NEW-GENERATION IBUPROFEN LAUNCHES NATIONAL TV CAMPAIGN

Infirst Healthcare has today (27 April 2018) confirmed plans for a national TV campaign to support its new-generation, over-the-counter (OTC) ibuprofen, Flarin® 200mg soft capsules, following its UK launch in January. The TV ad, which features cartoon style–characters performing different everyday tasks, will run across peak and daytime TV from 7th May 2018.

Flarin® is the first and only OTC lipid-formulated ibuprofen clinically proven to be as effective as prescription-strength ibuprofen – without a prescription.1 It is indicated for a wide range of conditions including the relief of rheumatic or muscular pain, back pain, and the pain of non-serious arthritic conditions, caused by swelling, stiffness and inflammation.

The new ad will form part of a marketing campaign which includes TV and print advertising, PR, and promotion via social media channels. The ad represents the second phase of Flarin’s launch roll-out - and coincides with additional retail distribution now in Superdrug and nationwide independent pharmacies, following initial availability in Lloyds Pharmacy.

London-based, full-service agency, Punktuate! was responsible for the campaign creative and production - with media buyers, Seven Stars, in charge of media planning.

“Following a successful 8-week exclusive launch with Lloyds Pharmacy - and front-page, national editorial coverage - we are now investing in above the line as well as below the line activities to support extended retail availability of Flarin,” said Manfred Scheske, CEO of infirst Healthcare Ltd. “Keeping people with joint pain on the move, enabling them to continue to perform everyday tasks and do the things they love, was the key driver behind the ad concept.”

Approximately 10 million people in the UK suffer pain almost daily.2 Joint pain can make even the simplest daily activities difficult3 - and recurring flare ups can disrupt sleep patterns, cause tiredness and depression as well as lead to joint damage and disability.3,4,5

“Based on the results of the recent FLARE* clinical study, we now have evidence to support that Flarin® can be considered as a first-line OTC treatment option for people managing their own flaring joint pain,” says Philip Conaghan, Professor of Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, and co-author of the study.

Flarin® 200mg soft capsules is available in packs of 30 and retails at a RRP of £9.95 (equivalent of 33 pence per capsule).

Pharmacies can stock Flarin® by contacting Powermed: admin@powermeduk.co.uk Tel: 01295 753549 It is also available from pharmacy wholesalers AAH, Enterprise and Alliance.

For more information visit www.flarin.co.uk or www.facebook.com/FlarinUK/

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Note to editors:

About Flarin®:
Flarin® is a pharmacy-only medicine. Its active ingredient is 200mg of ibuprofen. Flarin® encases ibuprofen in lipids. This helps it to travel through the stomach and into the small intestine where the lipids are broken down, allowing the ibuprofen to be absorbed and transported around the body to the sites of pain and inflammation.6 Flarin’s patented lipid technology is based on a complex series of manufacturing processes which involves heating and dissolving specific pharmaceutical grade lipids, ibuprofen and other excipients together in a process lasting three days.

The recommended dose of Flarin® is one or two capsules (200 mg – 400 mg) up to three times a day, as required. People should leave at least four hours between doses and not take more than 1200 mg (6 capsules) in any 24- hour period. If symptoms worsen or persist after 10 days, a doctor’s advice should be sought. Most patients in the FLARE study used two capsules of Flarin® three times a day for five days. For a list of potential side effects or contraindications consult the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC): http://www.mhra.gov.uk/home/groups/spcpil/documents/spcpil/con1513315064311.pdf

About the FLARE study*:
The double-blind, randomised, multicentre FLaring Arthralgia Relief Evaluation in episodic knee pain (FLARE) study, recently published in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, demonstrated that combining ibuprofen in a lipid formulation can deliver effective flare-up control.1

About infirst Healthcare Ltd:
Infirst Healthcare is a small, international healthcare company, based in London. It focuses on breathing new life into well-established medicines for everyday ailments: ‘making known drugs better’. The company is also committed to bringing innovation and efficacy to the consumer healthcare and primary care markets - which have seen very few, new products in recent times. As well as working in the field of inflammatory pain, infirst Healthcare works in the field of cough and colds and GI (digestive) symptoms. http://www.infirst.co.uk/

References:
1. Bierma -Zeinstra SMA, Conaghan PG, Brew J et al. Osteoarthr Cartil: 2017 25; 12: 1942–1951 Open Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2017.09.002 Accessed at: http://www.oarsijournal.com/article/S1063-4584(17)31197-4/fulltext
2. Accessed Dec 2017 at: https://www.britishpainsociety.org/media-resources/
3. Accessed Dec 2017 at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/osteoarthritis/
4. Accessed Dec 2017 at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/joint-pain/
5. Arthritis Research UK: 2269-Fatigue-and-Arthritis-inc-excercise-book.pdf
6. NL Trevaskis et al. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery. Volume 14, November 2015: 781

For further information, please contact:
Lynsey Conway
Communications Consultant for Infirst Healthcare Ltd
Tel: +44 7778 304233
email@lynseyconway.co.uk