AstraZeneca readies bid for new Crestor uses

It looks as if AstraZeneca's Crestor strategy is paying off. The company has been generating data on the cholesterol med's effect on clinical outcomes--such as atherosclerosis and heart attacks--yielding support for potential new uses.

The latest data release shows Crestor cut the risk of a first heart attack or stroke in half, and also halved the need for artery-clearing and bypass procedures. Stroke prevention was especially impressive among higher-risk groups such as smokers and patients over 70 years. The numbers come from the Jupiter study, first released late last year.

As of yet, Crestor isn't approved as a preventative for cardiovascular disease. But AstraZeneca plans to ask the FDA by midyear for new indications for the drug, based on the outcomes results from Jupiter. If it succeeds, the market for Crestor--and perhaps other stains--could be broadened significantly.

- check out the release on the JUPITER study
- read the Dow Jones story at EasyBourse

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