First launch for AZ's Exanta

AstraZeneca has launched Exanta (ximelagatran), a new anticoagulant and the first oral treatment in the new class of direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs), in Germany in its first indication: the prevention of venous thromboembolic events (VTE) in elective hip or knee replacement surgery.

Exanta is the first oral anticoagulant since the introduction of warfarin almost 60 years ago, and is the product of over 20 years' research and development at AstraZeneca. It was developed to provide a solution to the significant unmet medical need for a new, predictable and well-tolerated oral therapy for patients at risk of thrombosis, one of the major causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the developed world.

The approved label in the EU for Exanta in this indication involves an early postoperative start of treat-ment, with initial injectable dosing administered 4 - 8 hours after the completion of surgery, followed by oral Exanta 24mg twice daily for up to 11 days. This approach supports the increasing use of postoperative initiation of VTE preventative treatment in clinical practice across Europe, and also enables oral treatment to be easily continued following discharge from hospital.

Exanta has been the subject of the largest clinical study programme in anticoagulation to date, involving around 30,000 patients. It is under regulatory review in the EU for key chronic use indications including the prevention of stroke and other thromboembolic complications associated with atrial fibrillation and the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE). In the US, FDA submissions were filed in December 2003 for use of Exanta in prevention of VTE in patients under-going knee replacement surgery as well as for prevention of stroke and other thromboembolic complications associated with atrial fibrillation and long-term secondary prevention of VTE after standard treatment for an episode of VTE.

'Exanta is an innovative new approach to the treatment and prevention of thrombosis,' commented Dr Hamish Cameron, vice president, head of Exanta, AstraZeneca. 'We are proud to be able to launch Exanta in this initial indication, as the first oral anticoagulant in almost 60 years.'

As an oral Direct Thrombin Inhibitor, Exanta benefits from a unique mode of action that enables predicable protection against the risk of thrombotic events, administration as a fixed oral dose, a rapid onset and offset of action and low potential for food and drug interactions. Importantly, coagulation monitoring is also not necessary in treatment with Exanta.

National launches will also take place in other European countries, subject to national marketing authorisations, in coming months.

The worldwide market for anticoagulants is around $4bn and growing at 13% annually, while the worldwide antithrombotic market is around $12bn, growing at 15% annually.