Salix to discuss XIFAXAN therapy for hepatic encephalopathy at AASLD 2010 Annual Meeting

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Nov 1 2010

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:SLXP) today announced that the 61^st Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD 2010) will be an important venue for ongoing discussion of hepatic encephalopathy, or HE. Numerous posters and oral presentations provide insight regarding HE's burden on patients, caregivers and the healthcare system; the earlier identification and diagnosis of HE; the growing recognition of the importance of aggressive management of HE; and the use of XIFAXAN^® (rifaximin) 550 mg for the reduction in risk of overt HE recurrence.

“Impact of Rifaximin Treatment on Survival in Patients with End-stage Liver Disease.”

"In the last decade, HE-related hospitalizations have more than doubled. Today, an estimated one third to one half of all hospitalizations in cirrhotic patients are partially or wholly attributable to hepatic encephalopathy," stated Bill Forbes, Executive Vice President, Research and Development and Chief Development Officer, Salix, "Hepatic encephalopathy signifies a poor prognosis with one-year and three-year mortality rates of 58 percent and 77 percent, respectively, after presentation of the first episode of acute HE. The introduction of XIFAXAN 550 mg, the first new therapy approved for HE in 30 years, is providing physicians a much-needed therapy to manage their patients and to help patients break the cycle of relapse. Additionally, the availability of this tolerable and efficacious treatment for overt HE has re-energized the HE research community and challenged physicians to more aggressively approach HE therapy with the intention of improving treatment success and long-term outcomes."

Rifaximin-Related Presentations at AASLD

Oral Presentation #24: Leise et al. "Impact of Rifaximin Treatment on Survival in Patients with End-stage Liver Disease." Sunday, Oct. 31, 2010, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m., Hynes, Room 312

This analysis compared the long term effect of rifaximin by comparing survival in HE patients receiving rifaximin (long-term open label trial) versus patients awaiting liver transplantation (Organ Procurement and Transplant network).

Oral Presentation #19: Vlachogiannakos et al. "Long-term Administration of Rifaximin Improves the Prognosis of Patients with Alcohol-related Decompensated Cirrhosis: A Case-control study." Sunday, Oct. 31, 2010, 1:00 - 2:30 pm, Hynes, Room 312

This study evaluated the effect of intestinal decontamination with rifaximin (1200 mg for 4 weeks) on the long-term prognosis of 23 patients with alcohol-related decompensated cirrhosis and ascites. Five-year cumulative probability of survival data were obtained.

Oral Presentation #22: Bajaj et al. "Rifaximin Improves Driving Simulator Performance in Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy: A Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Prospective Randomized Trial." Sunday, Oct. 31, 2010, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m., Hynes, Room 312

A total of 42 MHE patients, diagnosed using a battery of five tests of cognitive function (CB) and without overt HE, participated in the eight-week trial. Patients initially underwent a baseline evaluation of driving and navigation simulation (outcomes were speeding tickets, collisions and illegal turns), Quality of Life with Sickness Impact Profile (SIP, which includes physical/psycho-social scores), ammonia and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, in addition to the CB. Patients were randomized to receive XIFAXAN 550 mg or placebo twice-daily (BID)>Gastroenterology.

Poster #1192: Krag et. al. "Systematic Review and Meta-analyses of Randomised Trials on Ammonia lowering Regimens for Hepatic Encephalopathy." Monday, Nov. 1, 2010, 8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Hynes, Exhibit Hall C.