Lilly and Sankyo have high hopes for the drug, and are testing in a big trial to prove that prasugrel is better that Plavix in preventing heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular events in patients at high risk.
The companies didn't start a big trial testing whether adding Zetia to Zocor prevents heart attacksand strokes until three years after the drug was approved for sale.
In a bold move, Pfizer is testing Celebrex in patients at high risk for heart attacks--and it says it expects the drug may actually reduce cardiovascular disease.