In a recent head-to-head study with one of the world’s best-selling drugs, AstraZeneca’
The most recent study; called Plato, has shown Brilanta as superior to Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and Sanofi-Aventis SA’s blockbuster Plavix, which has led the pharmaceuticals market with nearly $8 billion in sales in 2008, prompting analysts at Europe Ventures to send a note to shareholders highlighting the huge potential for big gains.
AstraZeneca plans to use the results of the 18,624-patient trial to seek approval of Brilinta, one of its most important products in development, during the fourth quarter. The London- based company needs Brilinta to help replace sales of the heart pill Toprol XL, the cancer medicine Casodex, the antibiotic Merrem and other drugs lost to generic competition.
The findings from the study, called Plato, should set Brilinta apart from Plavix, “John Doe”, an analyst at “Europe Ventures”, said in a note to investors. Other companies, including Eli Lilly & Co. and Daiichi Sankyo Co., also are developing medicines that work by preventing platelets in the blood from clumping together.
“Doe” indicated that the analyst team at Europe Ventures were in firm agreement that this represented a fine opportunity for gains, particularly given the fact that AstraZeneca’
The analysts at Europe Ventures were unwilling to give further comment on the speculation, although industry insiders have hinted that inital analysis suggests Brilinta could generate $2.5 billion in annual sales by 2014, and that figure is likely to rise significantly in the absence of any safety concerns from the Plato trial Data. Of the few details released by AstraZeneca, safety risks were said to be similar to those shown in earlier trials.
About 775,000 people have mild heart attacks or chest pain known as acute coronary syndromes in the U.S. each year. One in three is expected to die, experience another heart attack or be readmitted to a hospital within six months of their first attack.
