Pfizer's Lyrica Receives FDA Approval for Fibromyalgia

Pfizer announced that the FDA approved Lyrica for the management of fibromyalgia, one of the most common, chronic, widespread pain conditions in the U.S.

Fibromyaligia is thought to result from neurological changes in how patients perceive pain, specifically a heightened sensitivity to stimuli that are not normally painful. Lyrica binds to a specific protein within overexcited nerve cells and works to calm damaged nerves.

According to the company, in the clinical trials, Lyrica demonstrated rapid and sustained improvements in pain compared with placebo.

Lyrica’s approval for fibromyalgia represents the eighth Pfizer treatment to receive “priority review” status from the FDA over the past two and a half years, the company said.