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| |  Severity of Xerostomia Reduced When Taking Salagen Tablets MINNETONKA, Minn., Oct. 30, 1996 -- A study presented today at the annual meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) reported that taking Salagen(R) Tablets (pilocarpine hydrochloride) during radiation therapy is better at reducing the symptoms of xerostomia (severe dry mouth) than when taking the drug after radiation therapy is completed. According to lead investigator Robert P. Zimmerman, M.D., UCLA Department of Radiation Oncology, Los Angeles, the study compared the severity of xerostomia endured by head and neck cancer patients when Salagen was administered during therapy, after therapy, and not at all. The study involved a total of 29 cancer patients: 17 who received Salagen during radiation therapy and 12 who did not take the drug during therapy. After the radiation therapy was completed, the 12 non-treated patients were placed on Salagen for one month and then compared to the concurrently treated group again. The 17 patients who began taking Salagen Tablets concurrently with radiation therapy suffered significantly less from dryness and discomfort and encountered markedly less difficulty sleeping, speaking and eating. The most severe xerostomia was seen in post-radiation patients that had not yet received Salagen Tablets. The results of today's study concur with those from another study presented in May 1996 at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology by Francis G. LeVeque, D.D.S., Chief of Oral Medicine and Oncology at DMC Harper Hospital, Detroit. Dr. Leveque's study in 16 patients showed that using Salagen(R) Tablets concurrently with radiation therapy significantly reduced oral dryness and pain, as well as the incidence of oral mucositis (mouth ulcers) by 60 percent. Radiation therapy used to treat tumors of the head and neck damages the salivary glands, reducing their ability to produce saliva. Research shows that a decrease in salivary flow typically begins as early as the first week of radiation therapy. The resultant dry mouth predisposes patients to a multitude of oral complications, including mucositis, oral infections, and tooth decay. Additionally, patients who suffer from this condition can have difficulty speaking, eating and swallowing. Salagen Tablets is the only prescription pharmaceutical indicated in the United States for the treatment of symptoms of radiation-induced xerostomia. It works by stimulating the moisture producing glands throughout the body, including the salivary and tear glands. Health care providers and patients who need information about managing dry mouth can call the Salagen(R) Tablets/Dry Mouth Information Hotline at 1- 800-644-4811, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., EST. Registered pharmacists are available to answer questions regarding managing problems associated with dry mouth and the use of Salagen Tablets. In addition, they can provide educational materials for dry mouth sufferers. MGI PHARMA (Nasdaq-NNM: MOGN) is a pharmaceutical company, headquartered in Minnetonka, Minn., that acquires, develops and markets innovative and specialty pharmaceuticals for niche markets of unmet medical need. The company currently markets Salagen(R) Tablets (pilocarpine hydrochloride) and Didronel(R) I.V. Infusion (etidronate disodium) in the United States.
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