Sanofi-Aventis’ drug hailed in study

Sanofi-Aventis’ experimental drug Multaq has been found to reduce the incidence of hospitalisation for patients, according to a study.

Presented at the American Heart Association meeting in New Orleans, US, the research also found the product reduced the length of stay in hospital for patients.

Also known chemically as dronedarone, the drug cut the total number of hospital days by 28 per cent, in comparison with a placebo, with the stay for heat-related patients reduced by 35 per cent.

Member of the steering committee of the Athena study, Dr Christian Torp-Pedersen from the Gentofte university hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark said: “These new Athena data showed that, for the first time, an anti-arrhythmic drug significantly and consistently reduced hospitalisation incidence and duration, which led to a substantial reduction of total hospitalisation burden in this patient population.”

Currently under review for marketing approval by heath regulators in Europe and the US – with the latter’s approval expected in the first quarter of 2009 – Multaq was also found to reduce the incidence of initial non-atrial fibrillation-related hospitalisation for other heart problems, including heart attack, chest pains and unstable angina by 14 per cent.

Sanofi-Aventis’ global headquarters are located in Paris, France, with the UK headquarters in Guildford, Surrey.