NICE says Bayer's Xarelto can compete with BI's Pradaxa in England and Wales
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
NICE, the health technology appraisal institute for England and Wales, has given NHS prescribers the official green light to choose Bayer's warfarin replacement Xarelto (rivaroxaban) for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation. The drug will compete against Boehringer Ingelheim's blockbuster Pradaxa (dabigatran etexilate), although both manufacturers may have to overcome certain hurdles, such as prescriber concerns over anticoagulation levels and international normalized ratio (INR) monitoring, before either drug reaches its full market potential.