Eliquis injury

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