Pfizer announces CHANTIX/CHAMPIX results in largest trial of smoking cessation medications

Pfizer announced the results of the EAGLES clinical trial in The Lancet last week.

The study is the largest clinical trial that has compared approved smoking cessation medicines.

The clinical trial compared the abstention rates of 8,144 smokers using CHANTIX/CHAMPIX, bupropion, a nicotine patch or a placebo. It also investigated possible increases in psychiatric incidents in participants with diagnosed disorders. Approximately one half of the participants had a psychiatric diagnosis of depression, bipolar, anxiety or other disorder.

The study found that participants taking CHANTIX/CHAMPIX had a higher abstinence rate during the last four weeks of the 12-week treatment and through the next 12 weeks of the follow-up period. All the participants treated with smoking cessation medications had a higher abstinence rate than those taking the placebo.

“Clinical practice guidelines recommend that the most effective way for smokers to quit is by combining a smoking cessation medication with counseling. However, smoking cessation support is often underutilized, due in part to misperceptions about the effectiveness and safety of smoking cessation medicines,” lead study investigator Dr. Robert M. Anthenelli said. “This study offers important new information to prescribers and smokers to help them make an informed decision about smoking cessation treatment options.”

The trial found that patients without a diagnosed psychiatric disorder had a lower rate of adverse psychiatric events than those with a diagnosis. When treated with CHANTIX/CHAMPIX, the incidence of psychiatric events were 1.3 percent versus 6.5 percent, respectively. The most frequent non-psychiatric reactions were nausea, insomnia, abnormal dreams and headaches.