The unmet anti-inflammatory needs in orthopedics.

Approximately half of Americans 70 years of age or older suffer from arthritis. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most effective nonsurgical therapies for arthritis, but usage often causes harmful side effects, especially in the gastrointestinal tract. Such effects require supplemental therapy that adds an economic burden and may even cause death. The benefits derived from NSAIDs are believed to be due to suppression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), while the harmful side effects are believed to be due to suppression of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1). COX-2-specific inhibitors that do not inhibit COX-1 may meet arthritis sufferers' needs for therapies that are safe, convenient, and as effective as conventional NSAIDs.