01/27/2010 Pfizer says it has withdrawn a supplemental NDA for a new indication for Lyrica (pregabalin) for adjunctive
treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. The company made the announcement in an update on its pipeline reduction resulting from its acquisition of Wyeth last
year. Already approved for treating partial seizures, pain following the rash of shingles and pain associated with diabetic
neuropathy, Lyrica in 2007 became the first drug approved to treat fibromyalgia, a disorder characterized by pain, fatigue
and sleep problems. Pfizer
says its new combined company has resulted in about 100 products being dropped from its pipeline. The new “prioritized
portfolio” includes about 500 projects across a broad range of diseases. Acquiring Wyeth has led to a growth in vaccines
and biologics, which Pfizer says is part of its goal of becoming a top-tier biotherapeutics company by 2015.
The company's pipeline now includes a total of six vaccines and 27 biologics in development, up from one vaccine
and 16 biologics at the last pipeline update 3/09. The revised pipeline also includes 30 compounds for various oncology indications,
10 compounds in development for Alzheimer's disease, and 19 for pain and inflammation. The new combined company pipeline has
34 new molecular entities and new indications in Phase 3 trials, it says.
