Innovative drug for enlarged prostate

A potent non-surgical alternative for the treatment of enlarged prostate or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) was unveiled at a press conference at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel recently.

A new once-daily formulation that uses the unique Geomatrix Technology delivery system, Xatral OD is a triple-layered extended release tablet with the active drug alfuzosine HCI contained within a matrix between two non-active layers.

With the introduction of this gradual release medicine, the efficacy of pharmacological therapy is now maintained over a 24-hour period, making it more convenient for patients to achieve round-the-clock therapy with no need for any dose titration.

BPH is the most common neoplastic growth affecting aging men. It is the most common benign tumor in men and its incidence is age-related. Three-fourths of men with BPH report at least one symptom to be bothersome in their daily lives.

The incidence of histological BPH is considered to be as high as 50 percent in men aged 60, rising to 88 percent among those aged 80.

The reference treatment for the disease is a surgical procedure called Trans-Urethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP). Not all BPH sufferers are candidates for surgery. But even those who are waiting for surgery could benefit from a treatment that would improve their condition.

The rationale of the pharmacological approaches to the treatment of BPH is based on the concept that the bladder outlet obstruction secondary to BPH has two components: Static component – related to the anatomic obstruction caused by the enlarged prostate, and Dynamic component – related to the neurally controlled tone of prostatic smooth muscle.

This concept has led to two different therapeutic approaches: suppression of androgens, male hormones having a key role on the growth of the prostate, and blockade of alpha-adreneceptors, which permits the relaxation of the bladder outlet.

Since 1993, the International Consensus Committee on BPH has recommended Alpha-1 adreneceptor antagonists or alpha-blockers as an appropriate therapeutic option for patients with bothersome symptoms.