New Maxigesic: Combination pain relief - without the codeine

The first Paracetamol/Ibuprofen combination analgesic in Australia is now available, providing a codeine-free alternative to current combination analgesics. Maxigesic® is a world-first specific combination of Paracetamol 500mg and Ibuprofen 150mg, developed by Dr Hartley Atkinson, the Perth-born pharmacologist and founder of privately owned Australasian pharmaceutical company, AFT Pharmaceuticals.

Maxigesic has been available in New Zealand since 2009 and is out-licensed in more than 40 countries worldwide. Maxigesic has been embraced as a pain relief option for patients by the New Zealand dental community and with good reason - the patented combination of paracetamol and ibuprofen in Maxigesic is clinically proven to provide at least 32% more effective pain relief than either paracetamol or ibuprofen on their own.¹

Why codeine-free?

The most popular combination analgesics in Australia use either paracetamol or ibuprofen as the basic active ingredient, with codeine added to amplify the analgesic effect. But codeine is an opiate and with health authorities around the world, including Australia,² expressing concerns about its potential for misuse, Dr Atkinson saw a number of advantages to offering patients a codeine-free pain relief medication.

Maxigesic was the result: two trusted active ingredients combined in a specific formulation of Paracetamol 500mg and Ibuprofen 150mg. Together the two ingredients work synergistically through different metabolic pathways to reduce pain and inflammation and in Maxigesic, they provide significantly more effective pain relief than either Paracetamol or Ibuprofen alone.¹

With a dosage regimen of 1-2 tablets, taken every 6 hours and up to 4 times per day as required, Maxigesic provides simple and flexible dosage for patients. The specific combination of paracetamol 500mg and ibuprofen 150mg in Maxigesic is also no coincidence - taking two tablets, four times a day enables patients to receive the maximum recommended daily OTC dose of Paracetamol 4000mg and Ibuprofen 1200mg. In the past, patients have had to stagger the prescribed dose of paracetamol and ibuprofen, but combined in Maxigesic, this should simplify their pain relief regimen and aid with patient compliance.

Dental surgery results prove the effectiveness of Maxigesic

The efficacy of Maxigesic in reducing pain has been proven through various clinical trials and studies, but for dental practitioners, the most significant results were published in the British Journal of Anaesthesia (2010) on patients following dental surgery. This double-blind, parallel group study compared the analgesic effect of Maxigesic; Paracetamol alone (4000mg/day); and Ibuprofen alone (1200mg/day) on 135 patients with post-operative dental pain for 48 hours following oral surgery for the extraction of 1-4 wisdom teeth,¹ and the results are compelling.

Treatment using Maxigesic recorded significantly lower pain scores on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at rest and during activity in the first 48 hours following surgery. Pain scores for Maxigesic at rest were 32.3% lower than Paracetamol and 35.8% lower than Ibuprofen (Expressed as the mean time adjusted VAS pain scores 48 hours post-op at rest ) and at almost all time points during the trial (rest and activity) the mean pain scores for Maxigesic were consistently lower than its two active ingredients on their own.¹

Effective relief from a wide range of pain

Maxigesic has proven its effectiveness for the relief of dental pain through a patented combination that reduces both pain and inflammation at the same time, but it also provides double action relief for a wide range of other pain symptoms, including:

• Toothache;
• Pain from dental procedures;
• Headache;
• Migraine headache;
• Tension headache;
• Muscular pain;
• Back pain;
• Period pain;
• Arthritis;
• Rheumatic pain;
• Aches and pains associated with cold and flu;
• Sinus pain;
• Sore throat; and
• Tennis elbow.

Maxigesic also reduces fever.

Restrictions and contraindications

The usual dosage for Maxigesic is 1-2 tablets taken every six hours, as required, with a glass of water, up to a maximum daily dose of eight tablets. Maxigesic should not be combined with other medications that contain paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Maxigesic should not be used with children under 12 years of age. Adults should use for only a few days at a time and for no more than 48 hours for children and adolescents between 12-18 years, unless directed otherwise by a healthcare professional.

Maxigesic should NOT be taken by patients if they:

• have asthma;
• have a stomach ulcer or other stomach disorders;
• have impaired kidney function, impaired liver function or heart problems;
• are allergic to ibuprofen, aspirin, paracetamol or other anti-inflammatory medicines;
• are pregnant or breastfeeding; or
• are a heavy drinker.

For full details about precautions and contraindications, please review the full Product Information available at www.maxigesic.com.au before recommending Maxigesic to patients.

Available throughout Australia

Maxigesic is scheduled as a Pharmacist Only (Schedule 3) medicine, available now in packs of 10, 16 and 30 tablets in pharmacies throughout Australia.

For Maxigesic professional sales or sample requests, please contact Dentavision on 1800-806-640 or for additional Maxigesic information, including samples or copies of the dental trial results as published in the British Journal of Anaesthesia, please contact Rachel Spry, AFT Pharmaceuticals Dental Specialist, on 0407-499-197.

References

1. Result achieved in a trial of post-operative pain relief after removal of 1-4 wisdom teeth. Expressed as the mean time adjusted VAS pain scores 48 hours post-op at rest. Merry, A.F., Gibbs, R.D., Edwards, J., Ting, G.S., Frampton, C., Davies, E. and Anderson, B.J. (2010). “Combined acetaminophen and ibuprofen for pain relief after oral surgery in adults: a randomized controlled trial” British Journal of Anaesthesia 104(1):80-88. Doses given as Paracetamol 4000mg or Ibuprofen 1200mg per day in 4 divided doses.
2. National Drugs and Poisons Schedule Committee. Record of Reasons 55th Meeting 17–18 Feb 2009. Canberra: Therapeutic Goods Administration, 2009. www.tga.gov.au/pdf/archive/ndpsc-record-55.pdf