S-P's TRA meets Ph II study endpoints

US drug major Schering-Plough says that SCH 530348, its novel oral thrombin receptor antagonist, met the primary endpoints of safety and  tolerability in a mid-stage study.

According to the findings, published in the March 12 issue of The  Lancet, the TRA showed no increase in major and minor Thrombolysis in  Myocardial Infarction-scale bleeding when given with current standard  antiplatelet therapy (aspirin and clopidogrel) for patients undergoing  percutaneous coronary intervention.

"The results of this study are encouraging as they support the viability  of TRA as a potential new antiplatelet therapy option," said Richard  Becker, lead author of the study. "TRA appears to work in a novel way  that is complementary to current antiplatelet therapies," he added.