In final guidance issued Wednesday, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommended the use of Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer's Eliquis (apixaban) for the prevention of venous thromboembolism in adults who have undergone total hip replacement or total knee replacement surgery. The decision follows a draft proposal released in November.
Carole Longson, the agency's health technology evaluation center director, noted that the oral Factor Xa inhibitor "has been shown to be a clinically and cost effective option for preventing blood clots following elective hip and knee replacement surgery." She added that Eliquis is recommended "alongside other effective treatments already approved by NICE," which include Boehringer Ingelheim's Pradaxa (dabigatran) and Bayer and Johnson & Johnson’s Xarelto (rivaroxaban).
NICE is also reviewing Eliquis for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation. The drug is predicted by analysts to generate annual sales of $1.4 billion by 2015.