Bayer HealthCare reports positive data from new Xarelto study

Bayer HealthCare has announced the publication of a new study that further underlines the strong performance of its drug Xarelto in the treatment of atrial fibrillation.

Data from the X-VeRT study has shown that once-daily Xarelto can be an effective and well-tolerated alternative to dose-adjusted vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) such as warfarin among patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation undergoing cardioversion.

It was also shown that compared with the use of VKAs, Xarelto was associated with a 50 percent reduction in the risk of cardiovascular events, as well as a numerically lower risk of major bleeding events.

X-VeRT was the first prospective trial of a novel oral anticoagulant and adds to a body of evidence supporting the drug that now includes data from 275,000 patients in both clinical trials and real-world settings.

Dr Michael Devoy, member of the Bayer HealthCare executive committee and the firm's chief medical officer, said: "These important insights contribute to the expansion of our understanding of the clinical utility of Xarelto across different settings and patient populations."

This comes after the firm recently revealed that it will be commencing three new Xarelto studies assessing its safety and efficacy in the prevention of potentially deadly blood clots among patients at risk of arterial thromboembolism.