Rofecoxib ts a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) launched
in Mexico, its first market, for the management of acute pain and the treatment
of osteoarthritis (OA) and primary dysmenorrhea. Rofecoxib can be obtained by
several different ways; one example is by arylation of a 4-bromofuranone with a
phenylboronic acid under Suzuki conditions. Rofecoxib is a highly selective
inhibitor of COX-2, the inducible isoform of cyclooxygenase and therefore
exhibits a potent antiinflammatory activity without concomitant gastric or renal
toxicities linked to the non-specific COX-1/2 inhibitors. In several clinical studies
in patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis, Rofecoxib was evaluated at 12.5-50
mg doses once daily: it demonstrated efficacy for all primary and secondary endpoints at doses considerably weaker than those for classical non-specific
NSAIDs, with good tolerance and less adverse effects. Selective COX-2
inhibitors potentially have a large spectrum of activity including new indications
such as Alzheimer's disease, colorectal cancer, irritable bowel disease or
urinary incontinence.
