Newly Approved Clot-Busting Drug Treats Heart Attacks Quickly
A new clot-busting drug approved by federal regulators can reduce the time it takes to treat heart attack victims from 90 minutes to five seconds, using a single swift injection to dissolve clots that choke off the heart’s blood supply.
Tenecteplase, made by Genentech Inc., won Food and Drug Administration approval Friday and will be made widely available as soon as possible to treat the nation’s biggest killer, company officials said.
Genentech also makes a drug called TPA under the brand name Activase, the standard medicine for treating heart clots. Both of the drugs dissolve blockages in a similar fashion, preventing further permanent damage, said Dr. Christopher Granger of Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.
A major drawback of TPA, though, is that it must be given as a continuous 90-minute infusion. Tenecteplase, to be sold under the name TNKase, can be administered through one quick, single injection.
“Early administration of these drugs is very important to saving lives,” said Granger, who oversaw clinical research into the drug. “Anything that simplifies approach may help in achieving the earliest treatment possible.”
Company spokeswoman Betsy Rosenberg refused to say how much the new drug would cost, saying that pricing would be announced next week. TPA costs about $2,200 per dosage.
Tenecteplase was tested on 17,000 patients in a clinical trial, resulting in a mortality rate of 6.2%. The mortality rate for TPA is also 6.2%.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
