NICE has recommended AstraZeneca’s Brilique (ticagrelor) as a long-term treatment for patients who have had a heart attack and are at high risk of a further cardiovascular event.
The UK agency’s final guidance sanctions the anti-clotting therapy for NHS use at a lower dosage than previously available, backing Brilique as a more enduring option for the prevention of atherothrombotic events in adults who have had myocardial infarction.
Currently delivered at a 90mg dose with aspirin for 12 months after a heart attack, the oral drug could now be taken twice daily with aspirin at a 60mg dose for a maximum of three years.
Lisa Anson, AstraZeneca’s UK and Ireland president, said: “We welcome this very important and positive recommendation from NICE.
“With more people than ever surviving heart attacks, it is critical to recognise the need to provide ongoing management of the underlying condition in the immediate years following an attack for the prevention of further events.”
The new Final Appraisal Determination comes on the back of the PEGASUS study, which showed that Brilique with aspirin was significantly more effective at reducing the risk of repeat heart attack or stroke as a lower-dosage, longer-term treatment.
Approximately seven out of ten people who have a heart attack survive, but around a fifth experience another within one year while 20% of those who are event-free after 12 months have a heart attack or stroke in subsequent years.
Patients who are at high risk of repeat cardiovascular events are often older, with evidence of multi-vessel coronary artery disease, chronic non-end-stage renal dysfunction or diabetes mellitus.
Anson added: “At AstraZeneca we are committed to helping appropriate NHS patients who could benefit from ticagrelor 60mg get access to the treatment.”
Brilique brought in sales of $395m in the first half of the year and has a 2023 target of $3.5bn. In order to achieve this the firm is working on new indications in coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, sickle disease and type 2 diabetes.