Pharmaceutical Business review

BMS and Pfizer get EMA committee positive opinion for Eliquis to treat DVT, PE

The CHMP’s positive opinion will now be reviewed by the European Commission (EC). The decision on whether to approve Eliquis for this indication will be made by the EC and will be applicable to all European Union member states plus Iceland and Norway.

The positive opinion was based on the results from the pivotal AMPLIFY and AMPLIFY-EXT studies. AMPLIFY (Apixaban for the initial Management of PuLmonary embolIsm and deep vein thrombosis as First-line therapY), a randomized, double-blind, multicenter trial, included 5,395 patients (2,691 were randomized to Eliquis and 2,704 were randomized to standard of care, which was initial enoxaparin treatment overlapped by warfarin therapy) with confirmed symptomatic DVT or PE requiring treatment for six months, and evaluated Eliquis therapy compared to standard of care.

The primary efficacy endpoint was the composite endpoint of recurrent symptomatic VTE (nonfatal DVT or nonfatal PE) or VTE-related death. The primary safety endpoint was the incidence of major bleeding compared to standard of care.

AMPLIFY-EXT (Apixaban after the initial Management of PuLmonary embolIsm and deep vein thrombosis with First-line therapY-EXTended Treatment), a randomized, double-blind, multicenter trial, included 2,486 patients (842 were randomized to Eliquis 2.5 mg, 815 were randomized to Eliquis 5 mg and 829 were randomized to placebo) with prior VTE who had completed six to 12 months of anticoagulation treatment for DVT or PE, and evaluated Eliquis therapy compared to placebo.

The primary efficacy endpoint was reduction of the composite of symptomatic, recurrent VTE and death from any cause. The primary safety endpoint was the incidence of major bleeding.