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Bayer Pulls Trasylol From Market

Drug is used to control bleeding during heart surgery

May 15, 2008

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With results from a Canadian study confirming suspicions, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc. has notified the FDA that the company will begin removing the remaining Trasylol stock from the U.S. market, most of which is in warehouses and hospital or physician's stock..

The drug, used to control bleeding during heart surgery, was linked to increased risk of death in the Canadian study.

Under a limited use agreement, access to Trasylol will be limited to investigational use of the drug according to the procedures described in a special treatment protocol. The protocol allows treatment for certain patients who are at increased risk of blood loss and transfusions during coronary artery bypass graft surgery and who have no acceptable alternative therapy. Physicians using Trasylol in this situation must also verify that the benefits of the drug clearly outweigh the risks for their patients.

FDA limits access to certain drugs to patients with serious or immediately life-threatening disease or conditions who lack other therapeutic options and may benefit from such therapies. This type of access requires the submission of a protocol, which is reviewed and approved by the agency. Bayer has agreed to provide Trasylol through this mechanism for the limited use described above.

Trasylol is an antifibrinolytic drug approved to reduce blood loss during surgery and the need for blood transfusion in certain patient undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass in the course of coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Antifibrinolyitc drugs help slow the breakdown of blood clots and subsequent excessive bleeding.

Results from a randomized Canadian study that prompted last November's marketing suspension of Trasylol are expected to be published this week. The FDA says data contained in this article suggest that Trasylol appears to increase the risk for death compared to two other antifibrinolytic drugs used in the study.

The findings from this randomized study are similar to those from an observational study that was discussed at a September 2007 FDA advisory committee meeting. Based upon the data available at the time, the advisory committee recommended continued marketing of Trasylol.

However, FDA requested the marketing suspension in the interest of patient safety based on the serious nature of the outcomes suggested in the preliminary data. The committee also advised that a large, randomized clinical study was needed to further assess Trasylol's safety compared to other drugs. This recently published Canadian study helps address this need for additional information, the FDA said.

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