New PBS Listing: Salofalk® (mesalazine) 500 mg Tablets

May 2004

Orphan Australia is pleased to announce the availability of Salofalk 500 mg Tablets on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme from May 1st 2004.

This dosage form is a new addition to our current product range of Salofalk Granules (500 mg and 1 g) and Salofalk Enemas (2g in 60mL and 4g in 60mL).

Patients who are currently taking mesalazine 250 mg tablets could be ingesting up to 12 tablets daily*. Switching to Salofalk 500 mg Tablets means patients need to consume only half the number of the 250 mg tablets they are currently taking. Importantly, Salofalk 500 mg Tablets are easy to swallow, and compared to mesalazine 250 mg tablets a month’s therapy costs the government less to subsidise**.

Salofalk 500 mg tablets are PBS-Listed for the treatment of "mild to moderate ulcerative colitis where hypersensitivity to sulfonamides or intolerance to sulfasalazine exists".

Salofalk 500 mg tablets are presented in packs of 100 (5 repeats) - Authority required.

Ulcerative Colitis is a common form of chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) with a prevalence of approximately 13,000 cases in Australia . Most patients experience frequent diarrhoea with blood and/or mucus in the stools, whilst others, alternatively, may present with cramps and intermittent blood in the faeces. This debilitating disease has been managed by various means including surgery and dietary measures, as well as various medical treatment options, including mesalazine.

---

For more information on these products please contact Sindy Martino at Orphan Australia via the contact numbers listed below.

* As per dosage recommendation by the Therapeutic Gastrointestinal Guidelines Version 3, 2002.
** PBS Dispensed Price: Salofalk - $139.10 (500 mg, 100 tablets) Mesasal® - $73.82 (250 mg, 100 tablets)

®Salofalk is a registered trademark of Dr. Falk Pharma GmbH, Germany, used under licence by Orphan Australia Pty Ltd.
®Mesasal is a registered trademark of GlaxoSmithKline Group.