The two US based pharmaceutical companies Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer are thrilled with the news that their experimental anti-coagulant drug Eliquis has passed a late stage trial (third phase) successfully. Both the firms have ecstatically announced success at the third phase of the trial (ARISTOTLE) of the drug. The trial was conducted for patients suffering from atrial fibrillation and a minimum of one additional risk factor for heart stroke. The primary objective of the drug to prove its efficacy was not to be inferior to warfarin.

This was tested on a combined outcome of stroke and systemic embolism. Pfizer and B-MS have also happily announced that Eliquis (a twice daily dosage) gave results with less bleeding as compared to warfarin. The drug is a direct Factor Xa inhibitor. The firms expect that they would be able to submit all the regulatory documents required by the third or fourth quarter this year. At the end of the month of August this year congress of the European Society of Cardiology will be held in Paris. There at the congress a detailed report of the results of the study on Eliquis (apixaban) will be presented. The data about the drug is eagerly anticipated as many analysts believe that the drug will become a highly popular one.

Currently there is another drug which is the rival of Eliquis and poses great competition. It is the drug by Boehringer Ingelheim. It has already been approved and is a direct thrombin inhibitor. The name of this drug is Pradaxa (dabigatran etexilate). This drug had a great and amazing start in USA. The next entry in this category into the market is expected to be the drug by Bayer/Johnson & Johnson. It is called Xarelto (rivaraxoban). It is a once daily drug and is Factor Xa inhibitor. According to the studies Xarelto could not emerge superior to warfarin in both efficacy and safety; it could just equalize the results. Marc Goodman at UBS said that Eliquis could be labeled superior to Pradaxa, as the latter is superior only in terms of efficacy. He also said that the results that were observed were the best possible outcome with the given condition of superiority in efficacy. Shares of the both the pharmaceutical firms, Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb are expected to rise in USA after the opening of markets. While Bayer’s stock, in Europe has already gone down by a value of 5.5%.