"Chemo mouth" treatment Gelclair launches in USA

California-based Jaguar Health (Nasdaq: JAZX) today announced the US launch of Gelclair, the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved mucoadhesive on the market indicated for the management of pain caused by oral mucositis, a debilitating complication of cancer treatment.

Oral mucositis, also called “chemo mouth,” is a painful inflammation of the mouth’s mucous membranes that has emerged as the #1 most significant adverse event in oncology, according to a National Comprehensive Cancer Network task force. Chemo mouth affects up to 40% of all patients treated with chemotherapy and 90% of patients with head and neck cancers treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, negatively impacting diet, nutrition, oral hygiene, and quality of life.

The economic consequences are far from trivial, with the incremental cost of oral mucositis exceeding $17,000 for patients with head and neck cancer, Jaguar pointed out, whose shares were up 4.1% at $1.21 in mid-morning trading.