SmithKline Beecham (NYSE:SBH) announced today
that the anticoagulant Argatroban Injection, recently approved by the U.S.
food and Drug
Administration (
FDA) for the
prophylaxis or treatment of
thrombosis associated with
heparin-induced
thrombocytopenia (HIT), is now commercially available in the United States. The company also
announced plans to support medical
education programs to increase awareness of the underdiagnosed
clotting
disorder, which if left untreated, can cause serious complications, including death.
"We are pleased to offer Argatroban to the medical community as an effective means for not only
treating HIT, but also for preventing serious
blood clots that can
lead to
deep vein thrombosis,
myocardial infarction,
stroke or even death," said David Stout, president, SmithKline Beecham
Pharmaceuticals-N.A. "Furthermore, we are proud to sponsor efforts to increase awareness of this
underrecognized but potentially fatal disorder."
education is the Key to Reducing Serious Complications for Patients Heparin is one of the most
commonly used medications in U.S.
hospitals. Each year, nearly 12 million Americans are treated with
heparin to prevent or treat clotting during or following a surgical or medical procedure. Heparin is
prescribed for patients who have a broad range of conditions including
coronary artery disease, unstable
angina, deep vein
thrombosis (DVT), and
pulmonary embolism. Although heparin is administered to
prevent thrombosis, it can paradoxically result in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, which is an immune
mediated response that can lead to thrombosis. Of the 12 million patients who receive heparin, as many
as 360,000 will develop HIT. If left untreated or misdiagnosed, an estimated 120,000 HIT patients will
develop a serious thrombotic complication and up to one-third of these patients will die.
HIT is underrecognized and underdiagnosed because its presentation is paradoxical. In patients who
develop HIT, the administration of heparin results in antibody
Formation that simultaneously destroys and
activates
platelets. The result is a low platelet count in a patient who is experiencing thrombosis.
The purpose of SmithKline Beecham’s educational initiatives is to improve understanding of how to
diagnose, prevent and treat HIT. Elements of the educational initiatives will include:
Partnering with a physician organization to develop and promote guidelines for HIT
diagnosis and
treatment
Working with hospitals, medical schools and medical professionals on how to recognize and treat
HIT
Supporting scientific interchange through sponsorship of continuing medical education activities
"I am pleased to see the emphasis SmithKline Beecham is placing on education," said John Kelton,
M.D., professor and chairman, department of
medicine,
McMaster University, Ontario,
Canada.
"Developing guidelines will be an important step in helping those medical professionals who have little
firsthand experience with the disorder learn to recognize and treat HIT effectively. These educational
activities are crucial to increasing awareness of HIT and helping prevent its devastating effects."