Pfizer Halts 2 Celebrex Trials After 1 Shows Increased Cardiovascular Risk

NEW YORK - Pfizer Inc. said Dec. 17 that it has halted two cancer trials of its Celebrex (celecoxib) pain medication because an increased risk of heart attack or stroke was found in one of the studies.

Pfizer said the increased risk for Celebrex users over those given a placebo was found in its APC Cancer trial and was reported to the company last night. The same risks were not found in an analysis of a second study, the PreSAP cancer trial, the company reported.

The information was sent to Pfizer by the Data Safety and Monitoring Board.

'These …