Early FRIC Data Back Fragmin Use In UA

Initial results of the FRIC study suggest that Pharmacia's low molecular weight heparin drug Fragmin (dalteparin sodium) is at least as effective as heparin in the prevention of cardiac events in unstable angina or non-Q wave myocardial infarction patients in the acute (first six days of treatment) setting. The data were presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting on April 24.

FRIC is being carried out at 80 centers in nine countries in North America and Europe, and had a target enrollment of 1,500 unstable angina patients. Unlike FRISC (see page 17), FRIC contains an arm which is directly comparing Fragmin to intravenous unfractionated heparin. Fragmin is administered in the same dose regimen as in the FRISC study.

The hope is that a low molecular weight heparin product such as Fragmin will have a number of advantages over unfractionated heparin in these patients, including the avoidance of the hypercoagulable "rebound" state which is often seen after heparin cessation in UA patients. Overall, FRIC aims to show that myocardial ischemia may be improved with long-term LMWH treatment.