UK patients are set to have access to another drug to treat and prevent potentially fatal blood clots.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which provides guidance for the NHS in England and Wales, today published final guidance recommending Boehringer Ingelheim’s Pradaxa (dabigatran) for the treatment and prevention of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE).
DVT occurs when a blood clot forms in the deep veins of the leg or pelvis, meaning blood flow through affected veins is often limited by the clot and causes swelling and pain. If the clot dislodges and travels to the lungs, this can cause potentially fatal PE, blocking the blood supply to the lungs.
Pradaxa is one of several new anticoagulants approved in the past couple of years in various blood clot indications as more convenient alternatives to standard therapy with heparin and/or and warfarin.
One of these new treatments – Bayer’s Xarelto (rivaroxaban) – is already recommended by NICE to treat and prevent DVT and PE, while the other main competition – Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer’s Eliquis (apixaban) – is under review, with guidance expected to be finalised by June 2015.
Commenting on the recommendation for Pradaxa, Prof Carole Longson, NICE Health Technology Evaluation Centre director, said: “The appraisal committee felt that dabigatran represents a potential benefit for many people who have had a DVT or PE, particularly those who have risk factors for recurrence of a blood clot and who therefore need longer term treatment.
Earlier this month, an effective antidote to Pradaxa’s blood thinning capabilities was presented in two key patient groups at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting in San Francisco, potentially giving it an edge over Xarelto and Eliquis.