ibuprofen (King's College London)

Flarin is a unique lipid-based formulation of ibuprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), developed by Infirst Healthcare. This formulation encapsulates ibuprofen in a lipid matrix, which is designed to enhance the drug's solubility and absorption while potentially improving gastrointestinal tolerability compared to standard ibuprofen formulations. In 2020, researchers at King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust initiated the LIBERATE (Lipid Ibuprofen in COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Failure) trial to evaluate Flarin's potential in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The study aimed to determine if early intervention with this lipid-ibuprofen formulation could reduce the severity of lung injury and prevent the progression to acute hypoxemic respiratory failure by inhibiting cyclooxygenase enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2), thereby mitigating the systemic inflammatory response and prostaglandin-mediated lung damage associated with severe viral infection.

Brand names

Flarin

Other names

lipid ibuprofenliquid-filled ibuprofen capsules