Pfizer's Lyrica approved by EC for central neuropathic pain

US drug giant Pfizer says that its drug Lyrica (pregabalin capsules) has been approved by the European Commission for the treatment of central neuropathic pain. Previously, the agent was approved as a therapy for nerve pain associated with spinal cord injury and stroke, as well as multiple sclerosis. The approval is based on the results of a 13-week, radomized, placebo-controlled study that enrolled 137 patients, which demonstrated that the drug brought about significant reductions in pain when compared with placebo. Furthermore, 42% of patients in the Lyrica group experienced a clinically-meaningful response to treatment versus 16% in the placebo arm.