Pfizer touts strong Ph III results for Lyrica CR for postherpetic neuralgia

Shares of US pharma giant Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) gained 2.7% to $31.97 in after-hours trading yesterday, after it released top-line results from a double-blind Phase III study evaluating pregabalin controlled-release (CR) formulation in adult patients with postherpetic neuralgia (pain after shingles or PHN).

Marketed under the trade name Lyrica, the drug is one of Pfizer’s best selling products, generating revenues of $1.32 billion in the third quarter of 2014. The drug already faces generic competition in Canada and face a similar situation in Europe in 2016. However, earlier this year a US appeals court upheld the composition patent through December 2018, thus staving off competition in the all-important US market.

The results show that pregabalin CR resulted in a statistically-significant positive effect compared to placebo in the primary endpoint, time to loss of therapeutic response (LTR) in pain reduction. PHN is a type of peripheral neuropathic pain caused by nerve damage. Symptoms include continued burning or electric shock-like pain.