European Ambulance Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) Angiography Trial

To show that the early administration of bivalirudin improves 30 day outcomes when compared to the current standard of care in participants with ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (STE-ACS), intended for a primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) management strategy, presenting either via ambulance or to centers where PCI is not performed.

The purpose of the trial is to show that the early administration of bivalirudin improves 30-day outcomes when compared to the current standard of care in participants with STE-ACS, with an onset of symptoms of \>20 minutes and \<12 hours, intended for a primary PCI management strategy, presenting either via ambulance or to centers where PCI is not performed.

All participants are to receive treatment with aspirin (150-325 milligrams \[mg\] administered orally or 250-500 mg intravenously \[IV\]), followed by 75-100 milligrams/day (mg/day) for at least 1 year and a loading dose of an approved P2Y12 receptor blocker, such as clopidogrel, prasugrel, or ticagrelor, that was to be continued as per European Society of Cardiology guidelines (preferably for 1 year) in all participants.

The primary objectives of the trial are to show that, when compared with standard anti-thrombotic therapies other than bivalirudin (which includes treatment with unfractionated heparin \[UFH\] and optional glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor \[GPI\]) that at 30 days:

• Bivalirudin is superior to control at reducing a composite of death and non-coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)-related protocol major bleeding.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

The decision to randomize participants was made by a qualified physician or paramedic who was present at the time.

Participants were included in the study if they presented either via ambulance or to a center where PCI was not performed and met all of the following criteria:

1. Provided written informed consent before initiation of any study related procedures. Participants randomized in the ambulance may initially have signed an abridged version.
2. Aged ≥18 years at the time of randomization.
3. Had a presumed diagnosis of STE-ACS with onset of symptoms of \>20 minutes and \<12 hours with one or more of the following:

   * ST segment elevation of ≥1 millimeters (mm) in ≥2 contiguous leads
   * Presumably new left bundle branch block
   * An infero-lateral myocardial infarction with ST segment depression of ≥1 mm in ≥2 of leads V1-3 with a positive terminal T wave
4. All participants would proceed with emergent angiography and primary PCI if indicated \<2 hours after first medical contact

Exclusion Criteria:

Participants were excluded from the study if any of the following exclusion criteria applied prior to randomization:

1. Any bleeding diathesis or severe hematological disease or history of intra-cerebral mass, aneurysm, arterio-venous malformation, hemorrhagic stroke, intra-cranial hemorrhage, or gastrointestinal or genitourinary bleeding within the last 2 weeks.
2. Participants who had undergone recent surgery (including biopsy) within the last 2 weeks.
3. Participants who were on warfarin (not applicable if International Normalized Ratio known to be \<1.5).
4. Participants who had received UFH, LMWH, or bivalirudin immediately before randomization.
5. Thrombolytic therapy within the last 48 hours.
6. Absolute contra-indications or allergy that could not be pre-medicated to iodinated contrast or to any of the study medications including aspirin or clopidogrel.
7. Contraindications to angiography, including but not limited to severe peripheral vascular disease.
8. If it was known, pregnant or nursing mothers. Women of child-bearing age were asked if they were pregnant or thought that they may be pregnant.
9. If it is known, a creatinine clearance \<30 milliliter/minute or dialysis dependent.
10. Previous enrolment in this study.
11. Treatment with other investigational drugs or devices within the 30 days preceding randomization or planned use of other investigational drugs or devices in this trial.
12. Participants may not have been enrolled if the duration of randomized investigational medicinal product anti-thrombin infusion was likely to be \<30 minutes from the time of onset to the commencement of angiography.
13. Participants may not have been enrolled within a primary PCI-capable hospital (unless at the time of randomization, the catheter laboratory was not available, and the participant required transfer to another primary PCI capable hospital).
14. Estimated body weight of \>120 kg