Bayer Issues Additional Guidance to Physicians on T...( LEVERKUSEN Germany and WEST HAVEN...),Health

LEVERKUSEN, Germany and WEST HAVEN, Conn., Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Bayer announced new guidance to physicians and health care providers regarding the use of Trasylol(R) (aprotinin injection) in patients at an increased risk of blood loss and blood transfusion undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

The company did so after being notified that the BART Executive Committee had halted the Canadian-based trial -- a randomized, controlled trial being conducted in high-risk cardiac surgery patients. This followed a letter from the BART Data Safety Monitoring Board informing the Committee that a planned periodic data analysis indicated reduced bleeding but also an increase in all-cause mortality (that almost reached conventional statistical significance for 30-day mortality) for patients in the aprotinin treatment arm compared to patients who received either aminocaproic acid or tranexamic acid. Data have not, as yet, been shared with Bayer.

Bayer immediately informed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Health Canada and other health authorities around the world.

Bayer has also been informed that data will now be collected from all centers throughout Canada and data analysis will be undertaken by those conducting the BART study -- a process that is expected to take between four and eight weeks. Consequently no further evaluation either by Bayer or by regulatory authorities can take place until additional information becomes available from the BART investigators.

Guidance from Bayer includes a recommendation that physicians use Trasylol only in accordance with approved product labeling. Trasylol is indicated for prophylactic use to reduce perioperative blood loss and the need for blood transfusion in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass in the course of coronary artery bypass graft surgery who are at an increased risk for blood loss and blood transfusion.

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