The medicine from Asamedic will be launched on Wednesday at 12 noon. Norway will be the first country where it goes on sale. CEO Geir Ivar Westen of Asamedic describes the new product in an interview with the patent agency Onsagers. The medicine has been named Coxor, and consists of a small container the size of a lipstick. The bottle’s cap is filled with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), the active ingredient in aspirin, in powder form. In the bottle there is a solvent. – By screwing on the cap, the powder falls into the container with the solvent. Unlike water, this liquid dissolves ASA in just a few seconds, says Westen. Taken up more quickly, ASA can have a good effect in the treatment of heart attacks. It is a blood-thinning agent which ensures that the blood supply to the heart is maintained. A randomized study published in PubMed in October shows the absorption of ASA in people who had drunk aspirin dissolved in liquid, three minutes after ingestion. The level in the blood was up to twice as high compared to people who took aspirin by chewing a tablet. As of today, chewing a tablet is the recommended method of ingesting ASA as quickly as possible if a heart attack is suspected. – A significant proportion of those who die from heart attacks die while waiting for medical help. Access to such a solution is beneficial and will be able to save lives, says specialist director Steinar Madsen at the Norwegian Medicines Agency to NTB. Subject director Steinar Madsen at the Norwegian Medicines Agency believes the new medicine can save lives. Photo: news When Dispril disappeared, the Norwegian Medicines Agency has been involved in the process of approving Coxor for sale without a prescription. It happened in 2021, but the medicine has not been on sale yet. – The principle of dissolving ASA in liquid is not new. Before the preparation Dispril, we had a tablet with ASA that you dissolved in water and drank, says Madsen. 12 years ago, Dispril disappeared from the market, according to Dagens Medisin. Since then, tablets have had to be chewed or crushed to get the fastest possible effect. In other countries, liquid ASA is available in capsules, but they also do not produce as fast an effect as the new product. – It is nice to have access to a preparation now that is easy to use, says Madsen. He recommends that everyone in the risk zone, especially people over the age of 65, have painkillers with acetylsalicylic acid available, especially in situations where it may take time before you get help from health personnel. (© NTB)
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