Novartis, Portola heart drug moves to final tests

STOCKHOLM Aug 30 (Reuters) - Elinogrel, an experimental blood thinner being developed by Novartis (NOVN.VX) and Portola Pharmaceuticals, is to move into final-stage clinical testing following promising Phase II results.

The new drug targets a market currently dominated by Sanofi-Aventis (SASY.PA) and Bristol-Myers Squibb's (BMY.N) $9.5 billion-a-year blockbuster Plavix, but its backers argue it has an edge over Plavix and other newer rivals. [ID:nLDE67R07I] [ID:nLDE67S0B6]

Researcher Sunil Rao from the U.S. Duke Clinical Research Institute said tests showed elinogrel was more potent than Plavix, in both its intravenous and oral forms, without causing significantly increased bleeding risks.

The results of the Phase II trial, involving 652 patients undergoing non-urgent intervention to open clogged arteries, were presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Stockholm.

Elinogrel's potential will now be tested in a 24,000-patient Phase III trial that Novartis is expected to initiate in the first quarter of 2011, according to executives from unlisted U.S. group Portola. (Reporting by Ben Hirschler; Editing by David Cowell)