The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for

Medicinal Products for Human Use issued a positive opinion regarding AstraZeneca's Brilique (ticagrelor) for the prevention of atherothrombotic events in adult patients with acute coronary syndromes, the drugmaker reported.

The company noted that the decision was based on clinical trial results, including those from PLATO, which demonstrated that the anticoagulant was superior to sanofi-aventis and Bristol-Myers Squibb's Plavix (clopidogrel). Data from the study, which enrolled 18 624 patients, found that of the people who took AstraZeneca's drug for a year, 9.8 percent experienced a heart attack, stroke or died from cardiovascular disease, compared with 11.7 percent of those who received Plavix.

AstraZeneca's drug is also under review in the US, where it is known as Brilinta. In July an FDA panel voted 7-1 in favour of recommending approval of the drug. Earlier this month, the agency extended its review of the anticoagulant by three months to December 16.

Analysts predict that if approved, global sales of Brilique could reach as much as $2.3 billion by 2015.