US EXPERTS BACK ASTRAZENECA BLOOD THINNER
US advisers backed a potential blockbuster blood thinner from AstraZeneca on Wednesday, a victory for a company seeking new drugs to offset expiring patents on some of its best-selling medicines, Reuters reports.
Members of an FDA panel voted 7-1 to recommend approval of Brilinta for patients suffering from heart attacks or chest pain who need drug therapy or an artery-clearing procedure. Analysts predict Brilinta's sales will top $1 billion a year based on strong results showing the medicine reduced deaths and heart attacks.
The company overcame doubts about Brilinta's effectiveness in US patients. In a clinical trial of 18,000 patients, the relatively small group from North America saw no benefit.
Panel members struggled to explain that result but voted 7-1 that the sharp reduction in deaths and heart attacks in other patients justified Brilinta's use in the US.