AstraZeneca Korea said Thursday that a 60 mg dose of its oral antiplatelet therapy Brilinta (ingredient: ticagrelor) would get reimbursement when used for patients at high risk for cardiovascular events when taken with aspirin.

Antiplatelet therapies and ticagrelor are for preventing thrombotic events such as strokes or heart attacks in people who have an acute coronary syndrome or heart attacks. Brilinta had prior gained coverage for its 90 mg dose.

The indication of the 60-mg Brilinta for reducing the incidence of thrombotic cardiovascular events -- such as deaths due to cardiovascular events, myocardial infarction, and stroke -- in combination with aspirin was based on a PEGASUS-TIMI 54 study in August 2016.

"We expect access will increase to treatment for myocardial infarction patients who have suffered from the lack of coverage after getting one year of treatment with the 90 mg dose of Brilinta,” said Chon Se-whan, director of AstraZeneca’s Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disease (CVMD) unit.

He went on to say, "We hope to prevent the risk of cardiovascular events from a more stable and long-term perspective by ensuring the continuity of treatment between the 90 mg and 60 mg treatment of Brilinta.”

The insurance coverage for the 60 mg dose applies to those who meet some criteria for up to three years.

Specifically, those who meet one of the three criteria outlined by the Ministry of Health and Welfare will be able to benefit from the coverage. The requirements say the patient should be either over 50 years of age, had at least 12 months but not more than 24 months pass since the latest heart attack, and be at high risk for thrombotic cardiovascular events such as cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and stroke.

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