Boehringer Ingelheim Release: First Patient Enrolled In Dabigatran Study Comparing Anticoagulation Strategies During AF Ablation

• RE-CIRCUIT™ study explores use of uninterrupted dabigatran etexilate therapy in AF patients undergoing ablation¹
• Therapeutic guidelines recommend uninterrupted anticoagulation during and following ablation to reduce the associated risk of stroke^2,3
• Dedicated data needed to ascertain efficacy and safety of continuous treatment with novel oral anticoagulants during ablation

INGELHEIM, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The first patient with atrial fibrillation (AF) has been enrolled in the global RE-CIRCUIT™ study.⁴ The study assesses the safety and efficacy of uninterrupted anticoagulation with dabigatran etexilate (Pradaxa^®) during ablation procedures compared to warfarin.¹ Results from the RE-CIRCUIT™ study are expected during 2016.

“RE-CIRCUIT™ will offer the first comprehensive understanding on the performance of uninterrupted dabigatran during AF ablation”

Every year more than 200,000 ablation procedures are conducted globally in patients with AF,^5,6,7 the most common heart rhythm irregularity.⁸ Although ablation is a routine, minimally-invasive procedure to normalise the heart rhythm,⁹ patients are at an increased risk of blood clots during and following the procedure.² International guidelines therefore recommend that catheter ablations are conducted while patients are therapeutically anticoagulated with vitamin K antagonists.^2,3 In recent years there has been a trend towards performing ablation on continuous warfarin therapy.^2,3 After the procedure, anticoagulation therapy is continued for weeks to months to reduce the associated risk of stroke.² However, dedicated data on the safety and efficacy of continuous use of any of the novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) during ablation are still needed.

“RE-CIRCUIT™ will offer the first comprehensive understanding on the performance of uninterrupted dabigatran during AF ablation,” commented Professor Hugh Calkins, Chairman of the RE-CIRCUIT™ Study Steering Committee and Professor of Cardiology and Director of the Electrophysiology Laboratory and Arrhythmia Service, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, USA. “We already know that dabigatran effectively prevents stroke and systemic embolism in patients with AF. We believe that dabigatran can simplify ablation management for physicians and provide a beneficial alternative to standard anticoagulation with warfarin.”

The RE-CIRCUIT™ study compares the use of uninterrupted dabigatran therapy to uninterrupted warfarin in AF patients undergoing an ablation procedure.¹ Approximately 700 patients with either intermittent or permanent AF will participate in the study with treatment equally and randomly split between dabigatran 150mg twice daily or warfarin.¹

RE-CIRCUIT™ is one of a number of new studies recently initiated by Boehringer Ingelheim. The overarching RE-VOLUTION™ clinical trial programme for dabigatran includes 14 international phase III studies which will involve over 55,000 patients in more than 44 countries worldwide. Four of these studies are currently ongoing.^1,10-21

~ENDS~

Please click on the link below for ‘Notes to Editors’ and ‘References’: http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/news/news_releases/press_releases/2015/13_may_2015_dabigatranetexilate.html

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