Latest news with #Plavix
Reuters
3 days ago
- Health
- Reuters
Health Rounds: Roche's Tecentriq reduces recurrence, deaths for certain colon cancer patients
June 6 (Reuters) - (This is an excerpt of the Health Rounds newsletter, where we present latest medical studies on Tuesdays and Thursdays. To receive the full newsletter in your inbox for free sign up here.) Adding Roche's (ROG.S), opens new tab immunotherapy drug Tecentriq to chemotherapy after surgery in certain patients whose colon cancer had spread to the lymph nodes led to a 50% reduction in cancer recurrence and death compared to chemotherapy alone, according to trial data presented at recent medical meeting. Patients in the study had tumors with a genetic defect known as deficient DNA mismatch repair, or dMMR. About 15% of colon cancer patients have dMMR tumors, which do not respond well to chemotherapy. "The findings from our study represent a major advance in the adjuvant treatment of dMMR stage 3 colon cancer and will now change the treatment for this type of cancer," study leader Dr. Frank Sinicrope of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota said in a statement. The data, opens new tab were presented at the ASCO meeting that concluded earlier this week. The trial enrolled 712 patients with dMMR stage 3 colon cancer that had been surgically removed and who had cancer cells in their lymph nodes. Half of the study participants received chemotherapy along with Tecentriq, which activates the immune system to attack and kill cancer cells, for six months, followed by the immunotherapy alone for another six months. The other half of the patients received chemotherapy for 12 months. The benefit of Tecentriq was seen even in the oldest patients and those at particularly high-risk. "It's extremely rewarding to be able to offer our patients a new treatment regimen that can reduce the risk of recurrence and improve their chances of survival," Sinicrope said. As patients recover after a minimally invasive heart procedure, they might be better off continuing to take a certain type of blood-thinning drug to help prevent a heart attack or stroke, instead of continuing with the traditional aspirin, a new study suggests. Early after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) - a procedure to prop open blocked arteries either after a heart attack, or to prevent one - patients often receive dual anti-clotting therapy with both a P2Y12 inhibitor such as clopidogrel, the generic version of Plavix, or AstraZeneca's (AZN.L), opens new tab Brilinta (ticagrelor), and aspirin. After several months, patients are usually switched from dual therapy to lifelong daily aspirin use. But pooled data looking at patients who took part in five earlier clinical trials found that continuing to prescribe the P2Y12 inhibitors and stopping the aspirin was associated with lower rates of death, heart attack and stroke compared with continuing the aspirin, with no increased risk of major bleeding, researchers reported in The BMJ, opens new tab. Overall, the trials involved 16,117 patients who received either a P2Y12 inhibitor or aspirin after completing dual therapy following PCI. After an average follow-up period of around 4 years, P2Y12 inhibitor therapy was associated with a 23% lower risk of a composite of heart-related death, heart attack, or stroke, compared with aspirin, with no significant difference in major bleeding. That translates into one prevented cardiovascular death, heart attack, or stroke for every 46 patients taking a P2Y12 inhibitor instead of aspirin after dual therapy. Overall, the findings suggest that P2Y12 inhibitor drugs should be preferred over aspirin 'due to reductions in major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events without increasing major bleeding in the medium term,' according to an editorial published with the study. But the editorial said that since patients are advised to continue the post-PCI therapy for life, large trials directly comparing the different strategies with longer follow up are needed. Some diabetes and weight-loss drugs from the class known as GLP-1 agonists were linked with a small but elevated risk for an age-related eye disease in patients with diabetes, according to a study published on Thursday in JAMA Ophthalmology, opens new tab. In 139,000 patients with diabetes, including 46,334 who had been using the GLP-1 drugs semaglutide or lixisenatide, researchers identified 181 new cases of neovascular age-related macular degeneration, also known as wet AMD. Wet AMD is a degenerative eye disease marked by the abnormal growth of blood vessels under the retina that leak fluid or blood and can lead to blindness. The risk of developing AMD during up to three years of follow-up was low, at 0.2% in GLP-1 users versus 0.1% in non-users. Still, the researchers point out, after accounting for patients' individual risk factors, the odds of AMD were doubled with at least six months of GLP-1 use and tripled in patients with the longest duration of use. Semaglutide is the active ingredient in the widely used Novo Nordisk ( opens new tab drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, while lixisenatide is the main ingredient in Sanofi's ( opens new tab discontinued Adlyxin. GLP-1 drugs have also been associated with higher risks for an eye condition known as nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION. Researchers did not have information about the dose, route of administration, or frequency of administration of the medications used in the study. Even with that information, the study could not have proved cause and effect. At least one earlier study with longer follow up reported that GLP-1 use was linked with a lower, rather than higher, risk for AMD. 'Our findings are not directly contradictory' with that earlier report, said study leader Dr. Reut Shor of the University of Toronto. 'Factors such as timing and duration of exposure, disease stage, and patient characteristics may all influence outcomes," Shor said. "Our results add another layer to the emerging understanding of this complex relationship and emphasize the need for further research to clarify these trends.' (To receive the full newsletter in your inbox for free sign up here)
eNCA
11-05-2025
- Business
- eNCA
BMS and Sanofi to pay Hawaii $700m to settle Plavix lawsuit
LOS ANGELES - US state Hawaii announced it had accepted a $700-million settlement in its case against US pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) and subsidiaries of French drug group Sanofi over the blood thinner Plavix. The state alleged the companies misled consumers about the benefit of using the drug, in a case that has been in courts for more than a decade. "This landmark settlement is a major victory for the state of Hawaii," governor Josh Green said. "Once the money goes into our general fund, we can go to work on immediately identifying ways to enhance health care services for Hawaii's residents," he added. BMS and Sanofi have agreed to pay equal shares of the settlement by June 9, bringing an end to 12 years of litigation, according to legal filings. Per media reports, the pharma giants lost in court repeatedly and continually appealed. In 2021, a Hawaii court ordered the drugmakers to pay the state $834-million over their marketing claims, which the pharma giants vowed to appeal. In 2024, a Hawaii court again ordered them to pay the state $916-million, which they again vowed to appeal. "It doesn't matter if a company is a one-person shop or a multi-billion-dollar oil company, we will relentlessly enforce Hawaii's consumer protection laws," Anne Lopez, the state's attorney general, said. The state had pointed to results showing the treatment did not work well for some patients of Asian or Pacific Island descent who could not properly metabolise the drug.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hawaii to receive $700M in drug settlement over blood thinner
Hawaii will receive $700 million in a landmark settlement from pharmaceutical giants Bristol Myers Squibb and Sanofi following more than a decade of litigation over the blood thinner Plavix and its lack of efficacy in Asian American, Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian populations, Gov. Josh Green announced Friday. The state had accused the companies of failing to warn that Plavix—one of the most widely prescribed blood thinners—was either less effective or completely ineffective in people of certain ethnic backgrounds. The medication, which requires activation by liver enzymes, was prescribed more than 837, 000 times in Hawaii between 1998 and 2010. 'Proud to report to you that after nearly a decade of litigation and through the perseverance of the office of the attorney general … the state has reached a landmark settlement with two multinational pharmaceutical companies, ' Green said at a state Capitol news conference. 'It's a historic result that we're grateful for.' Although the state was originally awarded $834 million in a 2023 nonjury trial, an amount later increased to $916 million in a 2024 retrial, the new settlement guarantees an immediate payout, avoiding years of appeals and uncertainty. Green said the state is expected to receive the full $700 million by June 9, adding, 'We've reached a good-faith settlement here with the parties.' The state and Bristol-Myers Squibb, headquartered in Lawrenceville, N.J., finalized a $350 million settlement Friday, resolving all claims related to the marketing and sale of Plavix, with a matching agreement executed separately with Paris-based Sanofi. Under the settlement terms, Bristol-Myers Squibb will wire the full amount by June 9 to the state's counsel in the case, Baron &Budd PC, after which Hawaii will withdraw its lawsuit and release the drugmaker from any further liability related to Plavix. The settlement does not preclude private citizens or state employees in their personal capacities from filing claims against the drugmaker. Bristol-Myers Squibb did not admit to any wrongdoing and agreed to settle to avoid continued litigation. Both parties will cover their own legal fees, and the agreement is governed by Hawaii law, with any disputes to be resolved in the state's 1st Circuit Court. Green said the windfall comes at a pivotal moment for the state. Hawaii is still managing the financial fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic ; the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires disaster ; and mounting concerns over possible federal funding cuts. Green said his administration has been working closely with legislative leaders to prepare for a potential special session later this year in the event of Medicaid shortfalls, funding gaps in EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer ) benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps, or unmet school lunch needs. 'These moneys, I've already spoken to the legislative leadership, ' he said. 'They knew that these dollars were coming so they could begin the process, as we already had planned, to potentially have a special session later in the year, ' Green said. 'This settlement of $700 million is going to go a very long way to help our people.' The decision by the two drugmakers to settle the state's claims avoids further proceedings and finalizes a case that has drawn national attention for its focus on racial and ethnic disparities in pharmaceutical safety. State Attorney General Anne Lopez, who joined the governor at Friday's news conference, emphasized the years of effort her office put into the case, calling the outcome a message to corporations doing business in Hawaii. 'It is important to me that everyone who does business in the state of Hawaii, whether you're a small shop or a multinational, multibillion-dollar oil company, knows that the Attorney General's Office will be relentless in our pursuit of compliance with our consumer protection laws.' A nonjury trial in the case in 2023 resulted in an $834 million award to the state. That ruling was vacated by the Hawaii Supreme Court, which found a legal error by the trial judge. A second trial was held in the fall of 2023, and 1st Circuit Judge James Ashford in May 2024 increased the award to more than $916 million, before the parties agreed to settle. Green said the final $700 million settlement, once legal fees are taken into account, will be directed to the state's general fund to support underfunded health and social programs, particularly those that serve vulnerable communities. The governor noted the Legislature will ultimately decide how the funds are allocated, but his administration is advocating for investments that align with pressing health and equity needs. 'We will be completely collaborative with the Legislature. We will ask for their advice on where they would like to appropriate these moneys. … They may decide to spend more money on housing, they may decide to spend more money directly on health care benefits.' The case also spotlighted broader concerns about how pharmaceutical companies consider—or fail to consider—ethnic and genetic diversity in drug development and warnings. Experts say it could set a precedent for other jurisdictions where diverse populations may be similarly affected. Special Attorney General Rick Fried, with the Honolulu law firm Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina &Fairbanks, said he started working on the case in 2012 with then-Attorney General David Louie. 'It's been 13 years we've been working on this—two trials up to the Supreme Court and back. We were going back again, and we finally were able to work out this resolution, ' Fried said Friday. 'There were … lots of discoveries in between.' The state Department of the Attorney General confirmed that the Honolulu law firm had contracted Dallas-based Baron &Budd PC, which specializes in representing plaintiffs' claims. Neither the state nor Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina &Fairbanks disclosed how much of the settlement would go to the law firms. 'There are a few loose ends, and so we can give more details when those are finalized, and we will give more details at that time, ' Fried said. 'But for now this is all we can say with respect to the details of this case.' As the state prepares for a potentially volatile federal budget year, Green said the timing of the payout will give Hawaii some breathing room 'to honor the priorities of the Legislature and everyone's needs.' While the settlement represents a historic legal victory for Hawaii, officials emphasized it also marks renewed efforts toward health equity and corporate accountability.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Drug companies to pay Hawaii USD 700 million to settle Plavix blood thinner lawsuit
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Pharmaceutical companies have agreed to pay Hawaii USD 700 million to settle its lawsuit over the efficacy and safety of the blood thinner Plavix, the state attorney general's office has announced. A court ruling last year ordered Bristol Myers Squibb Company and three U.S.-based subsidiaries of French pharmaceutical company Sanofi to pay a combined USD 916 before an appeal was decided, a settlement was reached for the lower amount, the attorney general's office a joint statement on Friday, the companies said they "are pleased to resolve this litigation, and to continue their companies' focus on discovering, developing, and delivering innovative medicines to patients.""Plavix has helped millions of people with cardiovascular disease around the world for nearly 30 years and it continues to be endorsed as a first-line therapy by leading treatment guidelines across the globe," the statement Circuit Court Judge James Ashford found that there was a risk that about 30 per cent of patients, particularly non-Caucasians, might have a "diminished response" to Plavix but the companies did not update their labels, Attorney General Anne Lopez said last company has admitted Josh Green called it a "landmark settlement" and a "major victory" for the settlement divides the USD 700 million equally between Bristol Myers Squibb and Sanofi, with the funds to be paid by wire transfer by June 9, the attorney general's office said.
Al Arabiya
10-05-2025
- Business
- Al Arabiya
BMS and Sanofi to pay Hawaii $700 million to settle Plavix lawsuit
US state Hawaii announced Friday it had accepted a $700 million settlement in its case against US pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) and subsidiaries of French drug group Sanofi over the blood thinner Plavix. The state alleged the companies misled consumers about the benefit of using the drug, in a case that has been in courts for more than a decade. 'This landmark settlement is a major victory for the state of Hawaii,' governor Josh Green said. 'Once the money goes into our general fund, we can go to work on immediately identifying ways to enhance health care services for Hawaii's residents,' he added. BMS and Sanofi have agreed to pay equal shares of the settlement by June 9, bringing an end to 12 years of litigation, according to legal filings. Per media reports, the pharma giants lost in court repeatedly and continually appealed. In 2021, a Hawaii court ordered the drugmakers to pay the state $834 million over their marketing claims, which the pharma giants vowed to appeal. In 2024, a Hawaii court again ordered them to pay the state $916 million, which they again vowed to appeal. 'It doesn't matter if a company is a one-person shop or a multi-billion-dollar oil company, we will relentlessly enforce Hawaii's consumer protection laws,' Anne Lopez, the state's attorney general, said. The state had pointed to results showing the treatment did not work well for some patients of Asian or Pacific Island descent who could not properly metabolize the drug. Plavix, known as clopidogrel, is an anti-platelet medicine used to reduce the risk of heart attack or strokes.
