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Pantoprazole, sold under the brand name Protonix, among others, is a medication used for the treatment of stomach ulcers, short-term treatment of erosive esophagitis due to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), maintenance of healing of erosive esophagitis, and pathological hypersecretory conditions including Zollinger–Ellison syndrome. It may also be used along with other medications to eliminate Helicobacter pylori. Pantoprazole is a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) and its effectiveness is similar to that of other PPIs. It is available by mouth and by injection into a vein. It is available as a generic medication. In 2023, it was the thirteenth most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 37million prescriptions. In Australia, it was one of the top 10 most prescribed medications between 2017 and 2023.

Medical uses

Pantoprazole is used for short-term treatment of erosion and ulceration of the esophagus for adults and children five years of age and older caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease. It can also be used for long-term treatment of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Children

Pantoprazole is only indicated for the short-term treatment of erosive esophagitis in children ages seven and older; and the safety and effectiveness of pantoprazole have only been established in the treatment of erosive esophagitis in children.

Elderly

The incidence of adverse effects occurring in people aged 65 years and older was similar to that in people aged 65 years and less.

  • Neurologic: headache (12%), dizziness (3%)
  • Nutrition: may reduce the absorption of important nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, including certain medications, leaving users at increased risk for pneumonia.

Long-term use

  • Osteoporosis and bone fracture have been observed in people on high-dose and/or long-term (over one year) prescription proton pump inhibitors.
  • Hypomagnesia has been observed in people on medications like pantoprazole when taken for longer periods of time (generally one year or more, although cases have been reported with regimens as short as three months).
  • Deficiencies such as vitamin B12 deficiency, iron deficiency, and calcium deficiency may be seen with long term use. This prevents the cleaving of R-factor from vitamin B12 and prevents its absorption.

Interactions

Due to its effect of reducing stomach acidity, use of pantoprazole can affect absorption of drugs that are pH-sensitive, such as ampicillin esters, ketoconazole, atazanavir, iron salts, amphetamine and mycophenolate mofetil. Metabolism mainly consists of demethylation by CYP2C19 followed by sulfation. Another metabolic pathway is oxidation by CYP3A4. Pantoprazole metabolites are not thought to have any pharmacological significance. It is usually given with a prokinetic drug because of inactivity in the acidic environment of the stomach. Pantoprazole binds irreversibly to H+K+ATPase (proton pumps) to suppress the secretion of acid. Due to irreversible binding of the pumps, new pumps have to be made before acid production can be resumed. After administration, the time for the drug to reach peak plasma concentrations is 2 to 3 hours. Byk Gulden partnered with Smith Kline & French in 1984. and obtained marketing approval from the US FDA in 2000 under the trade name Protonix.

In 2004, worldwide sales of the drug were $3.65&nbsp;billion, about half of which were in the US. and Wyeth was acquired by Pfizer in 2009.

The patent protecting the drug was set to expire in 2010, but Teva Pharmaceuticals filed an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) in 2007, and Wyeth and Nycomed sued Teva for patent infringement, but Teva decided to launch its generic drug "at risk" that year, before the patent had been invalidated. Wyeth launched an authorized generic in 2008. Pfizer and Takeda's patent exclusivity expired in 2010, and an administrative exclusivity they had for pediatric use expired in January 2011, and full generic competition began. The litigation between Teva and Pfizer/Takeda was settled in 2013, with Teva paying the patent holders $2.15&nbsp;billion in damages for its early launch.

Society and culture

, the drug was marketed under many brands worldwide, including as a combination drug with domperidone, a combination with itopride, in combination with both clarithromycin and amoxicillin, in combination with levosulpiride, and in combination with naproxen.

It was marketed as a combination drug with domperidone under the brand names Aciban-DSR, Acillect-DSR, Asoprazole-D, Buffet-DXR, Depam, Domelong P, Dycizol, Eracid-D, F-Pan DSR, Fulpan-D, Fulpan-DSR, Gerdom, Gi-Fri, Gopan-D, Gopan-DSR, GR8-OD, Kurepane-DSR, Latop-D, Monpan-D, Monpan-DSR, Nupenta-DSR, Odipan-DSR, Oritop-D, Oritop-DSR, P-Bit-D, P-Bit-DSR, P-Zole DSR, P-Zole-D, PAA-DSR, Palio-D, Pamtrazol-D, Pan-D, Pancrazio-DSR, Pandiff, Pandostal, Pandostal-OD, Panfast-DSR, Panopaz-D, Panor-D, Panpot-DSR, Pansa-D, Pantact-D, Pantin-D, Pantin-RD, Pantocar-D, Pantocom-D, Pantoflux, Pantojoy-DXR, Pantokool-D, Pantolex-DS, Pantopacid-D, Pantopacid-SR, Pantorica-D, Pantozol-D, Pantozol-DSR, Pantra-D, Pantune-D, Panveda-D, Panzo-D, Panzol Plus, Panzol-D, Paz-DN, Peblo-D, Peblo-DSR, Penkool-DSR, Penlip-D, Pentalink-D, Pentastar-D, Pentozed-D, Peptac D, Peptac DSR, Pepticool-DXR, Pintel-DSR, Pop-DSR, Praize-D, Praize-D Forte, Prazole Plus, Prazosan-DSR, Predom, Predom-OD, Prolex-DSR, Prolus-DSR, Protocent-DSR, Protopan-D, Protopan-H, Ripane-D, Ripane-DSR, Trazol-DSR, PTA-D, Ulcicap-PD, Ultop DSR, Ultoz-D, Wonon-D, Wonon-DSR, and Zovanta-D. The pharmacokinetics of pantoprazole have been explored in several veterinary species, including calves, alpacas and foals with half lives reported as 2.81, 0.47, and 1.43 hours, respectively. Pantoprazole appears to be eliminated more quickly in goats when compared to calves, with goats having an elimination half-life of less than one hour.

Pantoprazole has been demonstrated to increase the 3rd compartment pH in alpacas. The subcutaneous bioavailability is greater than 100% in calves. In calves intravenous and subcutaneous administration has been shown to significantly elevate abomasal pH.