Methylprednisolone suleptanate Pharmacia Corp.
Methylprednisolone suleptanate (Promedrol) is a prodrug of methylprednisolone being developed by Pharmacia Corp (formerly Pharmacia & Upjohn) for the treatment of asthma. It has been approved for this indication in Switzerland and is awaiting registration in several other countries [211246]. Preliminary preclinical data indicated the potential use of methylprednisolone suleptanate for the i.v. treatment of immunological disease. Its anti-inflammatory/bronchodilatory effect was demonstrated in mice and rats and in a guinea pig model [271975]. Animal models have also demonstrated the use of methylprednisolone suleptanate for the treatment of nephritis and hypotension. Efficacy and safety of pulse therapy Promedrol was demonstrated in a phase II trial using lupus nephritis patients. The recommended dose for pulse therapy is 400 mg equivalent/day i.v. [271975]. Other studies in lupus patients have shown that doses of up to 1000 mg/day are well tolerated [307789] and pulse therapy with either 400 or 800 mg/day are efficacious in delaying the onset of CNS symptoms in SLE patients with organic brain disease [307512]. Preclinical studies are also taking place for the potential treatment of spinal cord injury [344254]. In April 2000, Morgan Stanley Dean Witter estimated sales would be US $281 million in 2003, rising to $277 million in 2004 [375906].
University of Pisa Fisiopatologia Respiratoria Ospedale di Cisanello via Paradisa 2 Pisa 56100, Italy. ppaggiaro@qubisoft.it
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D000818:Animals; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015507:Drugs, Investigational / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015507:Drugs, Investigational; D011355:Prodrugs; C052305:methylprednisolone suleptanate; D008775:Methylprednisolone