Therapeutic Areas
Antiplatelet and Anticoagulant Markets
Gillian Stephens, Ph.D.
Biology
Patrick has worked at Portola since the company’s inception. His work has focused on identifying the mechanics...
Learn MorePortola has secured partnerships with two of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies to address the global epidemic of thrombosis. Currently, 110 million patients are at risk for thrombosis worldwide. By the year 2020, sales of antithrombotic drugs are expected to exceed $30 billion. Portola is developing highly differentiated products that could improve upon and potentially replace existing standard antiplatelet treatments, including Plavix® (clopidogrel), and anticoagulant treatments, including warfarin.
Worldwide sales for antiplatelet drugs in 2009 exceeded $9 billion and were driven by Plavix, the current standard of care. Plavix is an irreversible oral agent with certain limitations. These include slow onset of action, variable response across patients (with 20-30 percent classified as “non-responders”), intermediate levels of maximum anti-platelet effect and increased risk of bleeding. The antiplatelet market could exceed $14 billion by 2020.
Worldwide sales of anticoagulants are approximately $5 billion annually. Currently, warfarin is the most frequently prescribed anticoagulant, and is the only oral anticoagulant available. However, warfarin has limitations, such as a slow onset of action, variability in dose response from patient to patient, and risk of bleeding and drug and food interactions that require consistent coagulation monitoring. Novel oral agents that address the significant limitations of currently available anticoagulants and those in clinical development are needed and could expand this multi-billion dollar market. The anticoagulant market is expected to exceed $15 billion by 2020 with the approval of a novel, oral anticoagulant that does not require monitoring.