Kapidex is good news. FDA just approved it to help heal esophagaeal damage related to GERD (1). The drug features what scientists are calling "new-generation" acid-pump antagonists, which bind to proton pumps of the parietal cells by producing disulphide bonds (2).
These newer drugs (esomeprazole and rabeprazole) work faster than older ones, provide relief for more than 24 hours, and have a lower oxidative hepatic metabolism rate, which lessens possibility of interacting with other drugs (2).
References
1. Hitti M. "FDA OKs New GERD Drug Kapidex Once-Daily Formula Approved to Treat GERD and Erosive Esophagitis." WebMD Health News. Available at: http://www.webmd.com/heartburn-gerd/news/20090206/fda-oks-new-gerd-drug-kapidex.
2. de Korwin JD, Ducrotte P, Vallot T. [New-generation proton pump inhibitors: progress in the treatment of peptic acid diseases?]. Presse Med 2004;33:746-54.
David
