Halt of Celebrex Study Threatens Drug's Future, Other Trials

Abstract

New research indicates Pfizer9s COX-2 inhibitor Celebrex may cause increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, leading to the halting of some clinical trials involving the drug. Dozens of other COX-2 inhibitor trials are undergoing careful review. The scenario is strikingly similar to what happened this fall to Merck9s COX-2 inhibitor Vioxx, which the Food and Drug Administration subsequently removed from the market.