Advil
Encyclopedia
Ibuprofen
Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used for relief of symptoms of arthritis, fever, as an analgesic , especially where there is an inflammatory component, and dysmenorrhea....
, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Advil is manufactured by Pfizer
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
and has been on the market since 1984.
History
Ibuprofen was initially introduced as a prescriptionPrescription drug
A prescription medication is a licensed medicine that is regulated by legislation to require a medical prescription before it can be obtained. The term is used to distinguish it from over-the-counter drugs which can be obtained without a prescription...
NSAID used for such conditions as rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. The process produces an inflammatory response of the synovium secondary to hyperplasia of synovial cells, excess synovial fluid, and the development...
, in 1969 in the UK and 1974 in the US. Ibuprofen became available without a prescription in the UK in 1983 under the name "Nurofen" and in the US in 1984 under the name "Advil".
1961 – Patented in the United Kingdom
Ibuprofen was derived from propionic acid by the research arm of Boots Group during the 1960s. It was discovered by Andrew RM Dunlop, with colleagues Stewart Adams, John Nicholson, Vonleigh Simmons, Jeff Wilson and Colin Burrows.1974 – Introduced in the United States
When ibuprofen was introduced in the United States in 1974, the recommended dose was 1200–3200 mg/day. This amount is three times the current recommended dose. The use became widespread and it was confirmed by the FDA as one of the safest of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs); However, concerns about side effects to the liver and stomach had been mounting for some time.Ibuprofen's safety record remained good with problems only being related to overdosing. The product was "Fast Tracked" from prescription to over the counter (OTC
OTC
OTC may refer to:* Oakwood Technology College* Owatonna Tool Company* Oklahoma Tax Commission* Odenton Town Center* Officer in Tactical Command* Officer Training Corps* Offshore Technology Conference* Ohio Turnpike Commission...
) status by the FDA. It became available in the UK in 1983 under the brand name "Nurofen" and in the United States in 1984 under the brand name "Advil". Anyone could buy it without a prescription for the treatment of headaches, dental pain, migraine and menstrual pain. By 1985, an estimated 100 million people had been treated with ibuprofen in more than 120 countries.
Need for mass production
As sales increased in 1984, Whitehall Labs, the US distributor of Advil, quickly realized Boots (the original manufacturer) could not keep up with demand. Boots was essentially making the product manually. Michael Dryden of the Whitehall R&D staff was assigned to form a team and create an automated manufacturing process as soon as possible. Dryden hired Guido Melenger, the head of a small pharma scale-up firm, to come up with an automated process. After three years of work, a team from Whitehall concluded Melenger would be unable to complete the task and feared his company was about to go out of business. Whitehall then formed an internal team consisting of Dryden, Webb Crew (to develop software) and George Van Parys (to develop the machinery). The first prototype machine was produced in late 1986, with the first production operation of units in late 1987. There are many different types of Advil nowMega sales = mega production
After obtaining full FDA approval for the first installation in Hammonton, New JerseyHammonton, New Jersey
Hammonton is a town in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 14,791. It is located directly between Philadelphia and the resort town of Atlantic City, along a former route of the Pennsylvania Railroad currently used by New Jersey...
in 1988, the task turned to improving the design of the machinery and increasing capacity. The same team worked on an improved design with major work being done by Van Parys on system design and efficiency. At the same time, Van Parys was designing and building a massive facility in Puerto Rico along with Steve Bennett, who was the construction manager of the site, to manufacture the product on a massive scale. This effort allowed for a second design and installation in Guayama, Puerto Rico
Guayama, Puerto Rico
Guayama is a municipality of Puerto Rico founded on January 29, 1736 and located on the Southern Coastal Valley region, bordering the Caribbean, south of Cayey; east of Salinas; and west of Patillas and Arroyo. Guayama is spread over 9 wards and Guayama Pueblo...
of an initial 20 new systems. Each system now produced 540,000 tablets every 9 hours, or 1,080,000 tablets per day per system. This gave Whitehall the ability to produce a total of 32,400,000 tablets per day.
Hammonton, New Jersey Plant closes
The now Whitehall-Robbins closed the Hammonton manufacturing facility in 1996, moving its 10 production units to Rouses Point, New YorkRouses Point, New York
Rouses Point is a village in Clinton County, New York, United States, along the 45th parallel. The population was 2,209 at the 2010 census. The village is named after Jacques Rouse, an early settler....
. This move was short lived, and the units ended up in Guayama, Puerto Rico in 2004. Up to this day, the facility is the only production manufacturing operation for Advil in the US, although other Pfizer (formerly Wyeth) facilities package the product.
Advertising
Throughout its history, Advil advertising often compared it to both aspirinAspirin
Aspirin , also known as acetylsalicylic acid , is a salicylate drug, often used as an analgesic to relieve minor aches and pains, as an antipyretic to reduce fever, and as an anti-inflammatory medication. It was discovered by Arthur Eichengrun, a chemist with the German company Bayer...
and Tylenol
Tylenol
Tylenol is a North American brand of drugs advertised for reducing pain, reducing fever, and relieving the symptoms of allergies, cold, cough, and flu. The active ingredient of its original, flagship product, paracetamol , is marketed as an analgesic and antipyretic...
, both of which were portrayed as "old fashioned" or "out of date" drugs. For example, one print advertisement showed aspirin and Tylenol in the background with the years they came out (1898 and 1955 respectively) and Advil shown as "Today's" drug (except upon its introduction in 1984, when "1984" was shown). Another example is a television commercial (about mid to late 1990s) showing "flashbacks" of previous generations using aspirin or Tylenol and showing Advil as being used by the current generation.
Marketing slogans have included "Advanced Medicine for Pain", "For today's tough pain, one is often enough" and "The Everyday Pain Reliever".
Advil PM
Advil PM became available in 2006, and is a sleep aid medication. Advil PM caplets contain a combination of 200 mg of ibuprofenIbuprofen
Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used for relief of symptoms of arthritis, fever, as an analgesic , especially where there is an inflammatory component, and dysmenorrhea....
, and 50 mg of the sleep aid diphenhydramine
Diphenhydramine
Diphenhydramine hydrochloride is a first-generation antihistamine possessing anticholinergic, antitussive, antiemetic, and sedative properties which is mainly used to treat allergies. Like most other first-generation antihistamines, the drug also has a powerful hypnotic effect, and for this reason...
citrate. Diphenhydramine citrate is very similar to the ingredient diphenhydramine hydrochloride found in Tylenol PM and Benadryl
Benadryl
Benadryl is a brand name allergy medicine marketed over-the-counter by Johnson & Johnson subsidiary McNeil Consumer Healthcare. Prior to 2007, Benadryl was marketed by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare...
. Advil PM Liqui-Gels contain a combination of 200 mg of ibuprofen and 25 mg of diphenhydramine citrate.
Advil Liqui-Gels
Advil Liqui-Gels are composed of an outer casing of gelatinGelatin
Gelatin is a translucent, colorless, brittle , flavorless solid substance, derived from the collagen inside animals' skin and bones. It is commonly used as a gelling agent in food, pharmaceuticals, photography, and cosmetic manufacturing. Substances containing gelatin or functioning in a similar...
filled with solubilized ibuprofen. Ibuprofen
Ibuprofen
Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used for relief of symptoms of arthritis, fever, as an analgesic , especially where there is an inflammatory component, and dysmenorrhea....
is normally in a crystallized form that is grown 2 times and wet granulated to form the base material. The crystalline structure is one reason certain people can have unique reactions to the product. The concept was first worked out between George Van Parys (designer of the Advil manufacturing equipment), Robert DiCianni, and Banner Pharmacaps of California in 1994. The delay in creating the product from 1994 was in developing a method to solubilize ibuprofen without crystallization occurring inside the gelatin casing.
The active ingredients in Advil Liqui-Gels is ibuprofen. Ibuprofen may cause a severe allergic reaction in people allergic to other pain relievers. If an allergic reaction occurs, it is best to stop taking Advil Liqui-Gels and ask a doctor for help. The symptoms may include hives and facial swelling.