Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited announced that it has launched the antiplatelet agent Efient® Tablets 20mg  (JAN: Prasugrel Hydrochloride; approval to market: January 20, 2016; NHI drug price listing: May 25, 2016) in Japan.
Efient® is an oral antiplatelet agent discovered by Daiichi Sankyo and its Japanese research partner, Ube Industries, Limited. The results of phase 3 clinical trials in domestic and overseas patients with ischemic heart disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) demonstrated that Efient® reduces the incidence of ischemic events from the perioperative period of PCI by rapidly reducing platelet aggregation activity.
Domestically, Efient® Tablets have been sold in 3.75mg/5mg dosages since May 2014. Under the current dosage regimen, Efient® should be initiated with a single 20mg oral dose, and then continued at a 3.75mg once daily oral dose as a maintenance dose.
Under the current dosage regime, four 5mg tablets have been used for the initial loading dose, leading to this introduction of a single 20mg tablet. Daiichi Sankyo expects that reducing the burden at the time of use for this drug will contribute to a higher level of care for all patients and medical personnel involved in the treatment of ischemic heart diseases.
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