Eli Lilly and Daiichi Sankyo have won European approval for their blood thinner Prasugrel, one of the most closely watched therapies in late-stage development. Regulators gave a green light to use the medicine on patients who had stents put in to clear arteries near the heart. And the Wall Street Journal's health blog was quick to note that this is just one of many examples where Europe has led the U.S. when it comes to new approvals.
The drug will be called Efient in Europe, where it will go up against the blockbuster Plavix, which is marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis. And analysts are expecting the FDA to follow up with an approval in the U.S. following an expert panel's unanimous recommendation.
"This European approval is good news for doctors and patients since more than 700,000 people die from heart attacks in the European Union each year," said Takashi Shoda, president and chief executive officer of Daiichi Sankyo. "We believe Efient will become an important new treatment for patients with ACS undergoing PCI, a severe disease with potentially life-threatening consequences."
- check out Lilly's release
- read the story in the Wall Street Journal