Why does AstraZeneca's
I'm a little surprised that the panel blew off the unexplainable data. The clinical trials clearly show that Brilinta works better than Bristol-Myers Squibb
A mixed panel vote would have been the perfect ammunition for the FDA to send AstraZeneca back to the drawing board, asking for a new clinical trial to clear up the issue. With this resounding endorsement, it'll be harder for the FDA to reject Brilinta, although it's certainly in its power to do so.
Oddly enough, if you read the FDA briefing documents, the reviewers at the agency seem fairly conflicted about whether to approve the drug. This isn't like Dendreon's
An approval is just the first hill in a long upward battle toward blockbuster status for Brilinta. Eli Lilly's
Jim Mueller breaks down three beaten-down dividend payers. AstraZeneca didn't make the list.