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Cangrelor: Review of the Drug and the CHAMPION Programme (Including PHOENIX)

  • New Therapies for Cardiovascular Disease (KW Mahaffey, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Platelet inhibition is the main goal of ancillary pharmacologic therapy during percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Thienopyridines and ticagrelor are oral drugs developed for this purpose. Cangrelor is an intravenous, non-thienopyridine antagonist of the P2Y12 receptor with a rapid, potent, predictable, and quickly reversible effect. Cangrelor has been studied in a broad population intended to receive PCI in the CHAMPION program, where it was compared with different clopidogrel regimens. The first two trials, CHAMPION PCI and PLATFORM, failed their primary objective, likely for challenges in the adjudication of PCI-related myocardial infarction. In a third trial that implemented the universal definition of MI, CHAMPION PHOENIX, a reduction of thrombotic events, including stent thrombosis, was observed. In the BRIDGE trial cangrelor has been studied in patients who had to prematurely interrupt antiplatelet therapy for surgery. Cangrelor appears a promising agent in patients who require PCI or when a rapid reversal is needed.

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Abbreviations

CHAMPION PCI:

Cangrelor versus Standard Therapy to Achieve Optimal Management of Platelet Inhibition PCI

CHAMPION PLATFORM:

Cangrelor versus Standard Therapy to Achieve Optimal Management of Platelet Inhibition PLATFORM

CHAMPION PHOENIX:

Cangrelor versus Standard Therapy to Achieve Optimal Management of Platelet Inhibition PHOENIX

BRIDGE:

Maintenance of Platelet inihiBition With cangRelor After dIscontinuation of ThienopyriDines in Patients Undergoing surGEry

GUSTO:

Global Utilization of Streptokinase and Tissue plasminogen activator in Occluded arteries

ACUITY:

Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage StrategY

TIMI:

Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction

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Conflict of Interest

Marcello Marino, Diego Rizzotti, and Sergio Leonardi declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy

    Marcello Marino

  2. Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Piazzale Golgi 19, 27100, Pavia, Italy

    Diego Rizzotti & Sergio Leonardi

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  1. Marcello Marino
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  2. Diego Rizzotti
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  3. Sergio Leonardi
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Correspondence to Sergio Leonardi.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on New Therapies for Cardiovascular Disease

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Marino, M., Rizzotti, D. & Leonardi, S. Cangrelor: Review of the Drug and the CHAMPION Programme (Including PHOENIX). Curr Cardiol Rep 16, 493 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11886-014-0493-4

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