Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer’s Eliquis receives NICE recommendation

Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer's novel anticoagulant Eliquis has been recommended for NHS use in the prevention of blood clots by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

The apixaban-based therapy has been recommended as an option for treating and preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) in adults in final guidance issued by the UK regulator.

Administered as an oral tablet, Eliquis helps to prevent blood from clotting by stopping a substance called Factor Xa from working. It has demonstrated its safety and efficacy in numerous clinical trials.

Unlike warfarin, the current standard of care, it does not require frequent blood tests to monitor treatment. It is also the only oral anticoagulant for which the licensed dose is lower for secondary prevention than for initial treatment of VTE.

Professor Carole Longson, NICE's Health Technology Evaluation Centre director, said: "For many people, using warfarin can be difficult because of the need for frequent tests to see if the blood is clotting properly, and having to adjust the dose of the drug if it is not."

Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer are also currently developing an antidote for Eliquis to reverse its effects in cases where this is clinically necessary.