About The Disease
Fibromyalgia is a common illness affecting approximately 2% of the general population, most common amongst women 20 to 50 years of age. Approximately five million Americans suffer from the debilitating illness. The cause of Fibromyalgia is officially unknown and diagnosis of Fibromyalgia is a ‘diagnosis of exclusion’—meaning that Fibromyalgia is diagnosed as an illness after Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus have been ruled out with a blood test.
Patients with Fibromyalgia suffer from debilitating fatigue, numbness, headaches, and chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain with multiple tender points. Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition lasting 6 months to many years. Patients commonly complain of chronic aching, pain, stiffness, sleep difficulty, headaches, and irritable bowel syndrome. Consequently, approximately 25% of patients with Fibromyalgia are work disabled. The direct and indirect costs of Fibromyalgia are, on average, $5,945 per patient1.
Conventional Method of Treatment
There are currently only three medications approved by the FDA for treatment of Fibromyalgia: Lyrica® (Pregabalin); Cymbalta® (duloxetine hydrochloride); and Savella® (milnacipran HCI). However, these medications oftentimes have side effects of dizziness, drowsiness and dry mouth. Rarely, these medications can cause suicidal ideation and severe agitation.
The Halberd Corporation Solution
Our Feldetrex® candidate drug is designed to compete with currently existing treatments of Fibromyalgia.