Venous Thromboembolism, Atrial Fibrillation, and Acute Coronary Syndrome (Novel Oral Anticoagulants – Evolving Treatments ) | Physician & Payer Forum | China | 2014
Warfarin has been the mainstay of anticoagulation therapy for the past several decades, but difficulties associated with its use and the clinical management of patients have prompted the development of novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs). The anticoagulant effects of these new agents allow for their use across multiple indications such as venous thromboembolism (VTE), atrial fibrillation (AF), and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). In China, approvals of several NOACs such as Pradaxa (Boehringer Ingelheim’s dabigatran etexilate), Eliquis (Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer’s apixaban), and Xarelto (Bayer/Janssen’s rivaroxaban) in recent years have increased the availability of these drugs in the country and broadened treatment options for physicians and patients. The inclusion of Xarelto into the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) as a type B drug may be the country’s first sign of readiness to adopt other NOACs into the national health insurance coverage.
