AstraZeneca reports 'positive' cardiovascular results from Brilinta and Farxiga drugs

AstraZeneca on Monday reported a duo of "positive" results, including a trial that showed its cardiovascular drug, Brilinta, when combined with Aspirin, reduced the relative risk of heart attack or stroke by 10% when compared with aspirin alone.

The trial of the drug combination, which is taken orally by patients, involved a trial population that included patients with coronary artery disease and type-2 diabetes with no prior heart attack or stroke.

The pharmaceutical giant said its trial had also showed a 15% relative risk reduction for Brilinta plus aspirin for the composite of cardiovascular death, heart attack, or stroke, compared with aspirin alone in patients who had previously undergone a percutaneous coronary intervention, a procedure to open a blocked or narrowed coronary artery.

Meanwhile, the FTSE 100-listed company also reported that its Farxiga type-2 diabetes drug met the primary endpoint of a separate clinical trial as it successfully reduced the composite of cardiovascular death or worsening of heart failure by 26%.

During the phase III trial, the drug also demonstrated a 30% decrease in the risk of experiencing a first episode of worsening heart failure and an 18% decrease in the risk of dying from cardiovascular causes when used in conjunction with standard care, alongside a nominally significant reduction in all-cause mortality by 17%.

John McMurray, from the University of Glasgow's Cardiovascular Research Centre, said: "We are very pleased that Farxiga was so effective in our trial - it did all the things we would like any drug to do in heart failure, which are to improve symptoms, reduce hospital admissions and increase survival. Even better, Farxiga was as effective in heart failure patients without diabetes as in those with diabetes."

AstraZeneca shares were up 0.57% at 7,360.00p at 0809 BST.