New Haven Pharmaceuticals' DURLAZA drug delivers sustained antiplatelet control for full 24 hours

Nov 10 2015

New Haven Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced new study data that shows the company's FDA-approved drug DURLAZA™ delivers sustained antiplatelet control for a full 24-hour period in high-risk patients.

DURLAZA™ is the first prescription, low dose, extended-release aspirin, (162.5mg), for the secondary prevention of stroke and acute cardiac events, including myocardial infarction (heart attack).

The data was released during a poster presentation at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions event in Orlando, Fla. The study, entitled "Durability of Antiplatelet Effect of a Novel Extended-Release Formulation of Acetylsalicylic acid, DURLAZA™, in Patients with Diabetes," was presented by Dr. Paul A. Gurbel.

Low-dose aspirin has been proven to reduce the risk of secondary cardiovascular events and mortality in high-risk patients with stable cardiovascular (CV) disease. This result is primarily due to aspirin's ability to inhibit platelet aggregation (blood clotting). DURLAZA™ utilizes extended-release, microcapsule technology to prolong aspirin release.

"Patients with diabetes and CV disease often demonstrate high platelet turnover and high on-treatment platelet reactivity and experience increased rates of secondary CV events. The DURATION trial was the first study to characterize the durability of platelet inhibition from DURLAZA (162.5mg), the first extended-release, low-dose aspirin, in this prothrombotic patient population. The primary endpoint of this study was the change in platelet aggregation between 1 hour and 24 hours post-dosing. In the DURATION study, there was no change in mean platelet aggregation at any time in that 23 hour time interval following dosing of (162.5mg) DURLAZA. These data demonstrate the maintenance of stable platelet inhibition over the entire 24 hour dosing interval," said Paul Gurbel, MD, Director of the Inova Center for Thrombosis Research and Drug Development and Director of Interventional Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine Research at Inova Heart and Vascular Institute, Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Adjunct Professor of Medicine, Duke University.

In an open-label, single-center study, high-risk patients with type II diabetes (T2DM) with a history of CV disease (or multiple CV risk factors were treated daily with DURLAZA™ for 14 days +/- 4 days. The assessment concluded that the new, extended-release orally administered aspirin formulation provided sustained antiplatelet effects over 24 hours in patients with a favorable safety profile.

"As a preventive cardiologist and lipid specialist I continually seek improvements in our ability to reduce coronary interventions and hopefully ultimately eradicate the more serious vascular outcomes, stroke and heart attack. Though we have made dramatic strides in lipid management, an enormous unmet need remains, as reflected by unacceptably high residual risk in those who have already experienced an Artherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) event. Now with Durlaza I believe we have made a consequential leap in our approach to thrombosis, a key contributor to stroke and heart attack. We know that immediate release aspirin has an unacceptably short half-life of approximately 20 minutes; enabling many of the 4 billion platelets the average human produces hourly to remain fully capable of forming dangerous clots. Certain populations such as those with underlying vascular disease and diabetic patients are known to have even higher platelet production rates, making them even more prone to persistent platelet-induced thrombotic vulnerability. As the Duration study demonstrated in patients with diabetes, Durlaza addresses this issue through its novel release system. DURLAZA (162.5 mg) daily doses produce smoother and more prolonged anti-platelet effects. Durlaza has been approved for use in secondary prevention, and I will surely take advantage of this simple yet remarkable opportunity to better control a prominent risk in my ASCVD patients," said Seth J. Baum, MD, FACC, FACPM, FAHA, FNLA, Preventive and Integrative Cardiology, Medical Director, Women's Preventive Cardiology, Christine E. Lynn, Women's Health & Wellness Institute, Boca Raton Regional Hospital, CMO, MB Clinical Research.

DURLAZA™ offers the only once-daily antiplatelet therapy through the extended release of its (162.5mg) dose, resulting in prolonged absorption, and sustained platelet exposure to aspirin.

The company expects market availability in early 2016.