Products
Drotrecogin alfa was commercially available as a lyophilizate (Xigris). It has been approved in many countries and in the EU since 2002 and was also available in the United States and Canada. In 2011, Eli Lilly announced it was withdrawing the drug from the market worldwide. The PROWESS-SHOCK study showed insufficient efficacy. Mortality was not reduced to a statistically significant extent while, conversely, the risk of bleeding was relevantly increased. Apparently, an expensive drug with no benefit to patients was used for years at the expense of health insurers.
Effects
Drotrecogin alfa (ATC B01AD10) is the recombinant form of activated protein C that occurs naturally in plasma and differs only in a few oligosaccharides. Drotrecogin alfa has antithrombotic and profibrinolytic properties.
Indications
For the treatment of adult patients with severe sepsis with multiorgandysis as an adjunct to the best available standard intensive care therapy.
