NEW YORK and PARIS — Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and sanofi-aventis have received expanded exclusivity for the blood thinner medication Plavix.
The companies said Tuesday that the Food and Drug Administration has granted an additional six-month period of exclusivity for them to market Plavix (clopidogrel bisulfate).
In the United States, exclusivity for Plavix is now scheduled to expire on May 17, 2012, according to Bristol-Myers and sanofi-aventis.
Plavix, one of the top prescription drugs in terms of dollar sales, works to keep platelets in the blood from coagulating to stop unwanted blood clots. It’s typically indicated for the prevention of blood clots after a recent heart attack or stroke, as well as in people with certain heart or blood vessel conditions.
