Bristol-Myers/Pfizer Drug Apixiban Superior to Aspirin For AF Patients

A Phase 3 trial of the Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer oral medication apixiban showed that,for atrial fibrillation patients unsuitable for a vitamin K antagonist such as warfarin,apixiban is superior to aspirin at reducing the risk of stroke or systemic embolism without a significant increase in major bleeding(annual event rate of 1.6% for apixiban versus 3.7% for aspirin).
The study also showed that apixiban was superior to aspirin at reducing the composite of stroke,systemic embolism,heart attack or vascular death for AF patients versus aspirin(annual event rate of 4.2% for apixiban versus 6.7% for aspirin).
Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia.It afflicts about 5.1 million Americans and more than 6 million Europeans.About 40-50% of AF patients are considered unsuitable for vitamin K antagonists because of the risk of bleeding and incompatibility with other medications.
Lead investigator Dr.Stuart Conolly,MD,professor of medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton,Ontario,said the risk of stroke or systemic embolism is of great concern for patients with atrial fibrillation,especially because AF-related strokes are particularly devastating.Given the significant number of patients who are not eligible for vitamin K antagonists,it is especially important to have potential new treatment options that are both safe and effective.
Pfizer and Bristol-Myers have been in a worldwide collaboration to develop and commercialize apixiban since 2007.
Bristol-Myers Squibb(BMY),Pfizer(PFE)