The call took place Monday, July 13, 2020
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Millions of patients globally are taking antithrombotic medications, or “blood thinners”, to reduce their risk of stroke and heart attacks. But when they require surgery, they risk life-threatening perioperative bleeding.
The call featured presentations from C. Michael Gibson, MS, MD (Harvard University and Baim Institute for Clinical Research, USA), Robert Storey, MD (University of Sheffield, UK), and Michael Schmoeckel, MD (Asklepios-Klinik St. Georg, Germany) who discussed the unmet medical need of managing patients on antithrombotic therapy requiring surgery. Drs. Gibson, Storey, and Schmoeckel answered questions at the conclusion of the event.
The discussion was focused on CytoSorb®, an extracorporeal blood purification technology approved in the European Union (E.U.) to remove two of the most commonly prescribed antithrombotic agents, ticagrelor (Brilinta®, Brilique®) and rivaroxaban (Xarelto®) from the bloodstream during cardiothoracic surgery. DrugSorb®-ATR, which uses an equivalent polymer technology to CytoSorb, has received two FDA Breakthrough Designations to remove Brilinta, and the direct oral anticoagulants, Eliquis® and Xarelto®, during emergent or urgent cardiothoracic surgery. The company has completed the STAR-T trial for the removal of Brilinta representing a potential dual path to U.S. FDA approval.
CytoSorb® is the first specifically approved extracorporeal cytokine adsorber in the E.U., designed to reduce toxic levels of cytokines, often called “cytokine storm,” in critically-ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) and those undergoing complex open-heart surgery. CytoSorb® has now been used in more than 212,000 cumulative treatments to date, across 75 countries worldwide, including the treatment of sepsis, COVID-19, influenza, liver disease, trauma, cytokine release syndrome in cancer immunotherapy, complications of surgery and many other applications.
