Blood thinner Prasugrel approved by European Commission

Prasugrel, made by Eli Lilly and Co. in a joint with Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., was approved for heart patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing an artery-opening procedure. The condition includes heart attacks and chest pain. The drug is aimed at decreasing the platelets' capacity to stick or bundle up together, which can result in arteries clogging, which in its turn could lead to a heart attack. The European Commission granted marketing authorization for the blood thinner prasugrel, which will be sold under the name Efient. According to the company, the drug will be launched "in the coming weeks." - eNews

FDA: Eli Lilly blood thinner has clear benefits

U.S. Federal health officials said a blood thinner from Eli Lilly offers life-saving benefits over drugs currently on the market, though its use may have to be restricted due to bleeding side effects. The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing the highly anticipated drug, called prasugrel, as a therapy for patients with acute heart problems such as heart attacks, who face increased risk of blood clots. Lilly developed the drug with Japanese drugmaker Daiichi Sankyo. In a 357-page review posted online, FDA reviewers said the drug's effectiveness over the leading blood thinner Plavix "seems beyond question." Plavix, the second-best-selling prescription medicine in the world, is made by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis. Like Plavix, pragrusel works by stopping components of blood, called platelets, from sticking together and clotting.