Drug Database
KE

ketoprofen (Menamin SR / ketoprofen, Biovail / Oruvail)

✓ Approved

Roche · PTGS1 · Small Molecule

What is ketoprofen?

ketoprofen is a small molecule developed by Roche. It is approved for therapeutic indications via oral (po).

Drug Profile

Brand NamesMenamin SR, ketoprofen, Biovail, Oruvail
CompanyRoche
Drug ClassSmall Molecule
Molecular TargetPTGS1, PTGS2
RouteOral (PO)
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, Roche

Mechanism of Action

Molecular Targets

ketoprofen acts on 2 molecular targets:

PTGS1prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 1 (COX3, PCOX1)
PTGS2prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (GRIPGHS, hCox-2)
Want deeper analysis?Noah AI can explain complex mechanisms and compare to similar drugs.

Therapeutic Indications

ketoprofen is developed for 2 unique indications across 2 therapeutic areas.

Therapeutic AreaConditionPhase
Gastrointestinal disordersAbdominal pain✓ Approved
Hepatobiliary disordersHepatitis✓ Approved

Related Research Articles

PubMedPain research & management2026-05-22

Comparative Analgesic Efficacy of Diclofenac and Ketoprofen Transdermal Patches Versus Ibuprofen Tablets for Pain Control After Initial Archwire Placement in Orthodontic Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Babaee Hemmati Yasamin Y, Toghrolian Amirhossein A

This study compared the analgesic efficacy of diclofenac and ketoprofen transdermal patches versus ibuprofen tablets for pain control following initial archwire placement in orthodontic patients. In this randomized clinical trial, 60 patients (aged 15-30 years) undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment (0.022-inch MBT brackets and 0.014-inch nickel-titanium archwires on both arches) were assigned via stratified permuted block randomization (1:1:1 ratio) to three groups (n = 20 each): 30-mg ketoprofen transdermal patches every 12 h, 15-mg diclofenac transdermal patches every 12 h, or 400-mg ibuprofen tablets every 8 h for 1 day. Pain severity was assessed using the numeric rating scale (NRS; 0-10) at baseline (immediately postplacement), 2 and 6 h, bedtime, 24 and 48 h, and 3 and 7 days. Data were analyzed by the generalized estimating equation (GEE) and the Kruskal-Wallis, Bonferroni, chi-square, and Fisher's exact tests (α = 0.05). The pain score was the lowest in the ketoprofen group, followed by the ibuprofen group, and then the diclofenac group, but the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). The pain score initially increased after archwire placement to 6 h (from 0 pain in all groups to 2.50 ± 1.64, 3.90 ± 1.25, and 3.45 ± 1.82, respectively, in ketoprofen, diclofenac, and ibuprofen groups). It subsequently decreased until bedtime, increased again at 24 h, and then followed a descending trend from 48 h to 7 days. The trend of change in the pain score over time was not significantly different among the three groups (p = 0.657). Age (p = 0.757) and gender (p = 0.153) of patients did not affect their perceived pain. Considering the comparable analgesic efficacy of ibuprofen and the tested transdermal patches, diclofenac and ketoprofen patches may be used as an alternative to ibuprofen tablets for efficient pain control after initial archwire placement. Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials: IRCT20190915044771N2.

PMID 42170735
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PubMedArtificial cells, nanomedicine, and biotechnology2026-05-22

Anticancer activity of fluoxetine Janus dendrimer against cancer cells.

Martínez-García Marcos M, Hernández-Rioja Isabel I, Barajas-Mendoza Israel I, Espinosa-Hernández Alberto A et al.

Targeting the inflammation-related molecules with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) represents a promising approach for cancer prevention/therapy. We evaluated the in vitro anticancer effects of sulindac, ketoprofen, celecoxib and the antidepressant fluoxetine, both free and coupled with synthesized dendrons and dendrimers, on the proliferation and apoptosis of human MCF-7 (human mammary adenocarcinoma), SKLU-1 (human lung adenocarcinoma) and as a control the normal monkey kidney (COS-7) cell line. The antiproliferative activity and cytotoxicity of tested NSAIDs on MCF-7 and SKLU-1 cell lines were assessed by the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. The tested dendrons with NSAIDs showed activity against the tumour cell lines. Significant inhibition of the growth of cancer cells was observed for the Janus dendrimers with sulindac-celecoxib, which was selective against MCF-7; and Janus dendrimers with fluoxetine were highly cytotoxic. The fluoxetine-dendrimer could be a candidate for the development of new pharmacological strategies for the treatment and prevention of MCF-7 cancer.

PMID 42167254
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PubMedPorcine health management2026-05-21

Efficacy of intranasal non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on pain responses in castrated and tail-docked piglets.

de Melo Cecília Archangelo Ferreira CAF, Alves Laya Kannan Silva LKS, Pairis-Garcia Monique Danielle MD, Ferreira Juliana Bonin JB et al.

Routine piglet processing procedures, such as surgical castration and tail docking, are known to induce pain and stress, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly administered to mitigate these responses. This study evaluated the effects of processing and NSAID administration on physiological and behavioral indicators of pain and stress in male piglets. A total of 120 piglets (5 days old) were randomly assigned to one of eight treatment groups in a 2 × 4 factorial design, including sham or processed piglets receiving intranasal flunixin meglumine, ketoprofen, meloxicam, or saline solution. Piglets underwent surgical castration and tail docking or sham handling one hour after treatment administration. Plasma cortisol concentrations were assessed at baseline, 1 h, 3 h, and 24 h post-procedure, and pain-related behaviors were evaluated using the UNESP-Botucatu Pig Composite Acute Pain Scale (UPAPS). Processed piglets, both with and without NSAID administration, exhibited higher plasma cortisol concentrations than sham piglets at 1 h post-procedure, indicating an acute stress response, with concentrations returning to baseline by 3 h and 24 h. No treatment effects of NSAIDs were observed for cortisol concentrations. Behavioral assessment revealed higher UPAPS scores in processed piglets at 1 h, 3 h, and 24 h compared with sham piglets, indicating persistent pain-related responses. NSAID treatments did not consistently mitigate behavioral pain expression, although ketoprofen-treated piglets exhibited a transient reduction in UPAPS scores at 3 h post-procedure. Overall, piglet processing elicited acute physiological stress responses and sustained behavioral indicators of pain. These findings support the need for integrated analgesic strategies to more effectively mitigate post-procedural pain and improve piglet welfare.

PMID 42163397
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PubMedInternational journal of pharmaceutics2026-05-15

Fabrication and biocompatibility evaluation of 3D printed tablets using Digital Light Processing (DLP) printing for the controlled release of ketoprofen.

Saropoulou Eirini E, Tzimtzimis Emmanouil E, Tzetzis Dimitrios D, Panteris Emmanuel E et al.

Digital Light Processing (DLP) is a widely utilized additive manufacturing (AM) technique in pharmaceutical research that operates via photopolymerization. This technology enables the fabrication of advanced drug delivery systems through the use of novel polymeric materials that can be precisely tailored to meet the requirements of specific dosage forms. In the present study, three-dimensional (3D) printed tablets were developed to achieve controlled release of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ketoprofen (Keto). Comprehensive physicochemical characterization, including thermal analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, confirmed the successful incorporation of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) within the polymer matrix and demonstrated its chemical stability following the photopolymerization process. In vitro drug release studies revealed controlled release profiles of Keto from the printed formulations, with the overall extent of drug release remaining limited to less than 20% after 24 h, highlighting the important aspect the important role of the starting materials (polymers) that requires further optimization. Morphological evaluation using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated uniform tablet geometry and smooth surface characteristics. Biocompatibility studies conducted using Caco-2 cells indicated that the formulations were non-toxic and suitable for oral administration. Furthermore, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) analysis showed preserved cellular morphology and membrane integrity after exposure to the formulations. These findings underscore the potential of photopolymerization-based 3D printing technologies as a versatile and effective platform for the fabrication of biocompatible solid drug delivery systems with customizable drug release behavior.

PMID 42134707
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PubMedTherapie2026-05-15

[Efficacy of celecoxib, diclofenac, etoricoxib, ibuprofen, ketoprofen and naproxen in low back pain with or without nerve root pain: Systematic review of literature and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials].

Alfieri Paul P, Landry Marie M, Boussageon Rémy R

To assess the efficacy of naproxen, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, diclofenac, etoricoxib and celecoxib in low back pain with or without radiculalgia. Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) using the REB method. Eligibility criteria were RCTs assessing the painkiller efficacy of the aforementioned non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) administered orally versus placebo, in acute and chronic low back pain with or without radiculalgia. The literature search was conducted on Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrial.gov until 31/12/2024. The risks of bias were assessed using the tool Risk of Bias 2 (RoB2) from the Cochrane collaboration. In addition to the qualitative analysis using the REB method, a quantitative analysis was conducted using Review Manager v5.4. The standardised mean differences (SMD) were calculated with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Statistical significance was met if the P-value was<0.05. A total of 11 RCTs were identified: 6 concerned acute low back pain and 5 chronic low back pain. Six were at low risk of bias for pain intensity, and 4 at low risk of bias for functional capacity; 5 were at high risk of bias for pain intensity and 5 at high risk of bias for functional capacity. Three thousand seven hundred eighty-four (3784) patients were included: 2142 suffered from chronic low back pain and 1642 from acute low back pain. The REB analysis concluded "solid evidence of efficacy" for diclofenac in acute low back pain. For the ibuprofen in acute low back pain without radiculalgia, the results were "conclusive to be confirmed". For the naproxen in acute low back pain with radiculalgia, the results were "conclusive to be confirmed". For the other treatments and indications, the conclusion was "lack of evidence". This review has several limitations: a small number of trials that evaluated NSAIDs versus placebo, which limits the interpretation of possible publication bias by the interpretation of funnel plots. More than half of the selected trials aimed to evaluate a different active ingredient or treatment, with the NSAIDs studied primarily used as comparators. Only trials published in French and English were included, which may have introduced selection bias. Furthermore, the results of the RCTs often focused on secondary rather than primary endpoints. Of the 6 NSAIDs studied, only diclofenac showed solid evidence of efficacy on pain intensity in acute low back pain. Ibuprofen and Naproxen showed conclusive evidence requiring confirmation. For the other drugs, there was no evidence of efficacy according to the REB method. For all the analyses, the magnitude of the effect was small and not clinically relevant. It is necessary to conduct new RCTs to confirm the clinical interest of NSAIDs in acute and chronic low back pain.

PMID 42135072
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PubMedPharmaceutical development and technology2026-05-14

Mixture Design-Modelling and Optimization of Ketoprofen Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Augmented Anti-inflammatory Activity Following Pharmacodynamic Evaluation in Rats.

Alrashidi Amal Abdullah AA, Bahaa Mostafa M MM, Zain Eldein Esmat E EE, Abdelhaleem Ali Ahmed M AM et al.

Topical administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is often limited by poor skin permeability and a short duration of action. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) represent a promising carrier system capable of enhancing dermal drug delivery while sustaining local therapeutic effects. The present study aimed to formulate and optimize ketoprofen (KP)-loaded SLNs to enhance the drug's therapeutic efficacy in topical inflammatory conditions. Modeling and optimization of formulation components were performed using a mixture design (MD) approach. SLNs were prepared using two methods: hot melting and solvent evaporation. The prepared formulations were characterized in terms of particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, and in vitro drug release profiles. Pharmacodynamic evaluation was conducted in rats using the carrageenan-induced paw edema model and compared with a marketed formulation (FASTUM® gel 2.5%).The optimized SLNs exhibited a particle size of 51.9 ± 4.55 nm, a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.398 ± 0.02, and a zeta potential of -14.2 ± 0.61 mV, indicating acceptable colloidal stability. The optimized KP-SLN formulation produced a significant reduction in paw edema volume (57.65%) in pre-treated rats (P < 0.05), along with significant decreases in inflammatory mediators prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels by 55.6% and 58.4%, respectively, compared with the carrageenan control group. Furthermore, the SLN-based gel demonstrated markedly higher bioadhesion (+81%) and a two-fold increase in permeation flux compared with the pure drug gel.Overall, the optimized ketoprofen SLN gel achieved enhanced bioadhesion, skin permeation, and anti-inflammatory efficacy, confirming the potential of lipid nanoparticle-based systems for topical NSAID delivery. This strategy provides a rational, statistically optimized platform for improving localized therapy while minimizing systemic adverse effects.

PMID 42133922
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