Seeking Treatment For Fibromyalgia Syndrome (NAPSA)—Imagine waking up every day feeling stiff, achy and tired. Imagine having fatigue that you cannot shake, constant headaches and difficulty concentrating. Add to that chronic pain throughout the body and you've got some idea of what life is like for some- one living with fibromyalgia syn- drome (FMS). FMSis a chronic and debilitating condition characterized by widespread pain and stiffness throughout the body, accompa- nied by severe fatigue and headache. It affects an estimated two to four percent of the population worldwide and is the second most common diagnosis by rheumatologists in the United States, after osteoarthritis. Most FMS patients are women of childbearing age, although the ailment can also strike children, the elderly and men. Women are more likely to be stricken with FMS than men and begin to expe- rience symptoms in their 20s or 30s. Once symptoms appear, most patients can expect to suffer the condition throughout their entire life. Many different factors, alone or in combination, may trigger FMS. These include illness and emotional or physical trauma. Fortunately, a clinical drug trial may offer new hope for, and potentially provide a treatment for, patients with FMS. “Milnacipran, the first of a new class of agents known as Norepinephrine Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (NSRIs), acts on the two key neurotransmitters in the human body which are involved with the central modulation of A clinical trial may provide results for people with fibromyal- gia syndrome, a painful, debilitating condition. chronic pain,” said Philip Mease, M.D., of the Swedish Medical Center, Division of Clinical Research, and an investigator in the Phase II trial. “With its unique pharmacology, the compound has the potential to provide relief of FMS symptoms by acting on more than one pain pathway. Furthermore, the fact the milnacipran haslittle activity at the other receptor sys- tems should result in a favorable side-effect profile.” The clinical trial, launched by Cypress Bioscience, Inc., is using an electronic patient experience diary system to collect patient- reported real-time data to improve the quality of the information. The company has also designed and validated an instrument—the Automated Pain Threshold Tester—to automate and standardize the pain testing. The company trades on NASDAQ;; its ticker symbol is CYPB. To learn more aboutthe clinical trial, visit www.cypressbio.com. For additional information about FMS, visit FMSresource.com.
