Dabigatran

References highlight studies on atrial fibrillation management, anticoagulant prescribing trends, and comparative outcomes of direct oral anticoagulants vs. warfarin, emphasizing safety and effectiveness in various populations.

Mesoglycan's anti-edematous, antithrombotic, and profibrinolytic actions suggest it may relieve Grade I–III HD symptoms, improve HRQoL, and have low AEs compared to placebo. The trial uses placebo to assess mesoglycan's benefits clearly. Patients take two mesoglycan capsules daily for 5 days, then one capsule for 35 days. Compliance is monitored via returned blister packs. Concomitant analgesics and stool softeners are allowed. Primary outcomes measure HDSS change from baseline to day 40, while secondary outcomes assess HRQoL, safety, fecal continence, bleeding, analgesic use, and pain. The trial aims to enroll 50 patients by October 2024.

Patients with AF and CKD face higher ischemic stroke risk, but also increased bleeding risk, complicating OAC use. DOACs, despite lacking RCT data for advanced CKD, have been approved for CKD stage 4 due to favorable pharmacokinetics. Observational studies and the XARENO study suggest DOACs like rivaroxaban may offer kidney protection benefits over VKAs, supporting their use in advanced CKD patients with AF.

People on blood thinners face doubled risk of internal bleeding when also taking NSAIDs like ibuprofen or naproxen, according to a Danish study. Risks include 2.2 times higher gut bleed, 3.2 times higher brain bleed, 1.4 times higher lung bleed, and 1.6 times higher urinary tract bleed. NSAID use with blood thinners also tripled anemia risk. Published in the European Heart Journal, the study recommends consulting doctors before combining these medications.

NMV/r (Paxlovid™) is an oral antiviral COVID-19 treatment authorized under EUA by the FDA, effective in reducing hospitalizations and deaths in high-risk patients. It inhibits SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, preventing viral replication, and is coadministered with ritonavir to enhance pharmacokinetics. Real-world studies show NMV/r's effectiveness in reducing severe COVID-19 progression. However, ritonavir's inhibition of CYP3A4 and other enzymes can lead to significant drug-drug interactions (DDIs), necessitating careful patient selection and management of concomitant medications. Pfizer's Global SDB reported 966 cases of DDIs, with low reporting rates (0.005%) and mostly nonserious events, though 33.2% of global cases and 22.7% of US cases were serious, including 1.4% and 1.0% with fatal outcomes, respectively.

STADA's H1 2024 revenues rose 9%, driven by biosimilar successes, with Specialty segment sales up 14% to €417.3 million. Total sales reached €2 billion, and EBITDA increased 11% to €463.5 million, despite economic challenges.