AstraZeneca announced that BRILINTA® (ticagrelor) 60-mg tablets are now available in U.S. pharmacies.

On September 3, 2015, the FDA approved a new 60-mg dosage strength for BRILINTA to be used in patients with a history of heart attack beyond the first year. BRILINTA is approved to reduce the rate of cardiovascular (CV) death, myocardial infarction ([MI], also known as heart attack) and stroke in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or a history of MI. For at least the first 12 months following ACS, BRILINTA is superior to clopidogrel. BRILINTA is the first and only FDA approved oral antiplatelet to demonstrate superior reductions in CV death vs clopidogrel at 12 months.

“Patients continue to be at risk for a second heart attack, even if their first heart attack was more than a year ago and they continue on the recommended therapies prescribed to them,” said Tonous Silfani, PhD, Executive Director, CV Thrombosis, US Head of Marketing, AstraZeneca. “We wanted to make this new 60-mg dosage strength available as quickly as possible so that healthcare providers can consider adding BRILINTA 60 mg to the treatment regimen for patients with a history of heart attack beyond the first year.

The dosing of BRILINTA in the management of ACS is 90 mg twice daily during the first year after an ACS event. After one year, patients with a history of heart attack can now be treated with 60 mg twice daily. BRILINTA must be used with a daily maintenance dose of aspirin of 75-100mg.