Global Drugs & Biologics Update

Europe

IQWiG – Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care

IQWiG evaluates size of target population for Apixaban

Apixaban (tradename Eliquis) is an anticoagulant for the treatment of venous thromboembolic events that has been available in Europe since May 2012 and in the US since August 21, 2014.  As part of the commenting procedure in IQWiG’s evaluation of apixaban, the manufacturer submitted additional unpublished evaluations of patient numbers to the G-BA, which then commissioned IQWiG to review them.  IQWiG concluded, based on the data submitted, that the estimate of 113,898 patients in the target population "initial treatment of DVT and PE, parallel to be initiated secondary prophylaxis in adults" was plausible, but that the estimate of 127,000 for the number of "patients after 6 months of treatment with anticoagulants" (long-term prophylaxis) was underestimated.