Surging Activase sustaining its clinical impact

Activase's market share began rising in April, after the 41,021-patient GUSTO study results indicated that patients given accelerated treatment with tPA plus heparin had 6.3 percent mortality compared with 7.3 percent mortality in patients treated with SK (a 1 percent difference in absolute terms and a 13.6 percent relative risk reduction). The trial's primary end point was 30-day mortality. The data were published in last week's New England Journal of Medicine.

Genentech Inc. (GNE) said that its clot buster, Activase tissue plasminogen activator, has regained the 66 percent market share it held two years ago and continues to show a continuing and perhaps widening mortality advantage over the competiting streptokinase therapy. ...