Lilly/Daiichi Sankyo's prasugrel cuts CV AEs 19% vs Plavix, but side effects raise doubts

US drug major Eli Lilly reported positive findings from a late-stage trial of its antiplatelet drug prasugrel, showing that it works better than Sanofi-Aventis' blockbuster Plavix (clopidogrel), although its bleeding side effects are significantly worse.

In the pivotal Phase III head-to-head TRITON TIMI-38 trial, the investigational anticlotting drug produced a highly significant 19% reduction in relative risk (p=0.0004) for the composite endpoint of cardiovascular death, non-fatal heart attack or non-fatal stroke when compared with Plavix in the treatment of patients across the full spectrum of acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.