MuGard has been shown to reduce mouth and throat soreness associated with oral mucositis, according to a poster presented by Access Pharmaceuticals at the American Society for Radiation Oncology meeting in Atlanta this week.
The poster presentation discussed the findings from the company's postmarketing clinical trial, which evaluated the efficacy of MuGard in controlling symptoms caused by mucositis in 120 patients receiving chemoradiation therapy for the treatment of cancers of the head and neck.
MuGard was shown to be superior to the sham control rinse in mitigating oral mucositis symptoms and delaying mucositis progression, according to the company. In the trial, MuGard met the primary end point, achieving a statistically significant reduction in mouth and throat soreness associated with mucositis.
MuGard also achieved significance in a secondary end point, the measurement of mucositis severity at the end of radiation treatment using a physician-based assessment of severity. Additional secondary end points in which MuGard demonstrated superiority were reduced opioid use and weight loss.
The impact of mucositis on patients is significant with particular effect on their ability to eat and maintain their weight, according to the company. Previous studies have shown that severe weight loss during chemoradiation therapy correlates with lower quality of life after therapy and a higher risk of mortality.
The average weight loss in patients using MuGard was almost 4 kg less than those in the control group, the study authors noted.
