Bayer gets FDA fast track status for next-generation blood thinner

[February 10, 2022]  FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany's Bayer has won fast-track status from U.S. drugs regulators for a new blood thinner designed to prevent certain types of strokes, as it seeks to follow up on the success of its anticoagulant Xarelto.

In a statement on Thursday, Bayer said the Food and Drug Administration granted fast track designation for the review of drug candidate asundexian when tested to prevent a repeat in patients that suffered a non-cardioembolic stroke from clogged vessels.

Bayer's best-selling stroke prevention pill Xarelto, in which partner Johnson & Johnson holds some rights, will lose patent protection around 2026.
 

(Reporting by Ludwig Burger; Editing by Maria Sheahan)

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