Heartburn drug Kapidex to be marketed under new name Dexilant

Change to Dexilant is part of FDA effort to prevent medication errors

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a name change for the heartburn drug Kapidex (dexlansoprazole) to avoid confusion with two other medications – Casodex and Kadian. Effective in late April 2010, Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America Inc. will market Kapidex under the new name Dexilant.

Since Kapidex was approved in January 2009, there have been reports of dispensing errors because of confusion with the drugs Casodex (bicalutamide) and Kadian (morphine sulfate), which have very different uses from Kapidex and from each other.

Kapidex is a proton pump inhibitor used to treat heartburn and other conditions by reducing the amount of acid produced in the stomach. Casodex, marketed by AstraZeneca, is used to treat men with advanced prostate cancer. Kadian, distributed by Actavis Kadian LLC, is an opioid analgesic used to treat pain.

"The FDA is pleased to have worked with Takeda to take swift and responsible steps to change the name of this product in the interest of patient safety," said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

The FDA evaluates new drug names before a product is approved to minimize confusion with existing drugs. Sometimes unexpected name confusions can occur once the product goes to market.

To improve this safety process, the FDA has issued a new guidance for industry titled Contents of a Complete Submission for the Evaluation of Proprietary Names. The guidance explains what information should be submitted to help in the evaluation of a proposed proprietary drug or biologic name, and to ensure compliance with other requirements for labeling and promotion.

These efforts are part of the agency's Safe Use Initiative which was launched in November 2009. The goal of this initiative is to reduce preventable medical errors through collaboration with public and private institutions.

There will be no changes made to Kapidex other than its name. Health care professionals and other individuals responsible for ordering, stocking, and billing for the product should be aware that Dexilant will have a new National Drug Code (NDC) number associated with the product.