Eliquis

February 14, 2017

Report: Eliquis Sales Near Xarelto

A new report indicates that sales of new blood-thinning medication Eliquis are gaining on those of Xarelto, the long-time leader in the industry.

For decades, if you needed a blood thinner because you suffered from a serious medical condition known as atrial fibrillation (Afib), you would take a a drug like warfarin (Coumadin). This was also true for patients who were at increased risk for other related medical conditions that could be deadly, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Afib involving an irregular heartbeat not caused by a heart valve defective and a DVT is when a clot forms in places like the legs. The clot can break free and travel through the circulatory system. If it enters the lungs, it can punch a hole in the lung wall, causing blood to fill into the cavity. This is known as pulmonary embolism and is often deadly. If one of these clots blocks the flow of blood to the brain, it can result in stroke due to the deprivation of oxygen to the brain. Continue reading

June 22, 2016

Are Patients Being Manipulated by Drug Ads on TV?

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

A recent article from Cleveland.com takes a look at how drug companies may be manipulating potential patients by asking them to speak to their doctors about a particular drug. This is actually a fairly contentious issue, as drug companies formerly were not able to market directly to patients through television and magazine ads. Eventually, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allowed direct marketing, and that is when everything changed.

Before this, there were no cartoon characters, or even a claymation lower intestine that tell us which medication can help with digestion. One of the drugs discussed in this article is Eliquis. Eliquis is member a class of drugs known as new oral anticoagulants (NOACs). This medicine is for patients who suffer from a serious medical condition known as atrial fibrillation (Afib). Continue reading

February 15, 2016

Eliquis Turning Huge Profits for Bristol-Myers Squibb

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

According to a recent news feature from Fierce Pharma, Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) has reported huge profits over the past fiscal quarter. Their immuno-oncology division had released a drug known as Opodivo that earned $475 million in last quarter alone, but much of the company’s success also comes from a drug known as Eliquis, which raked in $602 million over the same time period.

Eliquis is a member of a class of drugs known as new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) that also includes Xarelto, Pradaxa and Savaysa. These drugs are used to treat various health conditions, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVTs), which is when a clot forms in the legs and then breaks free and does tremendous damage to the patient’s body. If the clot enters the lungs, or forms in lungs to begin with, it can rupture the lung itself, resulting in patient’s lungs filling with blood. This often-fatal condition is know a pulmonary embolism (PE) and is another condition Eliquis has been approved to treat. Continue reading

September 15, 2015

Eliquis Sales Linked to Company Future

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

New Oral Anticoagulants (NOACs) are big money for drug companies and marketing partners pushing four different medications currently on the market. One of the four drugs is Eliquis, manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), and, according to recent article from Forbes, the drugmaker has a lot riding on Eliquis sales.

Specifically, Forbes estimates that around a quarter of BMS’s total value is directly tied to Eliquis. In other words, the future of Eliquis can make or break the economic viability of the company. Continue reading

September 7, 2015

House Committee Investigating Safety of Warfarin

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

For decades, Warfarin (Coumadin) has been the gold standard drug for atrial fibrillation (Afib) patients to avoid being at a higher risk for stroke and other potentially deadly medical conditions like a pulmonary embolism (PE).

While Warfarin is considered relatively safe, it does require patients to have frequent monitoring by their physicians to make sure the dosage is correct. This means the patients need to regularly have blood taken to determine how the blood thinner is working. If the dosage is off, it can result in serious medical conditions, including bleeding disorders. While this is a risk, with proper monitoring, it should not occur, and, if it does occur, doctors can often reverse the effects of the drug. Continue reading

September 3, 2015

Eliquis Maker Claims it is Safer than Xarelto in Terms of Major Bleeding Rates

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Eliquis, manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) and Pfizer, is now claiming its new oral anticoagulant (NOAC) is safer than other NOACs (Xarelto, Pradaxa, and Savaysa), according to a recent news article from Medpage Today.

Based upon a recent study, paid for by BMS and Pfizer, their drug, Eliquis, was shown to cause less major bleeding cases in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (Afib) that patients taking Pradaxa, or Xarelto. Savaysa was not specifically included in this study because the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only recently approved it for sale on the market. Continue reading

August 17, 2015

FDA Reviewer Questions Claims Made by Eliquis Maker

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

The manufacturer of Eliquis is now claiming there has been a reduction in deaths for Afib patients who take the anticoagulant medication, but a review at the United States Food and Drug Administration is questioning this allegation, according to a recent news article from the Journal Sentinel.

Eliquis is one of what are now four new anticoagulants on the market to treat a medical condition known as atrial fibrillation (Afib). Afib is characterized as a disease associated with an irregular heartbeat that leads to the formation of blood clots, and, if these clots end up blocking blood to the brain, they can cause the patient to have a stroke. For this reason, the patient must take either a blood thinner, which was the preferred form of therapy for years, or one of the new oral anticoagulants (NOACs), including Xarelto, Eliquis, Pradaxa and Savaysa.

That last one, Savaysa, just received FDA approval and was brought to market earlier this year. Continue reading

May 28, 2015

Xarelto Lawsuit Removed to Federal Court

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

Xarelto is an anticoagulant medication manufactured by Bayer AG, the German pharmaceutical giant, and Janssen, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, markets it in the United States.

Xarelto is one of three relatively new forms of medication marketed to treat patients who suffer from a condition known as atrial fibrillation (Afib). The other drugs in this class of New Oral Anticoagulants (NOACs) include Pradaxa and Eliquis. All three of these medications are essentially designed to be replacements for Warfarin (Coumadin), which has been the longstanding preferred course of treatment for Afib patients to prevent clotting disorders such as stroke and pulmonary embolism (PE).
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May 18, 2015

Report: Xarelto Sales Down

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

While Bayer AG, the German pharmaceutical giant, has seen a recent increase in quarter-over-quarter profits, sales numbers for their bestselling drug, Xarelto, have actually dropped this past quarter for the first time since the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it for market.

Xarelto is a member of a class of drugs known as New Oral Anticogulants (NOACs) and, despite what drug makers claim, has been marketed as a replacement for Warfarin (Coumadin) for patients suffering from a serious medical condition known as atrial fibrillation (Afib). Afib is a serious heart condition, which can cause a patient to have a stroke or other serious clotting disorder. Due to Afib, patients must take either a blood thinner or other anticoagulant to prevent clots from forming. Not only can these clots block an artery causing heart failure or stroke, they can break free from the deep veins in which they formed and travel through the patient’s circulatory system to the lungs. If they puncture a hole in a patient’s lung, it leads to a serious medical condition known as a pulmonary embolism, which often results in death of a patient.
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April 14, 2015

Plaintiff Demands $4.5 Million in Xarelto Injury Lawsuit

by Jeffrey S. Glassman

According to a recent news feature from the Madison Record, a woman in Texas is suing Bayer Pharmaceuticals AG, and its United States marketing partner Janssen Pharmaceuticals (Johnson & Johnson) for injuries she alleges was a result of her Xarelto prescription.

Xarelto is the brand name for a drug known as rivaroxaban. It is a member of a class of drugs known as New Oral Anticoagulants (NOACs). Patients who suffer from various medical conditions including atrial fibrillation (Afib) require an anti-clotting agent. If blood clots form, they can block the flow of blood, causing strokes and other serious issues. If a clot forms and breaks loose, it can travel to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, where it can cause serious internal bleeding known as a pulmonary embolism or PE. Until the creation and FDA approval of NOACs, including Xarelto, Pradaxa, and Eliquis, the most commonly used medication was Warfarin, which is the generic form of Coumadin.

While Coumadin is effective in treating Afib patients, it does require very frequent blood tests to monitor dosage, and patients must also watch their diets closely, as certain foods can alter the rate at which Coumadin is absorbed. If the dosage is off, the patient can have serious consequences including bleeding disorders.
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