ePillz.com - Anti-Smoking Drug Champix Is Expected in Europe Soon

Anti-Smoking Drug Champix Is Expected in Europe Soon

July 28, 2006 - Pfizer Inc. –

A novel anti-smoking drug Chantix has received "green light" from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), allowing it to start its way to the market of the European Union, according to the official press-release, issued by Pfizer Inc., the manufacturer of the drug.

Pfizer, one of the world leaders in pharmaceutical business, is known for many revolutionary achievements in developing and manufacturing drugs to treat human diseases. Viagra, Celebrex, Exubera, Zoloft, Lipitor, Rogaine, Zantac, Benadryl and many, many others are among the most well-known products by Pfizer.

Champix is the newest company’s development. It was approved by the American Food and Drug Administration as the treatment of smoking addiction in May, 2006. Now the company is working hard to get the approval from the European authorities to sell their product on the European market too.

The positive opinion from CHMP, which is a part of the European Medicines Evaluation Agency, is the first step for Pfizer Inc. to enter the EU market with its Champix. Now the CHMP recommendations will be reviewed by the European Commission, a top authority to allow marketing of the new medications in the European Union countries. The approval is expected in the nearest few months.

The appearance of the new drug to help people quit smoking is far more than timely, taking into account the threatening scales of smoking-related diseases spreading. Pfizer says in its press-release that more than 1.2 million people die each year from smoking related diseases in Europe alone. By 2010, the World Health Organization estimates the annual global cost of tobacco-related illness to be approximately $500 billion.

It is quite understandable that under such circumstances Chantix drew the attention of health authorities not only in the USA, but in the European Union as well. Moreover, the market of anti-smoking medications still requires new, effective and safe medications.

Chantix is a unique medication, designed to reduce the withdrawal symptoms and cravings for nicotine, which usually appear when a person stops smoking. But this is not the only sphere of Chantix mode of action. The medication also diminishes the sense of satisfaction, commonly associated with smoking. Thus, taking Chantix, a patient receives the comprehensive help to overcome the withdrawal symptoms and reliable protection from the temptation to start smoking again.

Moreover, Pfizer has recently presented the online support program GETQUIT for those people, who take Chantix. The program is available at www.chantix.com and it is designed to provide patients with encouragements, advices and information on strategies to overcome cravings for nicotine. GETQUIT also offers patients the possibility to create personalized web-pages to track their success on the way to cigarette-free life.

Nick

External resources
http://www.pfizer.com/pfizer/main.jsp
http://www.chantix.com/
http://mediaroom.pfizer.com/index.php?s=press_releases&item=82