Drug for blood clot-related conditions approved in Phl

MANILA, Philippines - A breakthrough drug in treating life-threatening post-orthopaedic venous thromboembolism (VTE) has been made available in the Philippines, following the recent approval of Pfizer’s treatment, which is reported to reduce the risk of complications after surgery in adults.

During the recent launch of the drug in the Philippines, Dr. Michael Rud Lassen of the University of Copenhagen in Germany said venous thromboembolism is a blood clot that forms in the veins and is a major international health problem with millions of cases reported every year worldwide.

In Asia particularly, the prevalence of VTE cases may increase due to the rapidly aging Asian population.

Of this, Dr. James Wee, an Internist and Pfizer’s senior medical manager, said, “With an ever-increasing aging population, major orthopaedic surgery such as total knee or hip replacement puts patients at a very high risk of developing VTE or pulmonary embolism.”

“Thus the availability of this new treatment in the country gives orthopedic surgeons another option in VTE prevention,” he added. An anti-coagulant prevents blood clots from developing in the blood vessels.

According to a study on VTE in Europe done by the group of Alexander Cohen, VTE encompasses two serious conditions: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot in a vein, usually in the leg, that partially or totally blocks the flow of blood; and pulmonary embolism (PE), a blood clot blocking one or more vessels in the lungs.

DVT causes multiple symptoms, including pain, swelling and redness and, more importantly, can progress to PE, which carries the risk of sudden death, according to the study.

With this introduction, a new treatment option has been made possible that can help address unmet needs in preventing post-orthopedic VTE, as it has been approved as an oral direct Factor Xa inhibitor and is part of a new therapeutic class.

By inhibiting Factor Xa, which is a key blood clotting protein, Pfizer’s drug prevents thrombin generation and blood clot formation. It is also reported to be the only oral anticoagulant with a 12-to-24-hour post-surgical initiation window.

“This means that it allows physicians to monitor the patient’s recovery, evaluate the potential benefits of earlier anticoagulation for VTE, and identify risks of post-surgical bleeding before deciding on the time of administration of the first dose of this new drug,” Wee said.

He added: “We see this breakthrough drug as an opportunity for doctors to better manage VTE in their patients. While for patients, we recommend, of course, that they consult their physicians before taking this treatment or should they have any questions about it.”

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