AstraZeneca wins approval for major heart attack drug Brilinta in the US
AstraZeneca has won approval for the sale of a potential blockbuster drug in the US.
Brilinta, which thins the blood of former heart attack victims, won approval from the Food and Drug Administration last night, and is expected to be made available in pharmacies from the end of September.
By thinning blood, Brilinta reduces the risk of developing blood clots, which obstruct arteries and are a major contributing factor to heart attacks and strokes.
The move came just a week after the drug was endorsed by European experts for longer use in people at risk.
AstraZeneca said it expects the drug to bring in £2.3bn by 2023.
Elisabeth Björk, head of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases at AstraZeneca, said:
We know that patients remain at risk beyond the first year after their heart attack. Today's approval is an important milestone that underscores the role Brilinta can play in reducing the risk of a subsequent cardiovascular event for patients both in the acute setting and in the longer term.