molecules of the month

Context. HR1405-01 (Nanjing Heron Pharmaceutical) is an intravenous NSAID with inflammatory and analgesic activities. Oral NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen..) are widely used, and it is interesting to see justification for a new intravenous NSAID. Intravenous ibuprofen was the first intravenous NSAID to be approved, following which a couple of other agents have also been approved for fever treatment. Intravenous NSAIDs can be desirable due to the potential to combine them with opioids to reduce risk of dependence. However, poor solubility and side effects associated with these drugs have limited their clinical use. Nominated by Bryan McKibben, HR1405-01 is an active metabolite of loxoprofen, an oral phenylpropionate NSAID approved in Brazil, Mexico, and Japan for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and postoperative…