Daiichi Sankyo launches phase III edoxaban trial

Daiichi Sankyo is sponsoring a phase III clinical trial of edoxaban, its new treatment for recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE).

The Hokusai VTE study is being conducted to gauge the safety and efficacy of the investigational compound in the treatment of patients with pulmonary embolisms or deep-vein thrombosis.

This study will involve around 7,500 patients across 40 European nations and represents the second such large-scale phase III trial involving edoxaban.

Dr Harry Buller, Professor of Internal Medicine at Amsterdam’s Academic Medical Center and lead investigator for the trial, expressed confidence that the study will help to support the efficacy of Xa inhibitors such as edoxaban.

He said: “Hokusai VTE is intended to show that VTE patients can be treated effectively and safely with the most simple and most convenient dosing regimen among factor Xa inhibitors.”

Last month, the pharmaceutical company won approval from the Food and Drug Administration for its hypertension drug Benicar to be used to treat children.