Transdermal Ketoprofen to Treat Mild to Moderate Osteoarthritis (OA) Pain of the Knee

Proof-of-concept study, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled study designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a transdermal ketoprofen patch with CHADD heat versus a placebo patch with dummy heat in patients with mild to moderate pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. After screening, patients discontinue all analgesic medication (except ≤325 mg aspirin daily for cardioprotective purposes). Patients selected a target knee (right or left), and all efficacy evaluations were completed with respect to this target knee. After discontinuing analgesics for at least 48 hours, and when the average pain intensity over the previous 24 hours for the target knee was ≥40 mm using a 100 mm visual analog scale (VAS), patients were randomized in a 1:1 fashion to receive treatment with either the transdermal ketoprofen patch with CHADD heat or the placebo patch with dummy heat. Patients treated the target knee each night for 12 hours (± 1 hour) for 4 weeks. Patients returned to the study site every 7 days (± 1 day) for study evaluations. Throughout the study, patients were allowed to take up to 2000 mg acetaminophen per day as rescue medication; however, rescue medication was not allowed within the 48 hours prior to efficacy evaluations.

Inclusion criteria

• Patient is between forty (40) and seventy-five (75) years of age.
• Patient has clinically diagnosed radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis of the knee within the past year.

Exclusion criteria

• Patient has known allergy to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (including aspirin) or has a suspected hypersensitivity, allergy or other contraindication to any compound present in the study medication.
• Patient has a history of significant gastrointestinal disease or previous gastrointestinal upset following NSAID administration.