Review
Immediately after the introduction of the drug esomeprazole, it was heavily criticized. The manufacturer stated that due to the dosage form (Nexium Mups®) and the slower metabolism (processing of the active ingredient in the liver) of the active ingredient esomeprazole, there was a considerable advantage over conventional, older drugs. This assertion should be backed up by studies in which a small advantage in cure rates was actually shown.
However, it is critical to see that in these studies 40mg of the active substance esomeprazole was always compared with 20mg of the active substance omeprazole. Thus, an advantage of the drug can be assumed even before the start of the study. An expert of the medical drug authority informed that objectively no advantage of the active substance esomeprazole compared to omeprazole has been proven.Critical voices suspected that the manufacturer of the drug wanted to launch another drug with a new patent shortly before the patent expired because of the patent expiry of omeprazole, without necessarily having an added value in the mode of action.
