AstraZeneca announced that the European Commission has granted marketing authorisation to Brilique (ticagrelor tablets) for the prevention of atherothrombotic events in adult patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS). This decision follows the positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use on 23rd September and is applicable to the 27 Member States and the 3 European Economic Area countries of the European Union.

“We’re delighted Brilique has received regulatory approval in Europe, and believe it will become an attractive option for physicians seeking a more effective anti-platelet treatment than clopidogrel to reduce their ACS patients’ risk of heart attack and cardiovascular death,” said David Brennan, chief executive officer. “Now that Brilique is approved, we will work with the appropriate health entities, formulary and protocol reviews, and clinicians to bring this important medication to patients as soon as possible.”

Of the markets that will launch Brilique in 2011 in the EU, the majority of launches will occur in the second half of the year due to pricing and reimbursement negotiations.

In August 2010, the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Society for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) granted a Class 1B recommendation to Brilique in their revised “Guidelines for Myocardial Revascularization”. Under the revised guidelines, Brilique is listed as an anti-platelet treatment option during myocardial revascularization for ACS patients presenting with ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) or Non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI).

Ticagrelor is currently under regulatory review in 18 territories around the world. ACS affects an estimated 1.4 million people in Europe every year. Despite the availability of current treatment options for ACS, data suggests that up to 15 percent of patients die within one year of their cardiovascular event.

The marketing authorisation for Brilique is based on a review of the ticagrelor clinical programme, including results from PLATO (A Study of PLATelet inhibition and patient Outcomes), which established the superiority of ticagrelor over clopidogrel, and showed that treating 54 ACS patients with ticagrelor instead of clopidogrel for one year prevented one atherothrombotic event and treating 91 patients prevented one cardiovascular death, with no increase in overall major/fatal bleeding over the course of one year of treatment (11.6% for Brilique vs. 11.2% for clopidogrel, p=0.43).

Like all medicines, Brilique can cause side effects, although not every patient will experience them. The most common side effects reported with Brilique were bleeding and shortness of breath. Bleeding occurs commonly with any potent platelet inhibitor. With Brilique severe bleeding is uncommon, while less severe bleeds such as bruising and nosebleeds are common. Shortness of breath often resolved during B Brilique treatment and led uncommonly to patients stopping Brilique in the PLATO study. Other uncommonly reported side effects include headache, dizziness, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, rash, itching, and upset stomach.

Brilique (Ticagrelor) is a direct-acting P2Y12 receptor antagonist in a chemical class called Cyclo-Pentyl-Triazolo-Pyrimidines (CPTPs). Ticagrelor is the first reversibly-binding oral ADP receptor antagonist.

Brilique, a prescription oral anti-platelet treatment, co-administered with Acetyl Salicylic Acid (ASA), is indicated for the prevention of atherothrombotic events in adult patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes (unstable angina, NSTEMI, or STEMI), including patients managed medically and those who are managed with Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) or Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG).

Brilique and Brilinta are trademarks of the AstraZeneca group of companies. Brilinta is a proposed trade name for ticagrelor that is currently under regulatory review in some territories, including the United States.

ACS is an umbrella term for conditions that result from a severe reduction in blood flow to the heart muscle. These conditions range from unstable angina (unremitting chest pain that threatens a heart attack) to heart attack (Myocardial Infarction, or MI): STEMI (ST elevation MI) is a type of heart attack in which the coronary artery is completely blocked by a blood clot, and as a result much of the heart muscle being supplied by the affected artery starts to die. UA/NSTEMI (Unstable angina / non-ST elevation MI) is a type of ACS in which a blood clot partially occludes an artery and as a result some of the heart muscle being supplied by the affected artery dies or is at high risk of dying.

AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business with a primary focus on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines. As a leader in gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory and inflammation, oncology and infectious disease medicines, AstraZeneca generated global revenues of US $32.8 billion in 2009.