S-A's Plavix approved in Japan, Daiichi partners

French drug major Sanofi-Aventis says that its antiplatelet agent Plavix (clopidogrel) has been approved for marketing in Japan by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare for the reduction of recurrence after ischemic cerebrovascular disorder.

Since September 2005, all commercial rights for Plavix in Japan belong to the firm which ranks as Europe's largest drugmaker has agreed to collaborate with domestic company Daiichi Pharmaceuticals in the areas of manufacturing and co-promotion to ensure its success.

Plavix will be marketed in Japan, after receiving a price listing from the National Health Insurance which is expected in the second quarter of 2006. The agent prevents platelets from aggregating and forming clots in the arteries. In Japan, it is expected to greatly contribute to the treatment of the estimated two million stroke patients. Further clinical trials are also currently being conducted in Japan to extend its use to patients with acute coronary syndrome. Since its launch in 1998, Plavix has been introduced in over 100 countries and been prescribed for more than 40 million people suffering from atherothrombosis.