Pharmaceutical Agent
In contemporary world of eating disorders there are many pharmaceuticals emerging in order to heal or relieve pain of patients (Sweeney, 2011). One of the leading companies is Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. (SLXP). This is a company that persistently works on developing and commercializing pharmaceuticals necessary for treatment of gastrointestinal illnesses. There are several agents they have for sales. One of such prescriptive drugs is Colazal (balsalazide disodium) created for treating mild ulcerative colitis.
Intended Market
The company is successfully operating on the US pharmaceutical market. It is necessary to say that SLXP tends to strive for the best results and become a leader in pharmacy industry of the United States. They skillfully exercise promotion programs through the sales management. However, the recent tendencies of the inner policy of the company are specializing around marketing the products outside of the country. This comprises efforts to make trustworthy alliances outside of the US in order to promote products of the company outside of the state. This will surely mean mutually beneficial relationships of Salix with the alliance made otherwise enormous costs and risks are unavoidable. It needs to be noted that the staff of Salix office located in Morrisville, NC comprises 240 people.
Regulations
It has been proven that Colazal is an effective medicine. However, as with any pharmaceutical group it needs to be taken carefully and according to the necessary regulations. As such, it is important to know about side effects of taking this drug medicine. The colitis symptoms may worsen. A person may get a fever, stomach ache, or even bloody diarrhea. It is sometimes observed that patients may get bleeding from rectum. Other symptoms that sign to immediate stopping of taking Colazal are pale skin and barely seen bruises. In case any of these symptoms appear, an emergency medical help has to be provided. The less serious problems are headache and sleep disorders (Salix Pharmaceuticals Inc., 2011).
The pharmaceutical is approved by the FDA in 2000. It is meant to treat active colitis ranging pain from mild to moderate. In 2007 the Office of Generic Drugs (OGD) successfully approved balsalazide capsules. There was an agreement established with Watson Pharma, Inc. that they will sell and produce generic of Colazal.
As such, there were preventive regulations adopted. Before taking this medicine a person has to inform a doctor on the chemicals he/she is allergic to. Among the chemicals that prevent taking Colazal are aspirin, NSAIDs, ibuprofen, celecoxib, or salicylates (e.g., salsalate). Also, there are some inactive chemicals that may further cause some problems or allergies. So, talking to a pharmacist or doctor is vitally important. Among the regulations is telling the doctor about stomach blockage, liver or kidney illnesses, if any. It is necessary to mention that the company makes it evident to all of the patients and doctors promoting the drug that Colazal cannot be taken by children or teenagers in case of current chickenpox or flu after a live virus vaccination.
Patents and Promotional Strategy
Although Colazal has gotten FDA approval it does not mean the agent will become commercially available. The pharmaceutical, however, has been distributed among physicians in the United States since 2001. Notable, five years later the company got approval from FDA for usage at pediatric treatment between 5 and 17 years of age. Moreover, the medicine was granted orphan drug designation.
References
Salix Pharmaceuticals Inc. (2011). Advancing Treatment in Gastroenterology. Web.
Sweeney, T., Thompson, C. (2011). Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: A Journey Through Life, Ulcerative Colitis, and the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Bonners Feery: CreateSpace.