These studies evaluated Eliquis in approximately 24,000 patients with atrial fibrillation, including patients who are expected or demonstrated to be unsuitable for vitamin K antagonist therapy. The companies say they “are committed to an ongoing clinical development program for Eliquis, which is projected to include nearly 60,000 patients worldwide across multiple indications and patient populations and includes a total of nine completed or ongoing, randomized, double-blind Phase III trials.”

 

In May 2011, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer announced the first regulatory approval for Eliquis in the 27 countries of the European Union for the prevention of venous thromboembolic events in adult patients who have undergone elective hip or knee replacement surgery; however, the drug is not yet approved for the prevention of stroke or systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation in any country. It was in 2007 that Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb first entered into a worldwide collaboration to develop and commercialize Eliquis, an investigational oral anticoagulant discovered by Bristol-Myers Squibb. This global alliance was formed to combine Bristol-Myers Squibb's long-standing strengths in cardiovascular drug development and commercialization with Pfizer's global scale and expertise in the field.