AstraZeneca reported that a large trial showed the that extended use of Brilinta reduced the risk of death from patients at risk of having another fatal heart attack.
According to AZ, the Phase III PEGASUS trial demonstrated a 29 percent risk reduction in death from treatment with Brilinta versus placebo, in patients taking low-dose aspirin but still at high risk of another event.
Patients received Brilinta within two years of having a heart or within one year of stopping anti-platelet treatment with an adenosine diphosphate (ADP) inhibitor.
Mikael Dellborg, professor of Cardiology at the University of Gothenburg and member of the Steering Committee of the PEGASUS-TIMI 54 trial, said: “The conclusion for both clinicians and patients at high-risk of CV death post-MI is clear: Treatment with Brilinta 60mg, either as continuation therapy after the initial 12 month post-event period, or with as limited interruption as possible, is associated with a clear and favorable benefit-risk ratio for this population of patients. This new insight is potentially practice-changing, as while more than seven million people worldwide suffer a heart attack each year, we know that fewer than half receive adequate long-term treatment to reduce their risk of further CV events.”
Elisabeth Björk, vice president, head of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, Global Medicines Development, AstraZeneca, said: “The Phase III PEGASUS-TIMI 54 trial continues to provide valuable data and insights with the potential to benefit both health care professionals and their patients. The results reinforce the importance of our continued investment in the science, helping to understand better the unique CV and mortality benefits that our medicines, such as Brilinta, can provide for the millions of patients living with cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death globally.”
AstraZeneca employs more than 1,000 in Delaware.
