Brilinta regulatory update

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) updated its guidelines for managing acute myocardial infarction (MI) in patients presenting with persistent ST-segment elevation MI (STEMI) to include a Class I recommendation for use of AstraZeneca's marketed anti-platelet drug ticagrelor in combination with aspirin in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The guidelines recommend the use of anti-platelet drug prasugrel only for clopidogrel-naïve patients aged <75 years with no prior history of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Clopidogrel is recommended when prasugrel or ticagrelor are either not available or contraindicated. A Class I recommendation indicates "evidence and/or general agreement that a given treatment or procedure is beneficial, useful, effective."

Ticagrelor, a reversible adenosine diphosphate (ADP) receptor (P2Y12) antagonist, is approved in the U.S. as Brilinta and in the EU as Brilique to reduce the rate of thrombotic cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Earlier this year, AstraZeneca and The Medicines Co. partnered to develop and commercialize their respective acute ischemic heart disease compounds globally. Under the deal, The Medicines Co. co-promotes ticagrelor in the U.S. (see BioCentury, April 30). ...