Forest Laboratories, Inc. and Cypress Bioscience, Inc. jointly announced on New Year’s Eve that they recently submitted a New Drug Application to the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of fibromyalgia. The medication, milnacipran, blocks the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin, two neurotransmitters known to play an essential role in regulating pain and mood. This type of drug is referred to as an SNRI. Milnacipran has been available in over 50 countries for ten years for depression and after many research studies is now submitted for pain and depression in fibromyalgia. Learn more by viewing Forest’s press release.

This announcement came only months after Eli Lilly announced its submission of duloxetine, or Cymbalta, another serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). There have been several recent studies published about duloxetine.

In June 2007, the FDA listed Pfizer Pharmaceutical’s medication, Lyrica (pregabalin), the first medication approved by the FDA for fibromyalgia. Lyrica, not an SNRI, works with how the nerves function in the central nervous system.

As with chronic diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, or hypertension, medication alone is not the most effective way to treat fibromyalgia. A carefully prescribed program may include more than one medication, gentle exercise and cognitive therapy directed at helping the fibromyalgia patient to best understand the illness and establish realistic goals to improve her/his quality of life.

These are exciting times! The review of these new medications by the FDA is the most visible result of a huge amount of research activity in fibromyalgia going on throughout the world. There are over fifty fibromyalgia clinical trials currently listed at ClinicTrials.gov. The researchers leading those studies join the many medical professionals who believe their work can help to improve the symptoms and the quality of life of those who suffer with fibromyalgia.