Etoricoxib

Summary

Etoricoxib (CHEMBL416146) is an approved small-molecule cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitor (ATC M01AH05) targeting PTGS2; indicated across 15 conditions including rheumatic disorder and rheumatoid arthritis.

At a glance

• Status: Approved (max clinical phase 4)
• Modality: Small molecule
• ATC class: M01AH05
• Targets: 1 (PTGS2)
• Indications: 15 conditions
• Clinical trials: 79
• Chemistry: 358.8 Da · C18H15ClN2O2S

Identifiers

Drug identity and classification

Field	Value
ChEMBL ID	CHEMBL416146
Name	Etoricoxib
Type	Small molecule
Max phase	4
FDA approved	no
PubChem CID	123619
ChEBI	CHEBI:6339
ATC	M01AH05
Molecular formula	C18H15ClN2O2S
Molecular weight	358.8
InChIKey	MNJVRJDLRVPLFE-UHFFFAOYSA-N

SMILES: CC1=NC=C(C=C1)C2=C(C=C(C=N2)Cl)C3=CC=C(C=C3)S(=O)(=O)C

IUPAC name: 5-chloro-2-(6-methyl-3-pyridinyl)-3-(4-methylsulfonylphenyl)pyridine

ChEBI definition: A member of the class of bipyridines that is 2,3’-bipyridine which is substituted at the 3, 5, and 6’ positions by 4-(methylsulfonyl)phenyl, chlorine, and methyl groups, respectively.

Pharmacological roles (ChEBI): cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitor, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

Also known as: Arcoxia, Etoricoxib, L-791456, MK-0663, etoricoxib, SID26758000, ETORICOXIB, SID144205759, SID170465621

Patent coverage: 7,932 distinct patent families (32,277 SureChEMBL compound mentions), from 4 matched compound structure(s). One matched structure accounts for 32,073 (99%) of the total. Mentions count patents naming the compound (not distinct inventions), so promiscuous / reference molecules inflate the mention figure — families are the dedup metric.

Targets

Targets

Primary targets (GtoPdb curated mechanism): the Cancer dependency column is the DepMap CRISPR fitness signal (% of screened cell lines dependent on the target).

Gene	Target	Action	pAffinity	Cancer dependency	UniProt
PTGS2	COX-2	Inhibition	6	0%	P35354

Broader ChEMBL bioactivity targets: 7 (assay-derived). Sample: ATP-binding cassette sub-family C member 4, Prostaglandin G/H synthase 1, Prostaglandin G/H synthase 2, Mitogen-activated protein kinase 14, 3’,5’-cyclic-AMP phosphodiesterase 4D, Prostaglandin G/H synthase 2, Bile salt export pump.

Bioactivity

ChEMBL activities: 21 potent at pChembl ≥ 5 of 27 total. Top 30 by potency (10 = 0.1 nM, 6 = 1 µM):

Target	pChembl	Type	Value	Unit	Activity ID
PTGS2	7.16	Ki	69	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_23150713
PTGS2	7.16	IC50	70	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_25034975
PTGS2	7.09	IC50	81	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_1095297
PTGS2	7.09	IC50	81	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_18940845
P79208	6.64	IC50	230	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_19480747
PTGS2	6.46	IC50	347	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_1454039
PTGS2	6.46	IC50	347	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_2718019
PTGS2	6.37	IC50	430	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_23150563
MAPK14	6.28	IC50	530	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_1474874
PTGS2	6.26	IC50	554	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_2718058
PTGS2	6.25	IC50	560	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_23150526
PTGS2	6.21	IC50	611	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_23150745
PTGS2	6.09	IC50	810	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_1726829
PTGS2	6.09	IC50	810	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_1739290
PTGS2	6.09	IC50	810	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_444068
PTGS2	5.96	IC50	1100	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_1095298
PTGS2	5.96	IC50	1100	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_1210463
PTGS2	5.96	IC50	1100	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_18417076
PTGS2	5.7	IC50	2000	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_1512495
PTGS2	5.54	AC50	2904	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_25166785
PDE4D	5.05	AC50	9000	nM	CHEMBL_ACT_25185960

Target pathways

Aggregated over 1 target gene(s): PTGS2.

Top Reactome pathways

8 total, by targets touching each:

Pathway	Targets	Genes
Synthesis of 15-eicosatetraenoic acid derivatives	1	PTGS2
Synthesis of Prostaglandins (PG) and Thromboxanes (TX)	1	PTGS2
Interleukin-10 signaling	1	PTGS2
Interleukin-4 and Interleukin-13 signaling	1	PTGS2
Biosynthesis of DHA-derived SPMs	1	PTGS2
Biosynthesis of EPA-derived SPMs	1	PTGS2
Biosynthesis of DPAn-3 SPMs	1	PTGS2
Biosynthesis of electrophilic ω-3 PUFA oxo-derivatives	1	PTGS2

Dominant GO biological processes

GO term	Targets
prostaglandin biosynthetic process	1
response to oxidative stress	1
embryo implantation	1
regulation of blood pressure	1
response to nematode	1
response to selenium ion	1
positive regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor production	1
cyclooxygenase pathway	1
lipoxygenase pathway	1
positive regulation of prostaglandin biosynthetic process	1
positive regulation of fever generation	1
prostaglandin secretion	1
regulation of cell population proliferation	1
long-chain fatty acid biosynthetic process	1
positive regulation of nitric oxide biosynthetic process	1

Indications & clinical

Indications

15 indications (1 at ChEMBL trial phase 4). Phase below is the highest clinical-trial phase recorded for this drug against each disease — not the molecule’s overall approval status (that is in the Summary).

Indication	Trial phase	MONDO	EFO
rheumatic disorder	4	MONDO:0005554	EFO:0005755
rheumatoid arthritis	3	MONDO:0008383	EFO:0000685
ankylosing spondylitis	3	MONDO:0005306	EFO:0003898
osteoarthritis, knee	3	MONDO:0005416	EFO:0004616
injury	3	MONDO:0021178	EFO:0000546
osteoarthritis	3	MONDO:0005178	MONDO:0005178
HIV infectious disease	2	MONDO:0005109	EFO:0000764
bone neoplasm	2	MONDO:0019060	EFO:0003820
melanoma	1	MONDO:0005105	EFO:0000756
tuberculosis	1	MONDO:0018076	MONDO:0018076

5 further indication records had no mapped disease name (EFO/MeSH-only) or were duplicates, and are omitted.

Clinical trials

Total trials: 79.

Phase distribution

Phase	Trials
PHASE3	26
PHASE4	25
Not specified	11
PHASE2	10
PHASE1	5
PHASE1/PHASE2	1
EARLY_PHASE1	1

Top trials by phase / activity

NCT	Phase	Status	Title
NCT06401499	PHASE4	NOT_YET_RECRUITING	The Effect of Pregabalin and Etoricoxib on Pain Alone Versus in Combination
NCT00440739	PHASE4	COMPLETED	Etoricoxib With Flavoxate for Reducing Morphine Requirement After Transurethral Prostatectomy (TURP)
NCT00565682	PHASE4	COMPLETED	Pain Post Abdominal Laparoscopy Prevention With Arcoxia
NCT00733421	PHASE4	COMPLETED	The Effect of Anti-inflammatory Analgesics on Pain Following Hallux Valgus Surgery
NCT00752921	PHASE4	UNKNOWN	Randomized Placebo Controlled Trial With Etoricoxib That is Taken to Prevent the Yom Kippur Headache
NCT00755521	PHASE4	UNKNOWN	Study Assessing the Efficacy of Etoricoxib in Female Patients With Fibromyalgia
NCT00757627	PHASE4	COMPLETED	Patient-Reported Effectiveness and Safety of Etoricoxib in Osteoarthritis (OA)(0663-113)
NCT00763685	PHASE4	TERMINATED	Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Pre-operative Administration of Etoricoxib 120 mg, Etoricoxib 120 mg and Paracetamol 1 g Combination or Placebo in the Treatment of Postoperative Pain in Patients Undergoing Gynaecologic Laparoscopic Surgery
NCT00792376	PHASE4	COMPLETED	NSAIDs in Acute Achilles Tendinopathy: Effect on Pain Control, Leg Stiffness and Functional Recovery in Athletes
NCT00799149	PHASE4	COMPLETED	Etoricoxib Versus Gabapentin for Knee Arthroscopy
NCT00855777	PHASE4	UNKNOWN	Etoricoxib Versus Ibuprofen in Third Molar Extraction Pain
NCT00927004	PHASE4	COMPLETED	Efficacy of Etoricoxib 60 mg in Modifying Pain Hypersensitivity in People With Knee Osteoarthritis
NCT00935116	PHASE4	UNKNOWN	Etoricoxib for Postoperative Pain After Thyroid Surgery
NCT01022190	PHASE4	COMPLETED	Prevention of Heterotopic Ossification With Arcoxia After Total Hip Replacement
NCT01067430	PHASE4	WITHDRAWN	Comparison of the Effect of Etoricoxib and Diclofenac on Early Morning Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
NCT01148303	PHASE4	COMPLETED	Trial of Etoricoxib (Arcoxia) Taken Prophylactically to Prevent Ramadan Headache
NCT01190722	PHASE4	WITHDRAWN	A Study Comparing Etoricoxib and Diclofenac Sodium in Post Hallux Valgus Surgery Pain
NCT01264237	PHASE4	UNKNOWN	Evaluation of the Efficacy, Tolerability and Safety of Etoricoxib (Arcoxia) in Patients With Neuropathic Pain
NCT01344720	PHASE4	UNKNOWN	Evaluation of the Efficacy and Tolerability of Etoricoxib Monotherapy Versus Combination Oxycodone-etoricoxib in Moderate to Severe Pain From Chronic Low Back Pain
NCT01361789	PHASE4	COMPLETED	COX-2 Inhibitor Versus Glucocorticoid Versus Both Combined
NCT01429168	PHASE4	WITHDRAWN	A Study of Etoricoxib in Participants With Osteoarthritis Not Responding to Analgesic Drugs (MK-0663-142)
NCT02149758	PHASE4	COMPLETED	EFFECT OF SELECTIVE COX-2 INHIBITOR (ETORICOXIB) ALONG WITH SCALING AND ROOT PLANING (SRP) ON CLINICAL PARAMETERS AND SALIVARY LEVEL OF SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE IN CHRONIC GENERALIZED PERIODONTITIS A DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED, DOUBLE-MASKED RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL (RCT).
NCT02568735	PHASE4	COMPLETED	Dexketoprofen and Etoricoxib in Patients Undergoing Hip Arthroplasty
NCT03582332	PHASE4	COMPLETED	Serum Creatinine Change / Renal Adverse Effect With Use of Non-steroidal Painkillers in Axial Spondyloarthritis Patients
NCT04144101	PHASE4	COMPLETED	Etoricoxib vs Aceclofenac in the Treatment of Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis
NCT06863701	PHASE3	RECRUITING	Efficacy Anda Safety of Etoricoxib With Betamethasone for the Treatment of Acute Gout Arthritis
NCT00092703	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Investigational Drug Versus an Approved Drug in Patients With Osteoarthritis (0663-061)(COMPLETED)
NCT00092729	PHASE3	COMPLETED	An Investigational Drug Study in the Treatment of Primary Dysmenorrhea (0663-064)
NCT00092742	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Investigational Drug Versus an Approved Drug in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis (0663-072)
NCT00092755	PHASE3	COMPLETED	An Investigational Drug in Patients With Osteoarthritis (0663-073)
NCT00092768	PHASE3	COMPLETED	A Study of MK0663 and an Approved Drug in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis (0663-076)(COMPLETED)
NCT00092781	PHASE3	COMPLETED	A Study of MK0663 and an Approved Drug in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis (0663-077)(COMPLETED)
NCT00250445	PHASE3	COMPLETED	A Study to Evaluate the Safety of an Investigational Drug (Etoricoxib) in Patients With Osteoarthritis (OA) or Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)(0663-066)
NCT00373464	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Etoricoxib for Routine Post-operative Pain Prophylaxis in Laparoscopic Surgery
NCT00694369	PHASE3	COMPLETED	A Study to Asses the Effect of MK0663 in the Treatment of Patients With Postoperative Dental Pain (0663-092)
NCT00756873	PHASE3	UNKNOWN	Etoricoxib in Ear Nose Throat Surgery
NCT00788710	PHASE3	COMPLETED	A Study of MK0663/Etoricoxib for Post-Abdominal Hysterectomy Surgery Pain (0663-097)(COMPLETED)
NCT00820027	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Study of MK-0663/Etoricoxib in Postorthopedic Knee Replacement Surgery Pain (MK-0663-098)
NCT00876317	PHASE3	TERMINATED	Etoricoxib in Acute Soft Tissue Rheumatism Affecting the Shoulder
NCT01017380	PHASE3	COMPLETED	Preemptive Analgesia in Cruciate Reconstruction

Clinical evidence (CIViC)

No CIViC predictive evidence (expected for non-precision-medicine drugs).

Pharmacology

Pharmacogenomics

No CPIC/DPWG dosing guideline or drug-level clinical/variant annotations in PharmGKB for this molecule.

Related molecules

Related molecules

Molecules sharing ≥1 of this drug’s curated primary targets, merged from two biobtree sources and ranked by shared-target count, then clinical phase: ChEMBL clinical-stage candidates (development phase ≥2) and PubChem drug-class bioactivity (approved / known drugs acting on the target). Deduplicated by drug name; the drug’s own salt forms are excluded. Note: for a drug with few primary targets a shared-target match can reflect off-target / promiscuous binding rather than the same therapeutic mechanism — the phase ordering surfaces bona-fide therapeutics first.

201 molecules share ≥1 primary target. Top 60 by shared-target count:

Molecule	Source	Status	Shared targets
FIDAXOMICIN	ChEMBL + PubChem	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
3,3’,4’,5-TETRACHLOROSALICYLANILIDE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
ABEMACICLIB	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
ACALABRUTINIB	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
ACEMETACIN	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
ACETOPHENAZINE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
ACETYLCYSTEINE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
ACRIVASTINE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
AMODIAQUINE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
AMPHOTERICIN B	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
AMSACRINE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
ANISINDIONE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
APOMORPHINE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
ARFORMOTEROL	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
ASPIRIN	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
BAZEDOXIFENE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
BENZQUINAMIDE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
BEPRIDIL	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
BIPERIDEN	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
BROMFENAC	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
CALCIPOTRIENE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
CALCITRIOL	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
CANDESARTAN CILEXETIL	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
CANNABIDIOL	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
CAPSAICIN	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
CAPTOPRIL	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
CARPROFEN	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
CEFAZOLIN	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
CEFTIZOXIME	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
CELECOXIB	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
CEPHRADINE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
CIANIDANOL	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
CLOTRIMAZOLE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
CRIZOTINIB	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
DAUNORUBICIN	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
DESERPIDINE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
DEXIBUPROFEN	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
DEXKETOPROFEN	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
DICLOFENAC	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
DIETHYLSTILBESTROL	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
DOBUTAMINE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
DOXORUBICIN	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
EPINEPHRINE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
ERGOTAMINE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
ESFLURBIPROFEN	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
ETODOLAC	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
FLUPIRTINE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
FLURBIPROFEN	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
FLUVASTATIN	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
FOLIC ACID	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
GLAFENINE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
HALOPERIDOL	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
HEXACHLOROPHENE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
IBUPROFEN	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
ICOSAPENT ETHYL	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
INDAPAMIDE	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
INDOCYANINE GREEN ACID FORM	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
INDOMETHACIN	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
IPRONIAZID	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2
ISOCARBOXAZID	ChEMBL	Phase 4 (approved)	PTGS2