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Customized Briefing for Dr. Jarir Nakouzi

Drugmaker says its anticlot drug may increase the risk of death in elderly patients.

The AP (1/1, Johnson) reported that "Biotech company Celgene Corp. on Wednesday sent a letter to doctors warning that a study of its drug to treat dangerous blood clots suggests it may increase the risk of death in elderly patients." The letter also "recommends that doctors consider alternatives to Innohep (tinzaparin sodium) in patients with deep vein thrombosis, life-threatening blood clots in major veins, such as in the legs."

This "warning comes after analysis of preliminary data from a study in Europe of patients 70 years old and older...who were diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis and also had failing kidneys." That "was stopped in February 2008 after 350 of the patients had been followed for three months. By then, 13 percent in the group getting Innohep had died of various causes, versus five percent in a comparison group getting heparin, a widely used anticlotting drug."