FRX Forest Road Acquisition Corp

Campral(R) is Safe and Well-Tolerated in Long-Term Treatment of Alcohol Dependence According to Results Presented at American Society of Addiction Medicine Conference - Researcher Awarded ASAM's Highest Honor for Scientific Merit - DALLAS, April 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Forest Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:FRX) today announced results of two analyses of several studies demonstrating that Campral(R) (acamprosate calcium) Delayed-Release Tablets is safe and well-tolerated in the long-term treatment of alcohol dependence. The report(1), which was presented today at the 36th Annual Medical-Scientific Conference of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), found Campral to be safe and well tolerated in studies up to one year, even in patients taking other drugs such as antidepressants and analgesics.(1) "These data are important because they show that Campral is safe for alcohol-dependent patients and even in those who may be taking other medications," said investigator Richard N. Rosenthal, MD, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. "Unlike older treatments for alcohol dependence, Campral is not metabolized through the liver. Its favorable long-term safety profile makes it an attractive new option to help reduce relapse in patients committed to staying abstinent from alcohol." The abstract "Acamprosate is Safe and Well-Tolerated in the Long-Term Treatment of Alcohol Dependence" received this year's ASAM Medical-Scientific Program Committee Award for having the highest rating for scientific merit. The ASAM Conference Program Committee reviewers grant this award to one abstract each year. The award is based on the presentation of new ideas or findings of importance to the field of addiction medicine, the methodology used and clarity of presentation. Results The abstract contained data from two key analyses. The first analysis assessed five year-long, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies (n=1681) to determine long-term safety and tolerability of Campral in alcohol-dependent patients, 16 to 70 years of age.(1) In this five-study analysis, patients were randomized to receive either Campral 1332 mg/day or Campral 1998 mg/day with counseling, or placebo plus counseling. A second analysis reviewed four long-term studies and six short term studies (n=3395). The aim of this second analysis was to evaluate the impact of concomitant medications on the tolerability profile of Campral versus placebo. In the first analysis, the overall incidence of spontaneously reported adverse events was similar between the Campral 1998 mg/day group and the placebo group.(1) Rates of adverse events for the combined Campral group (1998 mg and 1332 mg) were higher than placebo (59 percent vs 52 percent; P