AstraZeneca wins UK cost approval for longer use of heart drug

LONDON, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Long term use of AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN - news) 's blood thinner Brilinta has been recommended as a cost-effective option for treating patients after a heart attack, Britain's healthcare cost watchdog NICE (Milan: NICE.MI - news) said on Friday.

Ticagrelor 60 mg -- sold in Britain as Brilique for just under 1 pound ($1.30) a pill -- could help "many thousands of people" when given twice a day alongside aspirin, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said.

In the United States, the wholesale acquisition cost is $5.14 a pill, although most U.S (Other OTC: UBGXF - news) . patients are eligible for savings programmes.

A higher 90 mg dose of Brilique is already recommended for 12 months after a heart attack. Now (NYSE: DNOW - news) new NICE draft guidance supports continued use at a lower dose for a further three years to reduce the risk of fresh heart attacks or strokes.

The drug is an important driver of future sales for AstraZeneca, which believes it can eventually sell $3.5 billion a year. Global sales in the first half of 2016 were $395 million.

The low-dose version of the medicine was recommended for long-term use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in September 2015 and by European authorities in February 2016.

($1 = 0.7707 pounds) (Reporting by Ben Hirschler; Editing by Keith Weir)