Sanofi-aventis sees Clexane receive international extension

Sanofi-aventis has seen its anticoagulant Clexane (enoxaparin sodium injection) gain further international approval after it was given the go-ahead for marketing in Japan.

The Japanese ministry of health, labour and welfare has approved the low-molecular weight heparin for the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery of the lower limbs.

Clexane is already available in over a 100 countries around the world and is administered to over 200 million patients.

Hanspeter Spek, executive vice-president of pharmaceutical operations at Sanofi-aventis, expressed the company’s hope to see Clexane greatly contribute to the prevention of VTE in Japan and meet an important medical need for patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery.

“Clexane’s approval illustrates the commitment of Sanofi-aventis to bring new life saving drugs to patients in Japan, where further clinical trials are being conducted with Clexane to extend its use to abdominal surgery patients who are at risk for venous thromboembolic complications,” he outlined.

Japanese VTE guidelines have stated that without prophylaxis between 27 per cent and 50 per cent of orthopaedic surgery patients are at risk from suffering deep vein thrombosis.

Earlier this month, Sanofi-aventis confirmed that a new study had shown Ambien CR (zolpidem tartrate extended-release) tablets to improve chronic insomnia in patients with co-morbid chronic insomnia and generalised anxiety disorder.