May 23, 2012 — Accumetrics Inc., developer of the VerifyNow System, the first rapid and easy-to-use point-of-care system for measuring platelet reactivity to multiple antiplatelet agents, announced that the introduction of multiple, new generic versions of clopidogrel into the U.S. market has led to increased interest in platelet reactivity testing. In addition to increased field interest, Accumetrics reports a 40 percent jump in traffic to its VerifyNow website.
While the less expensive, generic versions of clopidogrel provide a cost benefit to patients and insurers, it has been well-established that approximately one-third of patients do not respond adequately to clopidogrel.
"Inadequate response to clopidogrel is associated with a significantly increased rate of adverse events, such as heart attack and stent thrombosis, which can lead to 30-day rehospitalization,” said Matthew J. Price, M.D., of the Scripps Translational Science Institute and Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, Calif. “For the best overall healthcare quality and cost metrics, getting the right patient on the right drug is critical. Rapid, point-of-care platelet reactivity testing helps us determine the most appropriate antiplatelet treatment option."
Payers can also benefit from integrating platelet reactivity testing into managed care. In fact, several health plans across the nation have already created prior authorization requirements for the more potent branded drugs, Effient and Brilinta, with clopidogrel non-responsiveness as justification for prescribing them.
“Due to the increased cost of newer, more potent P2Y12 inhibitors, we often have third-party payers in this area decline payment unless it has been proven that the patient does not respond to clopidogrel,” said Paul Huang, M.D., interventional cardiologist at Seattle’s Swedish Heart and Vascular Institute. “The VerifyNow P2Y12 Test results have satisfied the payers in this area.”
John Mackowiak, Ph.D., of the Center for Outcomes Research, Nashville, Tenn., has developed a pharmacoeconomic model analyzing the budget impact of antiplatelet therapy management alternatives. “A health plan that adds platelet reactivity testing for stent patients on antiplatelet therapy could save 3-5 percent of their costs annually through reduced drug and rehospitalization expense,” said Mackowiak.
The VerifyNow System is currently used clinically by physicians in more than 800 facilities in the United States and over 70 countries worldwide where antiplatelet medications are prescribed to reduce the occurrence of future thrombotic events such as heart attack and stroke.
"The VerifyNow System’s PRU results have become a standard tool to help healthcare professionals determine the most cost-effective and clinically appropriate solutions for patients on antiplatelet medications," said Timothy I. Still, president and CEO of Accumetrics. “Accumetrics foresees continued strong demand worldwide for our portfolio of VerifyNow platelet reactivity tests.”
For more information: www.accumetrics.com.
February 16, 2024 
