute pharyngitis.

Per randomization to the treatments and under double-blind conditions, patients were instructed to suck 1 sugar-based, flavoured flurbiprofen 8.75 mg lozenge or 1 sugar-based, flavoured matching vehicle control/placebo lozenge and remained at the study center for a 2-hour observation period to assess their responses to the study medication during the initial 2-hour post-dose period. Patients were allowed a dose of rescue medication (acetaminophen 650mg), as needed, post-treatment dosing during the study.

After the initial 2 hours in the research center, patients were discharged with an outpatient diary to continue (while awake) to document hourly assessments of Sore Throat Pain Intensity Scale (STPIS), Difficulty Swallowing Scale (DSS), and Swollen Throat Scale (SwoTS) through 24 hours. They used the assigned lozenges as needed every 3-6 hours, up to 5 lozenges over 24 hours. A Follow-Up Visit was conducted for the 24-hour assessments.

Patients received additional study lozenges for use as needed (up to 5 lozenges per 24 hours) over the following 6 days, rescue medication (acetaminophen 650 mg) and a Diary to document their safety and efficacy assessments immediately before and postdose after each as-needed use of a lozenge for the remaining days in the 7-day treatment period. At the end of the 7-day trial, patients returned to the research center for final assessments, review of adverse events over the week, and discharge from the study.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. The patient has a complaint of sore throat.
2. If the patient is a female of childbearing potential, she has been using effective contraception since the last date of menses and is not breast-feeding or lactating.
3. If the patient is a female of childbearing potential, the patient must have a negative urine pregnancy.
4. The patient has provided written informed consent prior to any study-related procedures.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. The patient has a history of an upper gastrointestinal ulcer within the past 60 days, is currently experiencing clinically significant upper gastrointestinal complaints, or is currently taking medication regularly (≥ three times in the previous week).
2. The patient has a history of any hepatic disease or renal dysfunction.
3. The patient has a history of chronic analgesic use (≥ three times per week over the prior four weeks). (Patients on low-dose aspirin therapy may be allowed in the study per investigator's clinical decision.)