MERCURY PE Will Evaluate Xarelto in Low-Risk Pulmonary Embolism Patients With Early Discharge From Hospital

October 29, 2015—Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that it is initiating the MERCURY PE multicenter trial examining the benefits of Xarelto (rivaroxaban) treatment in low-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) patients and discharging them early from the hospital to complete treatment at home. MERCURY PE is a randomized, open-label, parallel-group study of 300 PE patients that is being conducted at 45 centers in the United States. MERCURY PE is part of the EXPLORER global cardiovascular research program for Xarelto conducted by Janssen Pharmaceuticals and its development partner, Bayer HealthCare.

According to the company, the primary endpoint is the total number of days in the hospital in the first 30 days for the treatment of PE or deep vein thrombosis (DVT), whether for a primary event or a recurrence. Secondary endpoints include recurrence of nonfatal and fatal blood clots (PE or DVT), number of unplanned hospital visits for PE/DVT symptoms and/or bleeding, any other hospitalization, and patient-reported outcomes. Also, associated costs will be evaluated.

The trial will specifically look at how PE patients identified as low-risk are managed, and if these patients have fewer overall hospital days, less events, and lower costs when treated with rivaroxaban and immediately discharged, compared to patients admitted and given standard treatment.

Janssen Pharmaceuticals stated that MERCURY PE builds on previous studies that found that low-risk PE or DVT patients, when prescribed Xarelto and immediately discharged, had no recurrent events while on therapy nor were there any major or clinically relevant bleeding events observed, and that low-risk PE/DVT patients who were prescribed Xarelto had significantly lower medical costs than those admitted and given standard treatment.