Apixaban, Xarelto deliver good results in studies

Pfizer and Bristol Myers Squibb's blood thinner apixaban beat aspirin in a study that may open the door to a multi-billion dollar-a-year market to prevent clots. Meanwhile, rival drug Xarelto made by Bayer delivered good results in dissolving potentially clots in the legs as well as preventing new ones--without causing either excessive bleeding or liver problems. Apixaban, a Factor Xa inhibitor, was studied in the double-blind, randomized Averroes trial that recruited 5,600...

Expert panel set to review Boehringer’s Pradaxa

On September 20, an FDA expert panel will review Boehringer Ingelheim's Pradaxa (dabigatran), an experimental blood thinner that the company says is safer, more effective and simpler to use than the generic warfarin. The drug is indicated to prevent stroke in those with irregular heartbeats. It's good news for Boehringer, as some analysts speculated an expert panel wouldn't be scheduled to review Pradaxa until 2011. Bristol-Myers Squibb and partner Pfizer, Merck and Daiichi Sankyo are all...