Brilique

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ANNEX I

SUMMARY OF PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS



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1. NAME OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT

Brilique 60 mg film-coated tablets

2. QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE COMPOSITION

Each film-coated tablet contains 60 mg ticagrelor.
Brilique contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per dose, i.e. is essentially ‘sodium-free’.

For the full list of excipients, see section 6.1.

3. PHARMACEUTICAL FORM

Film-coated tablet (tablet).

Round, biconvex, pink tablets marked with ‘60’ above ‘T’ on one side and plain on the other.

4. CLINICAL PARTICULARS

4.1 Therapeutic indications

Brilique, co-administered with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), is indicated for the prevention of 
atherothrombotic events in adult patients with

- acute coronary syndromes (ACS) or 
- a history of myocardial infarction (MI) and a high risk of developing an atherothrombotic 

event (see sections 4.2 and 5.1).

4.2 Posology and method of administration

Posology

Patients taking Brilique should also take a daily low maintenance dose of ASA 75-150 mg, unless 
specifically contraindicated.

Acute coronary syndromes
Brilique treatment should be initiated with a single 180 mg loading dose (two tablets of 90 mg) and 
then continued at 90 mg twice daily. Treatment with Brilique 90 mg twice daily is recommended 
for 12 months in ACS patients unless discontinuation is clinically indicated (see section 5.1). 

History of myocardial infarction
Brilique 60 mg twice daily is the recommended dose when an extended treatment is required for 
patients with a history of MI of at least one year and a high risk of an atherothrombotic event (see 
section 5.1). Treatment may be started without interruption as continuation therapy after the initial 
one-year treatment with Brilique 90 mg or other adenosine diphosphate (ADP) receptor inhibitor 
therapy in ACS patients with a high risk of an atherothrombotic event. Treatment can also be 
initiated up to 2 years from the MI, or within one year after stopping previous ADP receptor 
inhibitor treatment. There are limited data on the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor beyond 3 years of 
extended treatment.



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If a switch is needed, the first dose of Brilique should be administered 24 hours following the last 
dose of the other antiplatelet medication.

Missed dose
Lapses in therapy should also be avoided. A patient who misses a dose of Brilique should take only 
one tablet (their next dose) at its scheduled time.

Special populations
Elderly
No dose adjustment is required in elderly (see section 5.2).

Renal impairment
No dose adjustment is necessary for patients with renal impairment (see section 5.2).

Hepatic impairment
Ticagrelor has not been studied in patients with severe hepatic impairment and its use in these 
patients is therefore contraindicated (see section 4.3). Only limited information is available in 
patients with moderate hepatic impairment. Dose adjustment is not recommended, but ticagrelor
should be used with caution (see sections 4.4 and 5.2). No dose adjustment is necessary for patients 
with mild hepatic impairment (see section 5.2).

Paediatric population
The safety and efficacy of ticagrelor in children below the age of 18 years have not been 
established. No data are available.

Method of administration 
For oral use.
Brilique can be administered with or without food.
For patients who are unable to swallow the tablet(s) whole, the tablets can be crushed to a fine 
powder and mixed in half a glass of water and drunk immediately. The glass should be rinsed with 
a further half glass of water and the contents drunk. The mixture can also be administered via a 
nasogastric tube (CH8 or greater). It is important to flush the nasogastric tube through with water 
after administration of the mixture.

4.3 Contraindications

 Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1 (see 
section 4.8).

 Active pathological bleeding.
 History of intracranial haemorrhage (see section 4.8).
 Severe hepatic impairment (see sections 4.2, 4.4 and 5.2).
 Co-administration of ticagrelor with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g. ketoconazole,

clarithromycin, nefazodone, ritonavir and atazanavir), as co-administration may lead to a 
substantial increase in exposure to ticagrelor (see section 4.5).

4.4 Special warnings and precautions for use

Bleeding risk
The use of ticagrelor in patients at known increased risk for bleeding should be balanced against 
the benefit in terms of prevention of atherothrombotic events (see sections 4.8 and 5.1). If 
clinically indicated, ticagrelor should be used with caution in the following patient groups:



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 Patients with a propensity to bleed (e.g. due to recent trauma, recent surgery, coagulation 
disorders, active or recent gastrointestinal bleeding). The use of ticagrelor is contraindicated 
in patients with active pathological bleeding, in those with a history of intracranial 
haemorrhage, and in patients with severe hepatic impairment (see section 4.3).

 Patients with concomitant administration of medicinal products that may increase the risk of 
bleeding (e.g. non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), oral anticoagulants and/or 
fibrinolytics) within 24 hours of ticagrelor dosing.

Platelet transfusion did not reverse the antiplatelet effect of ticagrelor in healthy volunteers and is 
unlikely to be of clinical benefit in patients with bleeding. Since co-administration of ticagrelor
with desmopressin did not decrease template-bleeding time, desmopressin is unlikely to be 
effective in managing clinical bleeding events (see section 4.5).

Antifibrinolytic therapy (aminocaproic acid or tranexamic acid) and/or recombinant factor VIIa 
therapy may increase haemostasis. Ticagrelor may be resumed after the cause of bleeding has been 
identified and controlled.

Surgery
Patients should be advised to inform physicians and dentists that they are taking ticagrelor before 
any surgery is scheduled and before any new medicinal product is taken.

In PLATO patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), ticagrelor had more 
bleeding than clopidogrel when stopped within 1 day prior to surgery but a similar rate of major 
bleeds compared to clopidogrel after stopping therapy 2 or more days before surgery (see 
section 4.8). If a patient is to undergo elective surgery and antiplatelet effect is not desired, 
ticagrelor should be discontinued 5 days prior to surgery (see section 5.1).

Patients with prior ischaemic stroke
ACS patients with prior ischaemic stroke can be treated with ticagrelor for up to 12 months 
(PLATO study).

In PEGASUS, patients with history of MI with prior ischaemic stroke were not included. 
Therefore, in the absence of data, treatment beyond one year is not recommended in these patients.

Hepatic impairment
Use of ticagrelor is contraindicated in patients with severe hepatic impairment (see sections 4.2 
and 4.3). There is limited experience with ticagrelor in patients with moderate hepatic impairment, 
therefore, caution is advised in these patients (see sections 4.2 and 5.2).

Patients at risk for bradycardic events
Holter ECG monitoring has shown an increased frequency of mostly asymptomatic ventricular
pauses during treatment with ticagrelor compared with clopidogrel. Patients with an increased risk 
of bradycardic events (e.g. patients without a pacemaker who have sick sinus syndrome, 2nd or 3rd

degree AV block or bradycardic-related syncope) have been excluded from the main studies 
evaluating the safety and efficacy of ticagrelor. Therefore, due to the limited clinical experience, 
ticagrelor should be used with caution in these patients (see section 5.1).

In addition, caution should be exercised when administering ticagrelor concomitantly with 
medicinal products known to induce bradycardia. However, no evidence of clinically significant 
adverse reactions was observed in the PLATO trial after concomitant administration with one or 
more medicinal products known to induce bradycardia (e.g. 96% beta blockers, 33% calcium 
channel blockers diltiazem and verapamil and 4% digoxin) (see section 4.5).



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During the Holter substudy in PLATO, more patients had ventricular pauses >3 seconds with 
ticagrelor than with clopidogrel during the acute phase of their ACS. The increase in 
Holter-detected ventricular pauses with ticagrelor was higher in patients with chronic heart failure 
(CHF) than in the overall study population during the acute phase of ACS, but not at one month 
with ticagrelor or compared to clopidogrel. There were no adverse clinical consequences associated 
with this imbalance (including syncope or pacemaker insertion) in this patient population (see 
section 5.1).

Dyspnoea
Dyspnoea was reported in patients treated with ticagrelor. Dyspnoea is usually mild to moderate in 
intensity and often resolves without need for treatment discontinuation. Patients with 
asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may have an increased absolute risk of 
experiencing dyspnoea with ticagrelor. Ticagrelor should be used with caution in patients with 
history of asthma and/or COPD. The mechanism has not been elucidated. If a patient reports new, 
prolonged or worsened dyspnoea this should be investigated fully and if not tolerated, treatment 
with ticagrelor should be stopped. For further details see section 4.8.

Creatinine elevations
Creatinine levels may increase during treatment with ticagrelor. The mechanism has not been 
elucidated. Renal function should be checked according to routine medical practice. In patients 
with ACS, it is recommended that renal function is also checked one month after initiating the 
treatment with ticagrelor, paying special attention to patients ≥75 years, patients with 
moderate/severe renal impairment and those receiving concomitant treatment with an angiotensin
receptor blocker (ARB).

Uric acid increase
Hyperuricaemia may occur during treatment with ticagrelor (see section 4.8). Caution is advised in
patients with history of hyperuricaemia or gouty arthritis. As a precautionary measure, the use of 
ticagrelor in patients with uric acid nephropathy is discouraged.

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP)
Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) has been reported very rarely with the use of 
ticagrelor. It is characterised by thrombocytopenia and microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia 
associated with either neurological findings, renal dysfunction or fever. TTP is a potentially fatal 
condition requiring prompt treatment including plasmapheresis.

Interference with platelet function tests to diagnose heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)
In the heparin induced platelet activation (HIPA) test used to diagnose HIT, anti-platelet factor 
4/heparin antibodies in patient serum activate platelets of healthy donors in the presence of 
heparin.
False negative results in a platelet function test (to include, but may not be limited to the HIPA 
test) for HIT have been reported in patients administered ticagrelor. This is related to inhibition of 
the P2Y12-receptor on the healthy donor platelets in the test by ticagrelor in the patient’s 
sera/plasma. Information on concomitant treatment with ticagrelor is required for interpretation of 
HIT platelet function tests. 
In patients who have developed HIT, the benefit-risk of continued treatment with ticagrelor should 
be assessed, taking both the prothrombotic state of HIT and the increased risk of bleeding with 
concomitant anticoagulant and ticagrelor treatment into consideration.

Other



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Based on a relationship observed in PLATO between maintenance ASA dose and relative efficacy 
of ticagrelor compared to clopidogrel, co-administration of ticagrelor and high maintenance dose 
ASA (>300 mg) is not recommended (see section 5.1).

Premature discontinuation
Premature discontinuation with any antiplatelet therapy, including Brilique, could result in an 
increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) death, MI or stroke due to the patient’s underlying disease. 
Therefore, premature discontinuation of treatment should be avoided.

4.5 Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction

Ticagrelor is primarily a CYP3A4 substrate and a mild inhibitor of CYP3A4. Ticagrelor is also a 
P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrate and a weak P-gp inhibitor and may increase the exposure of P-gp 
substrates.

Effects of medicinal and other products on ticagrelor

CYP3A4 inhibitors
 Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors – Co-administration of ketoconazole with ticagrelor increased the 

ticagrelor Cmax and AUC equal to 2.4-fold and 7.3-fold, respectively. The Cmax and AUC of 
the active metabolite were reduced by 89% and 56%, respectively. Other strong inhibitors of 
CYP3A4 (clarithromycin, nefazodone, ritonavir and atazanavir) would be expected to have 
similar effects and therefore concomitant use of strong CYP3A4 inhibitors with ticagrelor is 
contraindicated (see section 4.3).

 Moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors – Co-administration of diltiazem with ticagrelor increased the 
ticagrelor Cmax by 69% and AUC to 2.7-fold and decreased the active metabolite Cmax by 
38% and AUC was unchanged. There was no effect of ticagrelor on diltiazem plasma levels. 
Other moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g. amprenavir, aprepitant, erythromycin and 
fluconazole) would be expected to have a similar effect and can as well be co-administered 
with ticagrelor. 

 A 2-fold increase of ticagrelor exposure was observed after daily consumption of large 
quantities of grapefruit juice (3x200 ml). This magnitude of increased exposure is not 
expected to be clinically relevant to most patients.

CYP3A inducers
Co-administration of rifampicin with ticagrelor decreased ticagrelor Cmax and AUC by 73% and 
86%, respectively. The Cmax of the active metabolite was unchanged and the AUC was decreased 
by 46%, respectively. Other CYP3A inducers (e.g. phenytoin, carbamazepine and phenobarbital) 
would be expected to decrease the exposure to ticagrelor as well. Co-administration of ticagrelor
with potent CYP3A inducers may decrease exposure and efficacy of ticagrelor, therefore, their 
concomitant use with ticagrelor is discouraged.

Cyclosporine (P-gp and CYP3A inhibitor)
Co-administration of cyclosporine (600 mg) with ticagrelor increased ticagrelor Cmax and AUC 
equal to 2.3-fold and 2.8-fold, respectively. The AUC of the active metabolite was increased by 
32% and Cmax was decreased by 15% in the presence of cyclosporine. 

No data are available on concomitant use of ticagrelor with other active substances that also are 
potent P-gp inhibitors and moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g. verapamil, quinidine) that also may 
increase ticagrelor exposure. If the association cannot be avoided, their concomitant use should be 
made with caution.



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Others
Clinical pharmacology interaction studies showed that co-administration of ticagrelor with heparin, 
enoxaparin and ASA or desmopressin did not have any effect on the pharmacokinetics of ticagrelor 
or the active metabolite or on ADP-induced platelet aggregation compared with ticagrelor alone. If 
clinically indicated, medicinal products that alter haemostasis should be used with caution in 
combination with ticagrelor.

A delayed and decreased exposure to oral P2Y12 inhibitors, including ticagrelor and its active 

metabolite, has been observed in patients with ACS treated with morphine (35% reduction in 

ticagrelor exposure). This interaction may be related to reduced gastrointestinal motility and apply 

to other opioids. The clinical relevance is unknown, but data indicate the potential for reduced 

ticagrelor efficacy in patients co-administered ticagrelor and morphine. In patients with ACS, in 

whom morphine cannot be withheld and fast P2Y12 inhibition is deemed crucial, the use of a 

parenteral P2Y12 inhibitor may be considered.

Effects of ticagrelor on other medicinal products

Medicinal products metabolised by CYP3A4
 Simvastatin – Co-administration of ticagrelor with simvastatin increased simvastatin Cmax by 

81% and AUC by 56% and increased simvastatin acid Cmax by 64% and AUC by 52% with 
some individual increases equal to 2- to 3-fold. Co-administration of ticagrelor with doses of 
simvastatin exceeding 40 mg daily could cause adverse reactions of simvastatin and should 
be weighed against potential benefits. There was no effect of simvastatin on ticagrelor 
plasma levels. Ticagrelor may have similar effect on lovastatin. The concomitant use of 
ticagrelor with doses of simvastatin or lovastatin greater than 40 mg is not recommended.

 Atorvastatin – Co-administration of atorvastatin and ticagrelor increased atorvastatin acid 
Cmax by 23% and AUC by 36%. Similar increases in AUC and Cmax were observed for all 
atorvastatin acid metabolites. These increases are not considered clinically significant.

 A similar effect on other statins metabolised by CYP3A4 cannot be excluded. Patients in 
PLATO receiving ticagrelor took a variety of statins, with no concern of an association with 
statin safety among the 93% of the PLATO cohort taking these medicinal products. 

Ticagrelor is a mild CYP3A4 inhibitor. Co-administration of ticagrelor and CYP3A4 substrates 
with narrow therapeutic indices (i.e. cisapride or ergot alkaloids) is not recommended, as ticagrelor 
may increase the exposure to these medicinal products.

P-gp substrates (including digoxin, cyclosporine) 
Concomitant administration of ticagrelor increased the digoxin Cmax by 75% and AUC by 28%. 
The mean trough digoxin levels were increased about 30% with ticagrelor co-administration with 
some individual maximum increases to 2-fold. In the presence of digoxin, the Cmax and AUC of 
ticagrelor and its active metabolite were not affected. Therefore, appropriate clinical and/or 
laboratory monitoring is recommended when giving narrow therapeutic index P-gp dependent 
medicinal products like digoxin concomitantly with ticagrelor.

There was no effect of ticagrelor on cyclosporine blood levels. Effect of ticagrelor on other P-gp 
substrates has not been studied.

Medicinal products metabolised by CYP2C9
Co-administration of ticagrelor with tolbutamide resulted in no change in the plasma levels of 
either medicinal product, which suggests that ticagrelor is not a CYP2C9 inhibitor and unlikely to 
alter the CYP2C9 mediated metabolism of medicinal products like warfarin and tolbutamide.



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Oral contraceptives
Co-administration of ticagrelor and levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol increased ethinyl estradiol 
exposure approximately 20% but did not alter the pharmacokinetics of levonorgestrel. No 
clinically relevant effect on oral contraceptive efficacy is expected when levonorgestrel and ethinyl 
estradiol are co-administered with ticagrelor.

Medicinal products known to induce bradycardia
Due to observations of mostly asymptomatic ventricular pauses and bradycardia, caution should be 
exercised when administering ticagrelor concomitantly with medicinal products known to induce 
bradycardia (see section 4.4). However, no evidence of clinically significant adverse reactions was 
observed in the PLATO trial after concomitant administration with one or more medicinal products 
known to induce bradycardia (e.g. 96% beta blockers, 33% calcium channel blockers diltiazem and 
verapamil and 4% digoxin).

Other concomitant therapy
In clinical studies, ticagrelor was commonly administered with ASA, proton pump inhibitors, 
statins, beta-blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor 
blockers as needed for concomitant conditions for long-term and also heparin, low molecular 
weight heparin and intravenous GpIIb/IIIa inhibitors for short durations (see section 5.1). No 
evidence of clinically significant adverse interactions with these medicinal products was observed.

Co-administration of ticagrelor with heparin, enoxaparin or desmopressin had no effect on 
activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), activated coagulation time (ACT) or factor Xa 
assays. However, due to potential pharmacodynamic interactions, caution should be exercised with 
the concomitant administration of ticagrelor with medicinal products known to alter haemostasis.

Due to reports of cutaneous bleeding abnormalities with SSRIs (e.g. paroxetine, sertraline and 
citalopram), caution is advised when administering SSRIs with ticagrelor as this may increase the 
risk of bleeding.

4.6 Fertility, pregnancy and lactation

Women of childbearing potential
Women of childbearing potential should use appropriate contraceptive measures to avoid 
pregnancy during ticagrelor therapy.

Pregnancy
There are no or limited amount of data from the use of ticagrelor in pregnant women. Studies in 
animals have shown reproductive toxicity (see section 5.3). Ticagrelor is not recommended during 
pregnancy.

Breast-feeding 
Available pharmacodynamic/toxicological data in animals have shown excretion of ticagrelor and 
its active metabolites in milk (see section 5.3). A risk to newborns/infants cannot be excluded. A 
decision must be made whether to discontinue breast-feeding or to discontinue/abstain from 
ticagrelor therapy taking into account the benefit of breast-feeding for the child and the benefit of 
therapy for the woman.

Fertility
Ticagrelor had no effect on male or female fertility in animals (see section 5.3).

4.7 Effects on ability to drive and use machines



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Ticagrelor has no or negligible influence on the ability to drive and use machines. During treatment 
with ticagrelor, dizziness and confusion have been reported. Therefore, patients who experience 
these symptoms should be cautious while driving or using machines.

4.8 Undesirable effects

Summary of the safety profile
The safety profile of ticagrelor has been evaluated in two large phase 3 outcome trials (PLATO and 
PEGASUS) including more than 39,000 patients (see section 5.1).

In PLATO, patients on ticagrelor had a higher incidence of discontinuation due to adverse events 
than clopidogrel (7.4% vs. 5.4%). In PEGASUS, patients on ticagrelor had a higher incidence of 
discontinuation due to adverse events compared to ASA therapy alone (16.1% for ticagrelor 60 mg 
with ASA vs. 8.5% for ASA therapy alone). The most commonly reported adverse reactions in 
patients treated with ticagrelor were bleeding and dyspnoea (see section 4.4).

Tabulated list of adverse reactions
The following adverse reactions have been identified following studies or have been reported in
post-marketing experience with ticagrelor (Table 1). 

Adverse reactions are listed by MedDRA System Organ Class (SOC). Within each SOC the 
adverse reactions are ranked by frequency category. Frequency categories are defined according to 
the following conventions: Very common (≥1/10), common (≥1/100 to 1/10), uncommon 
(≥1/1,000 to 1/100), rare (≥1/10,000 to 1/1,000), very rare (<1/10,000), not known (cannot be 
estimated from the available data).

Table 1 – Adverse reactions by frequency and system organ class (SOC)

SOC Very common Common Uncommon Not known

Neoplasms 
benign, 
malignant and 
unspecified 
(including cysts 
and polyps)

Tumour 
bleedingsa

Blood and 
lymphatic 
system disorders

Blood disorder 
bleedingsb

Thrombotic 
Thrombocytopenic 
Purpurac

Immune system 
disorders

Hypersensitivity 
including 
angioedemac

Metabolism and 
nutrition 
disorders

Hyperuricaemiad Gout/Gouty 

Arthritis

Psychiatric 
disorders

Confusion

Nervous system 
disorders

Dizziness,
Syncope, 
Headache

Intracranial 
haemorrhage



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SOC Very common Common Uncommon Not known

Eye disorders Eye 
haemorrhagee

Ear and 
labyrinth 
disorders

Vertigo Ear 
haemorrhage

Vascular 
disorders

Hypotension

Respiratory, 
thoracic and 
mediastinal 
disorders

Dyspnoea Respiratory 
system 
bleedingsf

Gastrointestinal 
disorders

Gastrointestinal 
haemorrhageg, 
Diarrhoea, 
Nausea, 
Dyspepsia, 
Constipation

Retroperitoneal 
haemorrhage

Skin and 
subcutaneous 
tissue disorders

Subcutaneous or 
dermal 
bleedingh, Rash, 
Pruritus 

Musculoskeletal 
connective tissue 
and bone

Muscular 
bleedingsi

Renal and 
urinary 
disorders

Urinary tract 
bleedingj

Reproductive 
system and 
breast disorders

Reproductive 
system 
bleedingsk

Investigations Blood creatinine 
increasedd

Injury, 
poisoning and 
procedural 
complications

Post procedural 
haemorrhage, 
Traumatic 
bleedingsl

a e.g. bleeding from bladder cancer, gastric cancer, colon cancer
b e.g. increased tendency to bruise, spontaneous haematoma, haemorrhagic diathesis
c Identified in post-marketing experience
d Frequencies derived from lab observations (Uric acid increases to >upper limit of normal from baseline below or within 
reference range. Creatinine increases of >50% from baseline.) and not crude adverse event report frequency.
e e.g. conjunctival, retinal, intraocular bleeding
f e.g. epistaxis, haemoptysis
g e.g. gingival bleeding, rectal haemorrhage, gastric ulcer haemorrhage
h e.g. ecchymosis, skin haemorrhage, petechiae
i e.g. haemarthrosis, muscle haemorrhage
j e.g. haematuria, cystitis haemorrhagic
k e.g. vaginal haemorrhage, haematospermia, postmenopausal haemorrhage
l e.g. contusion, traumatic haematoma, traumatic haemorrhage



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Description of selected adverse reactions

Bleeding
Bleeding findings in PLATO
Overall outcome of bleeding rates in the PLATO study are shown in Table 2.

Table 2 – Analysis of overall bleeding events, Kaplan-Meier estimates at 12 months (PLATO)

Ticagrelor 90 mg
twice daily

N=9235

Clopidogrel

N=9186
p-value*

PLATO Total Major 11.6 11.2 0.4336

PLATO Major Fatal/Life-Threatening 5.8 5.8 0.6988

Non-CABG PLATO Major 4.5 3.8 0.0264
Non-Procedural PLATO Major 3.1 2.3 0.0058

PLATO Total Major + Minor 16.1 14.6 0.0084

Non-Procedural PLATO Major + Minor 5.9 4.3 0.0001

TIMI-defined Major 7.9 7.7 0.5669

TIMI-defined Major + Minor 11.4 10.9 0.3272

Bleeding category definitions:
Major Fatal/Life-threatening Bleed: Clinically apparent with >50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin or ≥4 red cell units 
transfused; or fatal; or intracranial; or intrapericardial with cardiac tamponade; or with hypovolaemic shock or severe 
hypotension requiring pressors or surgery.
Major Other: Clinically apparent with 30-50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin or 2-3 red cell units transfused; or
significantly disabling.
Minor Bleed: Requires medical intervention to stop or treat bleeding.
TIMI Major Bleed: Clinically apparent with >50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin or intracranial haemorrhage.
TIMI Minor Bleed: Clinically apparent with 30-50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin.
*p-value calculated from Cox proportional hazards model with treatment group as the only explanatory variable.

Ticagrelor and clopidogrel did not differ in rates of PLATO Major Fatal/Life-threatening bleeding, 
PLATO total Major bleeding, TIMI Major bleeding, or TIMI Minor bleeding (Table 2). However, 
more PLATO combined Major + Minor bleeding occurred with ticagrelor compared with 
clopidogrel. Few patients in PLATO had fatal bleeds: 20 (0.2%) for ticagrelor and 23 (0.3%) for 
clopidogrel (see section 4.4).

Age, sex, weight, race, geographic region, concurrent conditions, concomitant therapy and medical 
history, including a previous stroke or transient ischaemic attack, all did not predict either overall 
or non-procedural PLATO Major bleeding. Thus, no particular group was identified at risk for any 
subset of bleeding.

CABG-related bleeding:
In PLATO, 42% of the 1584 patients (12% of cohort) who underwent coronary artery bypass graft 
(CABG) surgery had a PLATO Major Fatal/Life-threatening bleeding with no difference between 
treatment groups. Fatal CABG bleeding occurred in 6 patients in each treatment group (see 
section 4.4).

Non-CABG related bleeding and non-procedural related bleeding:
Ticagrelor and clopidogrel did not differ in non-CABG PLATO-defined Major Fatal/Life-
threatening bleeding, but PLATO-defined Total Major, TIMI Major, and TIMI Major + Minor 
bleeding were more common with ticagrelor. Similarly, when removing all procedure related 
bleeds, more bleeding occurred with ticagrelor than with clopidogrel (Table 2). Discontinuation of 



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treatment due to non-procedural bleeding was more common for ticagrelor (2.9%) than for 
clopidogrel (1.2%; p<0.001).

Intracranial bleeding:
There were more intracranial non-procedural bleeds with ticagrelor (n=27 bleeds in 26 patients, 
0.3%) than with clopidogrel (n=14 bleeds, 0.2%), of which 11 bleeds with ticagrelor and 1 with 
clopidogrel were fatal. There was no difference in overall fatal bleeds.

Bleeding findings in PEGASUS
Overall outcome of bleeding events in the PEGASUS study are shown in Table 3.

Table 3 – Analysis of overall bleeding events, Kaplan-Meier estimates at 36 months 
(PEGASUS)

Ticagrelor 60 mg twice 

daily + ASA

N=6958

ASA alone

N=6996

Safety Endpoints KM%

Hazard 
Ratio

(95% CI)

KM% p-value

TIMI-defined bleeding categories

TIMI    Major
2.3 2.32

(1.68, 3.21)

1.1 <0.0001

Fatal
0.3 1.00

(0.44, 2.27)

0.3 1.0000

ICH
0.6 1.33

(0.77, 2.31)

0.5 0.3130

Other TIMI Major
1.6 3.61

(2.31, 5.65)

0.5 <0.0001

TIMI Major or Minor
3.4 2.54

(1.93, 3.35)

1.4 <0.0001

TIMI Major or Minor or Requiring 

medical attention

16.6 2.64

(2.35, 2.97)

7.0 <0.0001

PLATO-defined bleeding categories

PLATO Major
3.5 2.57

(1.95, 3.37)

1.4 <0.0001

Fatal/Life-threatening
2.4 2.38

(1.73, 3.26)

1.1 <0.0001

Other PLATO Major
1.1 3.37

(1.95, 5.83)

0.3 <0.0001

PLATO Major or Minor
15.2 2.71

(2.40, 3.08)

6.2 <0.0001

Bleeding category definitions:

TIMI Major: Fatal bleeding, OR any intracranial bleeding, OR clinically overt signs of haemorrhage associated with a 

drop in haemoglobin (Hgb) of ≥50 g/L, or when Hgb is not available, a fall in haematocrit (Hct) of 15%.

Fatal: A bleeding event that directly led to death within 7 days.

ICH: Intracranial haemorrhage.

Other TIMI Major: Non-fatal non-ICH TIMI Major bleeding.

TIMI Minor: Clinically apparent with 30-50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin.



13

TIMI Requiring medical attention: Requiring intervention, OR leading to hospitalisation, OR prompting evaluation.

PLATO Major Fatal/life-threatening: Fatal bleeding, OR any intracranial bleeding, OR intrapericardial with cardiac 

tamponade, OR with hypovolaemic shock or severe hypotension requiring pressors/inotropes or surgery OR clinically 

apparent with >50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin or ≥4 red cell units transfused.

PLATO Major Other: Significantly disabling, OR clinically apparent with 30-50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin, OR 

2-3 red cell units transfused.

PLATO Minor: Requires medical intervention to stop or treat bleeding.

In PEGASUS, TIMI Major bleeding for ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily was higher than for ASA 
alone. No increased bleeding risk was seen for fatal bleeding and only a minor increase was 
observed in intracranial haemorrhages, as compared to ASA therapy alone. There were few fatal 
bleeding events in the study, 11 (0.3%) for ticagrelor 60 mg and 12 (0.3%) for ASA therapy alone. 
The observed increased risk of TIMI Major bleeding with ticagrelor 60 mg was primarily due to a 
higher frequency of Other TIMI Major bleedings driven by events in the gastrointestinal SOC.

Increased bleeding patterns similar to TIMI Major were seen for TIMI Major or Minor and 
PLATO Major and PLATO Major or Minor bleeding categories (see Table 3). Discontinuation of 
treatment due to bleeding was more common with ticagrelor 60 mg compared to ASA therapy 
alone (6.2% and 1.5%, respectively). The majority of these bleedings were of less severity 
(classified as TIMI Requiring medical attention), e.g. epistaxis, bruising and haematomas.

The bleeding profile of ticagrelor 60 mg was consistent across multiple pre-defined subgroups 
(e.g. by age, gender, weight, race, geographic region, concurrent conditions, concomitant therapy 
and medical history) for TIMI Major, TIMI Major or Minor and PLATO Major bleeding events.

Intracranial bleeding:
Spontaneous ICHs were reported in similar rates for ticagrelor 60 mg and ASA therapy alone
(n=13, 0.2% in both treatment groups). Traumatic and procedural ICHs showed a minor increase 
with ticagrelor 60 mg treatment, (n=15, 0.2%) compared with ASA therapy alone (n=10, 0.1%). 
There were 6 fatal ICHs with ticagrelor 60 mg and 5 fatal ICHs with ASA therapy alone. The 
incidence of intracranial bleeding was low in both treatment groups given the significant 
comorbidity and CV risk factors of the population under study.

Dyspnoea
Dyspnoea, a sensation of breathlessness, is reported by patients treated with ticagrelor. In PLATO, 
dyspnoea adverse events (AEs) (dyspnoea, dyspnoea at rest, dyspnoea exertional, dyspnoea 
paroxysmal nocturnal and nocturnal dyspnoea), when combined, was reported by 13.8% of patients 
treated with ticagrelor and by 7.8% of patients treated with clopidogrel. In 2.2% of patients taking 
ticagrelor and by 0.6% taking clopidogrel investigators considered the dyspnoea causally related to 
treatment in the PLATO study and few were serious (0.14% ticagrelor; 0.02% clopidogrel), (see 
section 4.4). Most reported symptoms of dyspnoea were mild to moderate in intensity, and most 
were reported as a single episode early after starting treatment.

Compared with clopidogrel, patients with asthma/COPD treated with ticagrelor may have an 
increased risk of experiencing non-serious dyspnoea (3.29% ticagrelor versus 0.53% clopidogrel) 
and serious dyspnoea (0.38% ticagrelor versus 0.00% clopidogrel). In absolute terms, this risk was 
higher than in the overall PLATO population. Ticagrelor should be used with caution in patients 
with history of asthma and/or COPD (see section 4.4).

About 30% of episodes resolved within 7 days. PLATO included patients with baseline congestive 
heart failure, COPD or asthma; these patients, and the elderly, were more likely to report dyspnoea.
For ticagrelor, 0.9% of patients discontinued study drug because of dyspnoea compared with 



14

0.1% taking clopidogrel. The higher incidence of dyspnoea with ticagrelor is not associated with 
new or worsening heart or lung disease (see section 4.4). Ticagrelor does not affect tests of 
pulmonary function.

In PEGASUS, dyspnoea was reported in 14.2% of patients taking ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily and 
in 5.5% of patients taking ASA alone. As in PLATO, most reported dyspnoea was mild to 
moderate in intensity (see section 4.4). Patients who reported dyspnoea tended to be older and 
more frequently had dyspnoea, COPD or asthma at baseline.

Investigations
Uric acid elevations: In PLATO, serum uric acid increased to more than upper limit of normal in 
22% of patients receiving ticagrelor compared to 13% of patients receiving clopidogrel. The 
corresponding numbers in PEGASUS were 9.1%, 8.8% and 5.5% for ticagrelor 90 mg, 60 mg and 
placebo, respectively. Mean serum uric acid increased approximately 15% with ticagrelor 
compared to approximately 7.5% with clopidogrel and after treatment was stopped, decreased to 
approximately 7% on ticagrelor but with no decrease observed for clopidogrel. In PEGASUS, a 
reversible increase in mean serum uric acid levels of 6.3% and 5.6% was found for ticagrelor 
90 mg and 60 mg, respectively, compared to a 1.5% decrease in the placebo group. In PLATO, the 
frequency of gouty arthritis was 0.2% for ticagrelor vs. 0.1% for clopidogrel. The corresponding 
numbers for gout/gouty arthritis in PEGASUS were 1.6%, 1.5% and 1.1% for ticagrelor 90 mg, 
60 mg and placebo, respectively.

Reporting of suspected adverse reactions
Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It 
allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare 
professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the national reporting system 
listed in Appendix V.

4.9 Overdose

Ticagrelor is well tolerated in single doses up to 900 mg. Gastrointestinal toxicity was 
dose-limiting in a single ascending dose study. Other clinically meaningful adverse reactions 
which may occur with overdose include dyspnoea and ventricular pauses (see section 4.8).

In the event of an overdose, the above potential adverse reactions could occur and ECG monitoring
should be considered.

There is currently no known antidote to reverse the effects of ticagrelor, and ticagrelor is not 
dialysable (see section 5.2). Treatment of overdose should follow local standard medical practice. 
The expected effect of excessive ticagrelor dosing is prolonged duration of bleeding risk associated 
with platelet inhibition. Platelet transfusion is unlikely to be of clinical benefit in patients with 
bleeding (see section 4.4). If bleeding occurs other appropriate supportive measures should be 
taken.

5. PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

5.1 Pharmacodynamic properties

Pharmacotherapeutic group: Platelet aggregation inhibitors excluding heparin, ATC code: 
B01AC24

http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Template_or_form/2013/03/WC500139752.doc


15

Mechanism of action
Brilique contains ticagrelor, a member of the chemical class cyclopentyltriazolopyrimidines 
(CPTP), which is an oral, direct acting, selective and reversibly binding P2Y12 receptor antagonist 
that prevents ADP-mediated P2Y12 dependent platelet activation and aggregation. Ticagrelor does 
not prevent ADP binding but when bound to the P2Y12 receptor prevents ADP-induced signal 
transduction. Since platelets participate in the initiation and/or evolution of thrombotic 
complications of atherosclerotic disease, inhibition of platelet function has been shown to reduce 
the risk of CV events such as death, MI or stroke.

Ticagrelor also increases local endogenous adenosine levels by inhibiting the equilibrative 
nucleoside transporter-1 (ENT-1). 

Ticagrelor has been documented to augment the following adenosine-induced effects in healthy 
subjects and in patients with ACS: vasodilation (measured by coronary blood flow increases in 
healthy volunteers and ACS patients; headache), inhibition of platelet function (in human whole 
blood in vitro) and dyspnoea. However, a link between the observed increases in adenosine and 
clinical outcomes (e.g. morbidity-mortality) has not been clearly elucidated.

Pharmacodynamic effects
Onset of action
In patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) on ASA, ticagrelor demonstrates a rapid 
onset of pharmacological effect as demonstrated by a mean inhibition of platelet aggregation (IPA) 
for ticagrelor at 0.5 hours after 180 mg loading dose of about 41%, with the maximum IPA effect 
of 89% by 2-4 hours post dose, and maintained between 2-8 hours. 90% of patients had final extent 
IPA>70% by 2 hours post dose.

Offset of action
If a CABG procedure is planned, ticagrelor bleeding risk is increased compared to clopidogrel 
when discontinued within less than 96 hours prior to procedure.

Switching data
Switching from clopidogrel 75 mg to ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily results in an absolute IPA 
increase of 26.4% and switching from ticagrelor to clopidogrel results in an absolute IPA decrease 
of 24.5%. Patients can be switched from clopidogrel to ticagrelor without any interruption of 
antiplatelet effect (see section 4.2).

Clinical efficacy and safety
The clinical evidence for the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor is derived from two phase 3 trials:

 The PLATO [PLATelet Inhibition and Patient Outcomes] study, a comparison of ticagrelor
to clopidogrel, both given in combination with ASA and other standard therapy.

 The PEGASUS TIMI-54 [PrEvention with TicaGrelor of SecondAry Thrombotic Events in 
High-RiSk AcUte Coronary Syndrome Patients] study, a comparison of ticagrelor combined 
with ASA to ASA therapy alone.

PLATO study (Acute Coronary Syndromes)

The PLATO study included 18,624 patients who presented within 24 hours of onset of symptoms 
of unstable angina (UA), non ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) or ST elevation 
myocardial infarction (STEMI), and were initially managed medically, or with percutaneous 
coronary intervention (PCI), or with CABG.



16

Clinical efficacy
On a background of daily ASA, ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily showed superiority to 75 mg daily 
clopidogrel in preventing the composite endpoint of CV death, MI or stroke, with the difference 
driven by CV death and MI. Patients received a 300 mg loading dose of clopidogrel (600 mg 
possible if having PCI) or 180 mg of ticagrelor.

The result appeared early (absolute risk reduction [ARR] 0.6% and relative risk reduction [RRR] 
of 12% at 30 days), with a constant treatment effect over the entire 12-month period, yielding ARR 
1.9% per year with RRR of 16%. This suggests it is appropriate to treat patients with ticagrelor 90 
mg twice daily for 12 months (see section 4.2). Treating 54 ACS patients with ticagrelor instead of 
clopidogrel will prevent 1 atherothrombotic event; treating 91 will prevent 1 CV death (see 
Figure 1 and Table 4).

The treatment effect of ticagrelor over clopidogrel appears consistent across many subgroups, 
including weight; sex; medical history of diabetes mellitus, transient ischaemic attack or 
non-haemorrhagic stroke, or revascularisation; concomitant therapies including heparins, 
GpIIb/IIIa inhibitors and proton pump inhibitors (see section 4.5); final index event diagnosis 
(STEMI, NSTEMI or UA); and treatment pathway intended at randomisation (invasive or 
medical).

A weakly significant treatment interaction was observed with region whereby the hazard ratio 
(HR) for the primary endpoint favours ticagrelor in the rest of world but favours clopidogrel in 
North America, which represented approximately 10% of the overall population studied 
(interaction p-value=0.045). Exploratory analyses suggest a possible association with ASA dose 
such that reduced efficacy was observed with ticagrelor with increasing ASA doses. Chronic daily 
ASA doses to accompany ticagrelor should be 75-150 mg (see sections 4.2 and 4.4).

Figure 1 shows the estimate of the risk to the first occurrence of any event in the composite 
efficacy endpoint.



17

Figure 1 – Analysis of primary clinical composite endpoint of CV death, MI and stroke
(PLATO)

Ticagrelor reduced the occurrence of the primary composite endpoint compared to clopidogrel in 
both the UA/NSTEMI and STEMI population (Table 4). Thus, Brilique 90 mg twice daily together 
with low-dose ASA can be used in patients with ACS (unstable angina, non-ST elevation 
Myocardial Infarction [NSTEMI] or ST elevation Myocardial Infarction [STEMI]); including 
patients managed medically, and those who are managed with percutaneous coronary intervention 
(PCI) or coronary artery by-pass grafting (CABG).

Table 4 - Analysis of primary and secondary efficacy endpoints (PLATO)

Ticagrelor 
90 mg

twice daily
(% patients 
with event)

N=9333

Clopidogrel 
75 mg 

once daily
(% patients 
with event)

N=9291

ARRa

(%/yr)
RRRa (%)
(95% CI)

p-value

CV death, MI (excl. 
silent MI) or stroke

9.3 10.9 1.9 16 (8, 23) 0.0003

Invasive intent 8.5 10.0 1.7 16 (6, 25) 0.0025

Medical intent 11.3 13.2 2.3 15 (0.3, 27) 0.0444d

CV death 3.8 4.8 1.1 21 (9, 31) 0.0013

MI (excl. silent MI)b 5.4 6.4 1.1 16 (5, 25) 0.0045

Stroke 1.3 1.1 -0.2 -17 (-52, 9) 0.2249

All-cause mortality, 
MI (excl. silent MI) 
or stroke

9.7 11.5 2.1 16 (8, 23) 0.0001



18

CV death, total MI,
stroke, SRI, RI, TIA 
or other ATEc

13.8 15.7 2.1 12 (5, 19) 0.0006

All-cause mortality 4.3 5.4 1.4 22 (11, 31) 0.0003d

Definite stent 
thrombosis

1.2 1.7 0.6 32 (8, 49) 0.0123d

a ARR = absolute risk reduction; RRR = relative risk reduction = (1-Hazard ratio) x 100%. A negative RRR indicates a 
relative risk increase.
b Excluding silent MI.
c SRI = serious recurrent ischaemia; RI = recurrent ischaemia; TIA = transient ischaemic attack; ATE = arterial 
thrombotic event. Total MI includes silent MI, with date of event set to date when discovered.
d Nominal significance value; all others are formally statistically significant by pre-defined hierarchical testing.

PLATO genetic substudy
CYP2C19 and ABCB1 genotyping of 10,285 patients in PLATO provided associations of 
genotype groups with PLATO outcomes. The superiority of ticagrelor over clopidogrel in reducing 
major CV events was not significantly affected by patient CYP2C19 or ABCB1 genotype. Similar 
to the overall PLATO study, total PLATO Major bleeding did not differ between ticagrelor and 
clopidogrel, regardless of CYP2C19 or ABCB1 genotype. Non-CABG PLATO Major bleeding 
was increased with ticagrelor compared clopidogrel in patients with one or more CYP2C19 loss of 
function alleles, but similar to clopidogrel in patients with no loss of function allele.

Combined efficacy and safety composite
A combined efficacy and safety composite (CV death, MI, stroke or PLATO-defined ‘Total Major’ 
bleeding) indicates that the benefit in efficacy of ticagrelor compared to clopidogrel is not offset by 
the major bleeding events (ARR 1.4%, RRR 8%, HR 0.92; p=0.0257) over 12 months after ACS.

Clinical safety

Holter substudy:
To study the occurrence of ventricular pauses and other arrhythmic episodes during PLATO, 
investigators performed Holter monitoring in a subset of nearly 3000 patients, of whom 
approximately 2000 had recordings both in the acute phase of their ACS and after one month. The 
primary variable of interest was the occurrence of ventricular pauses ≥3 seconds. More patients had 
ventricular pauses with ticagrelor (6.0%) than with clopidogrel (3.5%) in the acute phase; and 
2.2% and 1.6%, respectively, after 1 month (see section 4.4). The increase in ventricular pauses in 
the acute phase of ACS was more pronounced in ticagrelor patients with history of CHF (9.2% 
versus 5.4% in patients without CHF history; for clopidogrel patients, 4.0% in those with versus 
3.6% in those without CHF history). This imbalance did not occur at one month: 2.0% versus 2.1% 
for ticagrelor patients with and without CHF history, respectively; and 3.8% versus 1.4% with 
clopidogrel. There were no adverse clinical consequences associated with this imbalance 
(including pacemaker insertions) in this population of patients.

PEGASUS study (History of Myocardial Infarction)

The PEGASUS TIMI-54 study was a 21,162 patient, event-driven, randomised, double-blind, 
placebo-controlled, parallel group, international multicentre study to assess the prevention of 
atherothrombotic events with ticagrelor given at 2 doses (either 90 mg twice daily or 60 mg twice 
daily) combined with low dose ASA (75-150 mg), compared to ASA therapy alone in patients with 
history of MI and additional risk factors for atherothrombosis.

Patients were eligible to participate if they were aged 50 years or over, with a history of MI (1 to 
3 years prior to randomisation), and had at least one of the following risk factors for 



19

atherothrombosis: age ≥65 years, diabetes mellitus requiring medication, a second prior MI, 
evidence of multivessel CAD or chronic non-end-stage renal dysfunction.

Patients were ineligible if there was planned use of a P2Y12 receptor antagonist, dipyridamole, 
cilostazol, or anticoagulant therapy during the study period; if they had a bleeding disorder or a 
history of an ischaemic stroke or intracranial bleeding, a central nervous system tumour or an 
intracranial vascular abnormality; if they had had gastrointestinal bleeding within the previous 
6 months or major surgery within the previous 30 days.

Clinical efficacy

Figure 2 - Analysis of primary clinical composite endpoint of CV death, MI and stroke
(PEGASUS)

Table 5 - Analysis of primary and secondary efficacy endpoints (PEGASUS)

Ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily +ASA
N = 7045

ASA alone
N = 7067

p-value

Characteristic
Patients 

with events
KM %

HR
(95% CI)

Patients with 
events

KM %

Primary endpoint



20

Ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily +ASA
N = 7045

ASA alone
N = 7067

p-value

Characteristic
Patients 

with events
KM %

HR
(95% CI)

Patients with 
events

KM %

Composite of CV 
Death/MI/Stroke

487 (6.9%) 7.8%
0.84 

(0.74, 0.95)
578 (8.2%) 9.0% 0.0043 (s)

CV death 174 (2.5%) 2.9%
0.83 

(0.68, 1.01)
210 (3.0%) 3.4% 0.0676

MI 285 (4.0%) 4.5%
0.84 

(0.72, 0.98)
338 (4.8%) 5.2% 0.0314

Stroke 91 (1.3%) 1.5%
0.75 

(0.57, 0.98)
122 (1.7%) 1.9% 0.0337

Secondary endpoint

CV death 174 (2.5%) 2.9%
0.83 

(0.68, 1.01)
210 (3.0%) 3.4% -

All-cause 
mortality

289 (4.1%) 4.7%
0.89

(0.76, 1.04)
326 (4.6%) 5.2% -

Hazard ratio and p-values are calculated separately for ticagrelor vs. ASA therapy alone from Cox proportional hazards 

model with treatment group as the only explanatory variable.

KM percentage calculated at 36 months.

Note: the number of first events for the components CV death, MI and stroke are the actual number of first events for 

each component and do not add up to the number of events in the composite endpoint

(s) Indicates statistical significance.

CI = Confidence interval; CV = Cardiovascular; HR = Hazard ratio; KM = Kaplan-Meier; MI = Myocardial infarction; 

N = Number of patients.

Both 60 mg twice daily and 90 mg twice daily regimens of ticagrelor in combination with ASA
were superior to ASA alone in the prevention of atherothrombotic events (composite endpoint: CV 
death, MI and stroke), with a consistent treatment effect over the entire study period, yielding a 
16% RRR and 1.27% ARR for ticagrelor 60 mg and a 15% RRR and 1.19% ARR for ticagrelor 
90 mg.

Although the efficacy profiles of 90 mg and 60 mg were similar, there is evidence that the lower 
dose has a better tolerability and safety profile in relation to risk of the bleeding and dyspnoea. 
Therefore, only Brilique 60 mg twice daily co-administered with ASA is recommended for the 
prevention atherothrombotic events (CV death, MI and stroke) in patients with a history of MI and 
a high risk of developing an atherothrombotic event.

Relative to ASA alone, ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily significantly reduced the primary composite 
endpoint of CV death, MI and stroke. Each of the components contributed to the reduction in the 
primary composite endpoint (CV death 17% RRR, MI 16% RRR and stroke 25% RRR).

The RRR for the composite endpoint from 1 to 360 days (17% RRR) and from 361 days and 
onwards (16% RRR) was similar. There are limited data on the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor 
beyond 3 years of extended treatment.

There was no evidence of benefit (no reduction in the primary composite endpoint of CV death, MI 
and stroke, but an increase in major bleeding) when ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily was introduced in 



21

clinically stable patients >2 years from the MI, or more than one year after stopping previous ADP 
receptor inhibitor treatment (see also section 4.2).

Clinical safety
The rate of discontinuations with ticagrelor 60 mg due to bleeding and dyspnoea was higher in 
patients >75 years (42%) than in younger patients (range: 23-31%), with a difference versus 
placebo higher than 10% (42% vs. 29%) in patients >75 years.

Paediatric population
The European Medicines Agency has waived the obligation to submit the results of studies with 
Brilique in all subsets of the paediatric population in acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and history 
of myocardial infarction (MI) (see section 4.2 for information on paediatric use).

5.2 Pharmacokinetic properties

Ticagrelor demonstrates linear pharmacokinetics and exposure to ticagrelor and the active 
metabolite (AR-C124910XX) are approximately dose proportional up to 1260 mg.

Absorption
Absorption of ticagrelor is rapid with a median tmax of approximately 1.5 hours. The formation of 
the major circulating metabolite AR-C124910XX (also active) from ticagrelor is rapid with a 
median tmax of approximately 2.5 hours. Following an oral ticagrelor 90 mg single dose under 
fasted conditions in healthy subjects, Cmax is 529 ng/ml and AUC is 3451 ng*h/ml. The metabolite 
parent ratios are 0.28 for Cmax and 0.42 for AUC. The pharmacokinetics of ticagrelor and 
AR-C124910XX in patients with a history of MI were generally similar to that in the ACS 
population. Based on a population pharmacokinetic analysis of the PEGASUS study the median 
ticagrelor Cmax was 391 ng/ml and AUC was 3801 ng*h/ml at steady state for ticagrelor 60 mg. For 
ticagrelor 90 mg Cmax was 627 ng/ml and AUC was 6255 ng*h/ml at steady state.

The mean absolute bioavailability of ticagrelor was estimated to be 36%. Ingestion of a high-fat 
meal resulted in a 21% increase in ticagrelor AUC and 22% decrease in the active metabolite Cmax 
but had no effect on ticagrelor Cmax or the AUC of the active metabolite. These small changes are 
considered of minimal clinical significance; therefore, ticagrelor can be given with or without food. 
Ticagrelor as well as the active metabolite are P-gp substrates.

Ticagrelor as crushed tablets mixed in water, given orally or administered through a nasogastric 
tube into the stomach, has a comparable bioavailability to whole tablets with regards to AUC and 
Cmax for ticagrelor and the active metabolite. Initial exposure (0.5 and 1 hour post-dose) from 
crushed ticagrelor tablets mixed in water was higher compared to whole tablets, with a generally 
identical concentration profile thereafter (2 to 48 hours).

Distribution
The steady state volume of distribution of ticagrelor is 87.5 l. Ticagrelor and the active metabolite
is extensively bound to human plasma protein (>99.0%).

Biotransformation
CYP3A4 is the major enzyme responsible for ticagrelor metabolism and the formation of the active 
metabolite and their interactions with other CYP3A substrates ranges from activation through to 
inhibition. 



22

The major metabolite of ticagrelor is AR-C124910XX, which is also active as assessed by in vitro
binding to the platelet P2Y12 ADP-receptor. The systemic exposure to the active metabolite is 
approximately 30-40% of that obtained for ticagrelor.

Elimination
The primary route of ticagrelor elimination is via hepatic metabolism. When radiolabelled 
ticagrelor is administered, the mean recovery of radioactivity is approximately 84% (57.8% in 
faeces, 26.5% in urine). Recoveries of ticagrelor and the active metabolite in urine were both less 
than 1% of the dose. The primary route of elimination for the active metabolite is most likely via 
biliary secretion. The mean t1/2 was approximately 7 hours for ticagrelor and 8.5 hours for the 
active metabolite.

Special populations

Elderly
Higher exposures to ticagrelor (approximately 25% for both Cmax and AUC) and the active 
metabolite were observed in elderly (≥75years) ACS patients compared to younger patients by the 
population pharmacokinetic analysis. These differences are not considered clinically significant 
(see section 4.2).

Paediatric population
Ticagrelor has not been evaluated in a paediatric population (see sections 4.2 and 5.1).

Gender
Higher exposures to ticagrelor and the active metabolite were observed in women compared to 
men. These differences are not considered clinically significant.

Renal impairment
Exposure to ticagrelor was approximately 20% lower and exposure to the active metabolite was 
approximately 17% higher in patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance 
<30 ml/min) compared to subjects with normal renal function.

In patients with end stage renal disease on haemodialysis AUC and Cmax of ticagrelor 90 mg 
administered on a day without dialysis were 38% and 51% higher compared to subjects with 
normal renal function. A similar increase in exposure was observed when ticagrelor was 
administered immediately prior to dialysis (49% and 61%, respectively) showing that ticagrelor is 
not dialysable. Exposure of the active metabolite increased to a lesser extent (AUC 13-14% and
Cmax 17-36%). The inhibition of platelet aggregation (IPA) effect of ticagrelor was independent of 
dialysis in patients with end stage renal disease and similar to subjects with normal renal function 
(see section 4.2).

Hepatic impairment
Cmax and AUC for ticagrelor were 12% and 23% higher in patients with mild hepatic impairment 
compared to matched healthy subjects, respectively, however, the IPA effect of ticagrelor was 
similar between the two groups. No dose adjustment is needed for patients with mild hepatic 
impairment. Ticagrelor has not been studied in patients with severe hepatic impairment and there is 
no pharmacokinetic information in patients with moderate hepatic impairment. In patients that had 
moderate or severe elevation in one or more liver function tests at baseline, ticagrelor plasma 
concentrations were on average similar or slightly higher as compared to those without baseline 
elevations. No dose adjustment is recommended in patients with moderate hepatic impairment (see 
sections 4.2 and 4.4).



23

Ethnicity
Patients of Asian descent have a 39% higher mean bioavailability compared to Caucasian patients. 
Patients self-identified as black had an 18% lower bioavailability of ticagrelor compared to 
Caucasian patients, in clinical pharmacology studies, the exposure (Cmax and AUC) to ticagrelor in 
Japanese subjects was approximately 40% (20% after adjusting for body weight) higher compared 
to that in Caucasians. The exposure in patients self-identified as Hispanic or Latino was similar to 
that in Caucasians.

5.3 Preclinical safety data

Preclinical data for ticagrelor and its major metabolite have not demonstrated unacceptable risk for 
adverse effects for humans based on conventional studies of safety pharmacology, single and 
repeated dose toxicity and genotoxic potential.

Gastrointestinal irritation was observed in several animal species at clinical relevant exposure 
levels (see section 4.8).

In female rats, ticagrelor at high dose showed an increased incidence of uterine tumours 
(adenocarcinomas) and an increased incidence of hepatic adenomas. The mechanism for uterine 
tumours is likely hormonal imbalance which can lead to tumours in rats. The mechanism for the 
hepatic adenomas is likely due to a rodent-specific enzyme induction in the liver. Thus, the 
carcinogenicity findings are considered unlikely to be relevant for humans.

In rats, minor developmental anomalies were seen at a maternal toxic dose (safety margin of 5.1). 
In rabbits, a slight delay in hepatic maturity and skeletal development was seen in foetuses from 
dams at high dose without showing maternal toxicity (safety margin of 4.5).

Studies in rats and rabbits have shown reproductive toxicity, with slightly reduced maternal body 
weight gain and reduced neonatal viability and birth weight, with delayed growth. Ticagrelor 
produced irregular cycles (mostly extended cycles) in female rats, but did not affect overall fertility 
in male and female rats. Pharmacokinetic studies performed with radiolabelled ticagrelor have 
shown that the parent compound and its metabolites are excreted in the milk of rats (see 
section 4.6).

6. PHARMACEUTICAL PARTICULARS

6.1 List of excipients

Tablet core
Mannitol (E421)
Calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate
Magnesium stearate (E470b)
Sodium starch glycolate type A
Hydroxypropylcellulose (E463)

Tablet coating
Titanium dioxide (E171)
Iron oxide black (E172)
Iron oxide red (E172)
Macrogol 400
Hypromellose (E464)



24

6.2 Incompatibilities

Not applicable.

6.3 Shelf life

3 years

6.4 Special precautions for storage

This medicinal product does not require any special storage conditions.

6.5 Nature and contents of container

 PVC-PVDC/Al transparent blister (with sun/moon symbols) of 10 tablets; cartons of 
60 tablets (6 blisters) and 180 tablets (18 blisters).

 PVC-PVDC/Al transparent calendar blister (with sun/moon symbols) of 14 tablets; cartons 
of 14 tablets (1 blister), 56 tablets (4 blisters) and 168 tablets (12 blisters).

Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

6.6 Special precautions for disposal

Any unused medicinal product or waste material should be disposed of in accordance with local 
requirements.

7. MARKETING AUTHORISATION HOLDER

AstraZeneca AB
SE-151 85 Södertälje
Sweden

8. MARKETING AUTHORISATION NUMBER(S) 

EU/1/10/655/007-011

9. DATE OF FIRST AUTHORISATION/RENEWAL OF THE AUTHORISATION

Date of first authorisation: 03 December 2010
Date of latest renewal: 17 July 2015

10. DATE OF REVISION OF THE TEXT

Detailed information on this medicinal product is available on the website of the European 
Medicines Agency http://www.ema.europa.eu.

http://www.ema.europa.eu/


25

1. NAME OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT

Brilique 90 mg film-coated tablets

2. QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE COMPOSITION

Each film-coated tablet contains 90 mg ticagrelor.
Brilique contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per dose, i.e. is essentially ‘sodium-free’.

For the full list of excipients, see section 6.1.

3. PHARMACEUTICAL FORM

Film-coated tablet (tablet).

Round, biconvex, yellow tablets marked with ‘90’ above ‘T’ on one side and plain on the other.

4. CLINICAL PARTICULARS

4.1 Therapeutic indications

Brilique, co-administered with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), is indicated for the prevention of 
atherothrombotic events in adult patients with 

- acute coronary syndromes (ACS) or
- a history of myocardial infarction (MI) and a high risk of developing an atherothrombotic 

event (see sections 4.2 and 5.1).

4.2 Posology and method of administration

Posology

Patients taking Brilique should also take a daily low maintenance dose of ASA 75-150 mg, unless 
specifically contraindicated.

Acute coronary syndromes
Brilique treatment should be initiated with a single 180 mg loading dose (two tablets of 90 mg) and 
then continued at 90 mg twice daily.Treatment with Brilique 90 mg twice daily is recommended 
for 12 months in ACS patients unless discontinuation is clinically indicated (see section 5.1).

History of myocardial infarction
Brilique 60 mg twice daily is the recommended dose when an extended treatment is required for 
patients with a history of MI of at least one year and a high risk of an atherothrombotic event (see 
section 5.1). Treatment may be started without interruption as continuation therapy after the initial 
one-year treatment with Brilique 90 mg or other adenosine diphosphate (ADP) receptor inhibitor 
therapy in ACS patients with a high risk of an atherothrombotic event. Treatment can also be 
initiated up to 2 years from the MI, or within one year after stopping previous ADP receptor 
inhibitor treatment. There are limited data on the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor beyond 3 years of 
extended treatment.



26

If a switch is needed, the first dose of Brilique should be administered 24 hours following the last 
dose of the other antiplatelet medication.

Missed dose
Lapses in therapy should also be avoided. A patient who misses a dose of Brilique should take only 
one tablet (their next dose) at its scheduled time.

Special populations
Elderly
No dose adjustment is required in elderly (see section 5.2).

Renal impairment
No dose adjustment is necessary for patients with renal impairment (see section 5.2).

Hepatic impairment
Ticagrelor has not been studied in patients with severe hepatic impairment and its use in these 
patients is therefore contraindicated (see section 4.3). Only limited information is available in 
patients with moderate hepatic impairment. Dose adjustment is not recommended, but ticagrelor
should be used with caution (see sections 4.4 and 5.2). No dose adjustment is necessary for patients 
with mild hepatic impairment (see section 5.2).

Paediatric population
The safety and efficacy of ticagrelor in children below the age of 18 years have not been 
established. No data are available.

Method of administration 
For oral use.
Brilique can be administered with or without food.
For patients who are unable to swallow the tablet(s) whole, the tablets can be crushed to a fine 
powder and mixed in half a glass of water and drunk immediately. The glass should be rinsed with 
a further half glass of water and the contents drunk. The mixture can also be administered via a 
nasogastric tube (CH8 or greater). It is important to flush the nasogastric tube through with water 
after administration of the mixture.

4.3 Contraindications

 Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1 (see 
section 4.8).

 Active pathological bleeding.
 History of intracranial haemorrhage (see section 4.8).
 Severe hepatic impairment (see sections 4.2, 4.4 and 5.2).
 Co-administration of ticagrelor with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g. ketoconazole,

clarithromycin, nefazodone, ritonavir and atazanavir), as co-administration may lead to a 
substantial increase in exposure to ticagrelor (see section 4.5).

4.4 Special warnings and precautions for use

Bleeding risk
The use of ticagrelor in patients at known increased risk for bleeding should be balanced against 
the benefit in terms of prevention of atherothrombotic events (see sections 4.8 and 5.1). If 
clinically indicated, ticagrelor should be used with caution in the following patient groups:



27

 Patients with a propensity to bleed (e.g. due to recent trauma, recent surgery, coagulation 
disorders, active or recent gastrointestinal bleeding). The use of ticagrelor is contraindicated 
in patients with active pathological bleeding, in those with a history of intracranial 
haemorrhage, and in patients with severe hepatic impairment (see section 4.3).

 Patients with concomitant administration of medicinal products that may increase the risk of 
bleeding (e.g. non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), oral anticoagulants and/or 
fibrinolytics) within 24 hours of ticagrelor dosing.

Platelet transfusion did not reverse the antiplatelet effect of ticagrelor in healthy volunteers and is 
unlikely to be of clinical benefit in patients with bleeding. Since co-administration of ticagrelor
with desmopressin did not decrease template-bleeding time, desmopressin is unlikely to be 
effective in managing clinical bleeding events (see section 4.5).

Antifibrinolytic therapy (aminocaproic acid or tranexamic acid) and/or recombinant factor VIIa
therapy may increase haemostasis. Ticagrelor may be resumed after the cause of bleeding has been 
identified and controlled.

Surgery
Patients should be advised to inform physicians and dentists that they are taking ticagrelor before 
any surgery is scheduled and before any new medicinal product is taken.

In PLATO patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), ticagrelor had more 
bleeding than clopidogrel when stopped within 1 day prior to surgery but a similar rate of major 
bleeds compared to clopidogrel after stopping therapy 2 or more days before surgery (see 
section 4.8). If a patient is to undergo elective surgery and antiplatelet effect is not desired, 
ticagrelor should be discontinued 5 days prior to surgery (see section 5.1).

Patients with prior ischaemic stroke
ACS patients with prior ischaemic stroke can be treated with ticagrelor for up to 12 months 
(PLATO study).

In PEGASUS, patients with history of MI with prior ischaemic stroke were not included. 
Therefore, in the absence of data, treatment beyond one year is not recommended in these patients.

Hepatic impairment
Use of ticagrelor is contraindicated in patients with severe hepatic impairment (see sections 4.2 
and 4.3). There is limited experience with ticagrelor in patients with moderate hepatic impairment, 
therefore, caution is advised in these patients (see sections 4.2 and 5.2).

Patients at risk for bradycardic events
Holter ECG monitoring has shown an increased frequency of mostly asymptomatic ventricular 
pauses during treatment with ticagrelor compared with clopidogrel. Patients with an increased risk 
of bradycardic events (e.g. patients without a pacemaker who have sick sinus syndrome, 2nd or 3rd

degree AV block or bradycardic-related syncope) have been excluded from the main studies 
evaluating the safety and efficacy of ticagrelor. Therefore, due to the limited clinical experience, 
ticagrelor should be used with caution in these patients (see section 5.1).

In addition, caution should be exercised when administering ticagrelor concomitantly with 
medicinal products known to induce bradycardia. However, no evidence of clinically significant 
adverse reactions was observed in the PLATO trial after concomitant administration with one or 
more medicinal products known to induce bradycardia (e.g. 96% beta blockers, 33% calcium 
channel blockers diltiazem and verapamil and 4% digoxin) (see section 4.5).



28

During the Holter substudy in PLATO, more patients had ventricular pauses >3 seconds with 
ticagrelor than with clopidogrel during the acute phase of their ACS. The increase in 
Holter-detected ventricular pauses with ticagrelor was higher in patients with chronic heart failure 
(CHF) than in the overall study population during the acute phase of ACS, but not at one month 
with ticagrelor or compared to clopidogrel. There were no adverse clinical consequences associated 
with this imbalance (including syncope or pacemaker insertion) in this patient population (see 
section 5.1).

Dyspnoea
Dyspnoea was reported in patients treated with ticagrelor. Dyspnoea is usually mild to moderate in 
intensity and often resolves without need for treatment discontinuation. Patients with 
asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may have an increased absolute risk of 
experiencing dyspnoea with ticagrelor. Ticagrelor should be used with caution in patients with 
history of asthma and/or COPD. The mechanism has not been elucidated. If a patient reports new, 
prolonged or worsened dyspnoea this should be investigated fully and if not tolerated, treatment 
with ticagrelor should be stopped. For further details see section 4.8.

Creatinine elevations
Creatinine levels may increase during treatment with ticagrelor. The mechanism has not been 
elucidated. Renal function should be checked according to routine medical practice. In patients 
with ACS, it is recommended that renal function is also checked one month after initiating the 
treatment with ticagrelor, paying special attention to patients ≥75 years, patients with 
moderate/severe renal impairment and those receiving concomitant treatment with an angiotensin
receptor blocker (ARB).

Uric acid increase
Hyperuricaemia may occur during treatment with ticagrelor (see section 4.8). Caution is advised in
patients with history of hyperuricaemia or gouty arthritis. As a precautionary measure, the use of 
ticagrelor in patients with uric acid nephropathy is discouraged.

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP)
Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) has been reported very rarely with the use of 
ticagrelor. It is characterised by thrombocytopenia and microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia 
associated with either neurological findings, renal dysfunction or fever. TTP is a potentially fatal 
condition requiring prompt treatment including plasmapheresis.

Interference with platelet function tests to diagnose heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)
In the heparin induced platelet activation (HIPA) test used to diagnose HIT, anti-platelet factor 
4/heparin antibodies in patient serum activate platelets of healthy donors in the presence of 
heparin.
False negative results in a platelet function test (to include, but may not be limited to the HIPA 
test) for HIT have been reported in patients administered ticagrelor. This is related to inhibition of 
the P2Y12-receptor on the healthy donor platelets in the test by ticagrelor in the patient’s 
sera/plasma. Information on concomitant treatment with ticagrelor is required for interpretation of 
HIT platelet function tests. 
In patients who have developed HIT, the benefit-risk of continued treatment with ticagrelor should 
be assessed, taking both the prothrombotic state of HIT and the increased risk of bleeding with 
concomitant anticoagulant and ticagrelor treatment into consideration.

Other



29

Based on a relationship observed in PLATO between maintenance ASA dose and relative efficacy 
of ticagrelor compared to clopidogrel, co-administration of ticagrelor and high maintenance dose 
ASA (>300 mg) is not recommended (see section 5.1).

Premature discontinuation
Premature discontinuation with any antiplatelet therapy, including Brilique, could result in an 
increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) death, MI or stroke due to the patient’s underlying disease. 
Therefore, premature discontinuation of treatment should be avoided.

4.5 Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction

Ticagrelor is primarily a CYP3A4 substrate and a mild inhibitor of CYP3A4. Ticagrelor is also a 
P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrate and a weak P-gp inhibitor and may increase the exposure of P-gp 
substrates.

Effects of medicinal and other products on ticagrelor

CYP3A4 inhibitors
 Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors – Co-administration of ketoconazole with ticagrelor increased the 

ticagrelor Cmax and AUC equal to 2.4-fold and 7.3-fold, respectively. The Cmax and AUC of 
the active metabolite were reduced by 89% and 56%, respectively. Other strong inhibitors of 
CYP3A4 (clarithromycin, nefazodone, ritonavir and atazanavir) would be expected to have 
similar effects and therefore concomitant use of strong CYP3A4 inhibitors with ticagrelor is 
contraindicated (see section 4.3).

 Moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors – Co-administration of diltiazem with ticagrelor increased the 
ticagrelor Cmax by 69% and AUC to 2.7-fold and decreased the active metabolite Cmax by 
38% and AUC was unchanged. There was no effect of ticagrelor on diltiazem plasma levels. 
Other moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g. amprenavir, aprepitant, erythromycin and 
fluconazole) would be expected to have a similar effect and can as well be co-administered 
with ticagrelor. 

 A 2-fold increase of ticagrelor exposure was observed after daily consumption of large 
quantities of grapefruit juice (3x200 ml). This magnitude of increased exposure is not 
expected to be clinically relevant to most patients.

CYP3A inducers
Co-administration of rifampicin with ticagrelor decreased ticagrelor Cmax and AUC by 73% and 
86%, respectively. The Cmax of the active metabolite was unchanged and the AUC was decreased 
by 46%, respectively. Other CYP3A inducers (e.g. phenytoin, carbamazepine and phenobarbital) 
would be expected to decrease the exposure to ticagrelor as well. Co-administration of ticagrelor 
with potent CYP3A inducers may decrease exposure and efficacy of ticagrelor, therefore, their 
concomitant use with ticagrelor is discouraged.

Cyclosporine (P-gp and CYP3A inhibitor)
Co-administration of cyclosporine (600 mg) with ticagrelor increased ticagrelor Cmax and AUC 
equal to 2.3-fold and 2.8-fold, respectively. The AUC of the active metabolite was increased by 
32% and Cmax was decreased by 15% in the presence of cyclosporine. 

No data are available on concomitant use of ticagrelor with other active substances that also are 
potent P-gp inhibitors and moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g. verapamil, quinidine) that also may 
increase ticagrelor exposure. If the association cannot be avoided, their concomitant use should be 
made with caution.



30

Others
Clinical pharmacology interaction studies showed that co-administration of ticagrelor with heparin, 
enoxaparin and ASA or desmopressin did not have any effect on the pharmacokinetics of ticagrelor 
or the active metabolite or on ADP-induced platelet aggregation compared with ticagrelor alone. If 
clinically indicated, medicinal products that alter haemostasis should be used with caution in 
combination with ticagrelor.

A delayed and decreased exposure to oral P2Y12 inhibitors, including ticagrelor and its active 

metabolite, has been observed in patients with ACS treated with morphine (35% reduction in 

ticagrelor exposure). This interaction may be related to reduced gastrointestinal motility and apply 

to other opioids. The clinical relevance is unknown, but data indicate the potential for reduced 

ticagrelor efficacy in patients co-administered ticagrelor and morphine. In patients with ACS, in 

whom morphine cannot be withheld and fast P2Y12 inhibition is deemed crucial, the use of a 

parenteral P2Y12 inhibitor may be considered.

Effects of ticagrelor on other medicinal products

Medicinal products metabolised by CYP3A4
 Simvastatin – Co-administration of ticagrelor with simvastatin increased simvastatin Cmax by 

81% and AUC by 56% and increased simvastatin acid Cmax by 64% and AUC by 52% with 
some individual increases equal to 2- to 3-fold. Co-administration of ticagrelor with doses of 
simvastatin exceeding 40 mg daily could cause adverse reactions of simvastatin and should 
be weighed against potential benefits. There was no effect of simvastatin on ticagrelor 
plasma levels. Ticagrelor may have similar effect on lovastatin. The concomitant use of 
ticagrelor with doses of simvastatin or lovastatin greater than 40 mg is not recommended.

 Atorvastatin – Co-administration of atorvastatin and ticagrelor increased atorvastatin acid 
Cmax by 23% and AUC by 36%. Similar increases in AUC and Cmax were observed for all 
atorvastatin acid metabolites. These increases are not considered clinically significant.

 A similar effect on other statins metabolised by CYP3A4 cannot be excluded. Patients in 
PLATO receiving ticagrelor took a variety of statins, with no concern of an association with 
statin safety among the 93% of the PLATO cohort taking these medicinal products. 

Ticagrelor is a mild CYP3A4 inhibitor. Co-administration of ticagrelor and CYP3A4 substrates 
with narrow therapeutic indices (i.e. cisapride or ergot alkaloids) is not recommended, as ticagrelor 
may increase the exposure to these medicinal products.

P-gp substrates (including digoxin, cyclosporine) 
Concomitant administration of ticagrelor increased the digoxin Cmax by 75% and AUC by 28%. 
The mean trough digoxin levels were increased about 30% with ticagrelor co-administration with 
some individual maximum increases to 2-fold. In the presence of digoxin, the Cmax and AUC of 
ticagrelor and its active metabolite were not affected. Therefore, appropriate clinical and/or 
laboratory monitoring is recommended when giving narrow therapeutic index P-gp dependent 
medicinal products like digoxin concomitantly with ticagrelor.

There was no effect of ticagrelor on cyclosporine blood levels. Effect of ticagrelor on other P-gp 
substrates has not been studied.

Medicinal products metabolised by CYP2C9
Co-administration of ticagrelor with tolbutamide resulted in no change in the plasma levels of 
either medicinal product, which suggests that ticagrelor is not a CYP2C9 inhibitor and unlikely to 
alter the CYP2C9 mediated metabolism of medicinal products like warfarin and tolbutamide.



31

Oral contraceptives
Co-administration of ticagrelor and levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol increased ethinyl estradiol 
exposure approximately 20% but did not alter the pharmacokinetics of levonorgestrel. No 
clinically relevant effect on oral contraceptive efficacy is expected when levonorgestrel and ethinyl 
estradiol are co-administered with ticagrelor.

Medicinal products known to induce bradycardia
Due to observations of mostly asymptomatic ventricular pauses and bradycardia, caution should be 
exercised when administering ticagrelor concomitantly with medicinal products known to induce 
bradycardia (see section 4.4). However, no evidence of clinically significant adverse reactions was 
observed in the PLATO trial after concomitant administration with one or more medicinal products 
known to induce bradycardia (e.g. 96% beta blockers, 33% calcium channel blockers diltiazem and 
verapamil and 4% digoxin).

Other concomitant therapy
In clinical studies, ticagrelor was commonly administered with ASA, proton pump inhibitors, 
statins, beta-blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor 
blockers as needed for concomitant conditions for long-term and also heparin, low molecular 
weight heparin and intravenous GpIIb/IIIa inhibitors for short durations (see section 5.1). No 
evidence of clinically significant adverse interactions with these medicinal products was observed.

Co-administration of ticagrelor with heparin, enoxaparin or desmopressin had no effect on 
activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), activated coagulation time (ACT) or factor Xa 
assays. However, due to potential pharmacodynamic interactions, caution should be exercised with 
the concomitant administration of ticagrelor with medicinal products known to alter haemostasis.

Due to reports of cutaneous bleeding abnormalities with SSRIs (e.g. paroxetine, sertraline and 
citalopram), caution is advised when administering SSRIs with ticagrelor as this may increase the 
risk of bleeding.

4.6 Fertility, pregnancy and lactation

Women of childbearing potential
Women of childbearing potential should use appropriate contraceptive measures to avoid 
pregnancy during ticagrelor therapy.

Pregnancy
There are no or limited amount of data from the use of ticagrelor in pregnant women. Studies in 
animals have shown reproductive toxicity (see section 5.3). Ticagrelor is not recommended during 
pregnancy.

Breast-feeding 
Available pharmacodynamic/toxicological data in animals have shown excretion of ticagrelor and 
its active metabolites in milk (see section 5.3). A risk to newborns/infants cannot be excluded. A 
decision must be made whether to discontinue breast-feeding or to discontinue/abstain from 
ticagrelor therapy taking into account the benefit of breast-feeding for the child and the benefit of 
therapy for the woman.

Fertility
Ticagrelor had no effect on male or female fertility in animals (see section 5.3).

4.7 Effects on ability to drive and use machines



32

Ticagrelor has no or negligible influence on the ability to drive and use machines. During treatment 
with ticagrelor, dizziness and confusion have been reported. Therefore, patients who experience 
these symptoms should be cautious while driving or using machines.

4.8 Undesirable effects

Summary of the safety profile
The safety profile of ticagrelor has been evaluated in two large phase 3 outcome trials (PLATO and 
PEGASUS) including more than 39,000 patients (see section 5.1).

In PLATO, patients on ticagrelor had a higher incidence of discontinuation due to adverse events 
than clopidogrel (7.4% vs. 5.4%). In PEGASUS, patients on ticagrelor had a higher incidence of 
discontinuation due to adverse events compared to ASA therapy alone (16.1% for ticagrelor 60 mg 
with ASA vs. 8.5% for ASA therapy alone). The most commonly reported adverse reactions in 
patients treated with ticagrelor were bleeding and dyspnoea (see section 4.4).

Tabulated list of adverse reactions
The following adverse reactions have been identified following studies or have been reported in
post-marketing experience with ticagrelor (Table 1). 

Adverse reactions are listed by MedDRA System Organ Class (SOC). Within each SOC the 
adverse reactions are ranked by frequency category. Frequency categories are defined according to 
the following conventions: Very common (≥1/10), common (≥1/100 to 1/10), uncommon 
(≥1/1,000 to 1/100), rare (≥1/10,000 to 1/1,000), very rare (<1/10,000), not known (cannot be 
estimated from the available data).

Table 1 – Adverse reactions by frequency and system organ class (SOC)

SOC Very common Common Uncommon Not known

Neoplasms 
benign, 
malignant and 
unspecified 
(including cysts 
and polyps)

Tumour 
bleedingsa

Blood and 
lymphatic system 
disorders

Blood disorder 
bleedingsb

Thrombotic 
Thrombocytopenic 
Purpurac

Immune system 
disorders

Hypersensitivity 
including 
angioedemac

Metabolism and 
nutrition 
disorders

Hyperuricaemiad Gout/Gouty 

Arthritis

Psychiatric 
disorders

Confusion

Nervous system 
disorders

Dizziness,
Syncope, 
Headache

Intracranial 
haemorrhage 



33

SOC Very common Common Uncommon Not known

Eye disorders Eye 
haemorrhagee

Ear and 
labyrinth 
disorders

Vertigo Ear 
haemorrhage

Vascular 
disorders

Hypotension

Respiratory, 
thoracic and 
mediastinal 
disorders

Dyspnoea Respiratory 
system 
bleedingsf

Gastrointestinal 
disorders

Gastrointestinal 
haemorrhageg, 
Diarrhoea, 
Nausea, 
Dyspepsia, 
Constipation

Retroperitoneal 
haemorrhage

Skin and 
subcutaneous 
tissue disorders

Subcutaneous or 
dermal 
bleedingh, Rash, 
Pruritus 

Musculoskeletal 
connective tissue 
and bone

Muscular 
bleedingsi

Renal and 
urinary 
disorders

Urinary tract 
bleedingj

Reproductive 
system and 
breast disorders

Reproductive 
system 
bleedingsk

Investigations Blood creatinine 
increasedd

Injury, poisoning 
and procedural 
complications

Post procedural 
haemorrhage, 
Traumatic 
bleedingsl

a e.g. bleeding from bladder cancer, gastric cancer, colon cancer
b e.g. increased tendency to bruise, spontaneous haematoma, haemorrhagic diathesis
c Identified in post-marketing experience
d Frequencies derived from lab observations (Uric acid increases to >upper limit of normal from baseline below or within 
reference range. Creatinine increases of >50% from baseline.) and not crude adverse event report frequency.
e e.g. conjunctival, retinal, intraocular bleeding
f e.g. epistaxis, haemoptysis
g e.g. gingival bleeding, rectal haemorrhage, gastric ulcer haemorrhage
h e.g. ecchymosis, skin haemorrhage, petechiae
i e.g. haemarthrosis, muscle haemorrhage
j e.g. haematuria, cystitis haemorrhagic
k e.g. vaginal haemorrhage, haematospermia, postmenopausal haemorrhage
l e.g. contusion, traumatic haematoma, traumatic haemorrhage



34

Description of selected adverse reactions

Bleeding
Bleeding findings in PLATO
Overall outcome of bleeding rates in the PLATO study are shown in Table 2.

Table 2 – Analysis of overall bleeding events, Kaplan-Meier estimates at 12 months (PLATO)

Ticagrelor 90 mg
twice daily

N=9235

Clopidogrel
N=9186 p-value*

PLATO Total Major 11.6 11.2 0.4336

PLATO Major Fatal/Life-Threatening 5.8 5.8 0.6988

Non-CABG PLATO Major 4.5 3.8 0.0264
Non-Procedural PLATO Major 3.1 2.3 0.0058

PLATO Total Major + Minor 16.1 14.6 0.0084

Non-Procedural PLATO Major + Minor 5.9 4.3 0.0001

TIMI-defined Major 7.9 7.7 0.5669

TIMI-defined Major + Minor 11.4 10.9 0.3272

Bleeding category definitions:
Major Fatal/Life-threatening Bleed: Clinically apparent with >50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin or ≥4 red cell units 
transfused; or fatal; or intracranial; or intrapericardial with cardiac tamponade; or with hypovolaemic shock or severe 
hypotension requiring pressors or surgery.
Major Other: Clinically apparent with 30-50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin or 2-3 red cell units transfused; or
significantly disabling.
Minor Bleed: Requires medical intervention to stop or treat bleeding.
TIMI Major Bleed: Clinically apparent with >50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin or intracranial haemorrhage.
TIMI Minor Bleed: Clinically apparent with 30-50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin.
*p-value calculated from Cox proportional hazards model with treatment group as the only explanatory variable.

Ticagrelor and clopidogrel did not differ in rates of PLATO Major Fatal/Life-threatening bleeding, 
PLATO total Major bleeding, TIMI Major bleeding, or TIMI Minor bleeding (Table 2). However, 
more PLATO combined Major + Minor bleeding occurred with ticagrelor compared with 
clopidogrel. Few patients in PLATO had fatal bleeds: 20 (0.2%) for ticagrelor and 23 (0.3%) for 
clopidogrel (see section 4.4).

Age, sex, weight, race, geographic region, concurrent conditions, concomitant therapy and medical 
history, including a previous stroke or transient ischaemic attack, all did not predict either overall 
or non-procedural PLATO Major bleeding. Thus, no particular group was identified at risk for any 
subset of bleeding.

CABG-related bleeding:
In PLATO, 42% of the 1584 patients (12% of cohort) who underwent coronary artery bypass graft 
(CABG) surgery had a PLATO Major Fatal/Life-threatening bleeding with no difference between 
treatment groups. Fatal CABG bleeding occurred in 6 patients in each treatment group (see 
section 4.4).

Non-CABG related bleeding and non-procedural related bleeding:
Ticagrelor and clopidogrel did not differ in non-CABG PLATO-defined Major Fatal/Life-
threatening bleeding, but PLATO-defined Total Major, TIMI Major, and TIMI Major + Minor 
bleeding were more common with ticagrelor. Similarly, when removing all procedure related 
bleeds, more bleeding occurred with ticagrelor than with clopidogrel (Table 2). Discontinuation of 



35

treatment due to non-procedural bleeding was more common for ticagrelor (2.9%) than for 
clopidogrel (1.2%; p<0.001).

Intracranial bleeding: 
There were more intracranial non-procedural bleeds with ticagrelor (n=27 bleeds in 26 patients, 
0.3%) than with clopidogrel (n=14 bleeds, 0.2%), of which 11 bleeds with ticagrelor and 1 with 
clopidogrel were fatal. There was no difference in overall fatal bleeds.

Bleeding findings in PEGASUS
Overall outcome of bleeding events in the PEGASUS study are shown in Table 3.

Table 3 – Analysis of overall bleeding events, Kaplan-Meier estimates at 36 months 
(PEGASUS)

Ticagrelor 60 mg twice 

daily + ASA

N=6958

ASA alone

N=6996

Safety Endpoints KM%

Hazard 
Ratio

(95% CI)

KM% p-value

TIMI-defined bleeding categories

TIMI    Major
2.3 2.32

(1.68, 3.21)

1.1 <0.0001

Fatal
0.3 1.00

(0.44, 2.27)

0.3 1.0000

ICH
0.6 1.33

(0.77, 2.31)

0.5 0.3130

Other TIMI Major
1.6 3.61

(2.31, 5.65)

0.5 <0.0001

TIMI Major or Minor
3.4 2.54

(1.93, 3.35)

1.4 <0.0001

TIMI Major or Minor or Requiring 

medical attention

16.6 2.64

(2.35, 2.97)

7.0 <0.0001

PLATO-defined bleeding categories

PLATO Major
3.5 2.57

(1.95, 3.37)

1.4 <0.0001

Fatal/Life-threatening
2.4 2.38

(1.73, 3.26)

1.1 <0.0001

Other PLATO Major
1.1 3.37

(1.95, 5.83)

0.3 <0.0001

PLATO Major or Minor
15.2 2.71

(2.40, 3.08)

6.2 <0.0001

Bleeding category definitions:

TIMI Major: Fatal bleeding, OR any intracranial bleeding, OR clinically overt signs of haemorrhage associated with a 

drop in haemoglobin (Hgb) of ≥50 g/L, or when Hgb is not available, a fall in haematocrit (Hct) of 15%.

Fatal: A bleeding event that directly led to death within 7 days.

ICH: Intracranial haemorrhage.

Other TIMI Major: Non-fatal non-ICH TIMI Major bleeding.

TIMI Minor: Clinically apparent with 30-50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin.



36

TIMI Requiring medical attention: Requiring intervention, OR leading to hospitalisation, OR prompting evaluation.

PLATO Major Fatal/life-threatening: Fatal bleeding, OR any intracranial bleeding, OR intrapericardial with cardiac 

tamponade, OR with hypovolaemic shock or severe hypotension requiring pressors/inotropes or surgery OR clinically 

apparent with >50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin or ≥4 red cell units transfused.

PLATO Major Other: Significantly disabling, OR clinically apparent with 30-50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin, OR 

2-3 red cell units transfused.

PLATO Minor: Requires medical intervention to stop or treat bleeding.

In PEGASUS, TIMI Major bleeding for ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily was higher than for ASA 
alone. No increased bleeding risk was seen for fatal bleeding and only a minor increase was 
observed in intracranial haemorrhages, as compared to ASA therapy alone. There were few fatal 
bleeding events in the study, 11 (0.3%) for ticagrelor 60 mg and 12 (0.3%) for ASA therapy alone. 
The observed increased risk of TIMI Major bleeding with ticagrelor 60 mg was primarily due to a 
higher frequency of Other TIMI Major bleedings driven by events in the gastrointestinal SOC.

Increased bleeding patterns similar to TIMI Major were seen for TIMI Major or Minor and 
PLATO Major and PLATO Major or Minor bleeding categories (see Table 3). Discontinuation of 
treatment due to bleeding was more common with ticagrelor 60 mg compared to ASA therapy 
alone (6.2% and 1.5%, respectively). The majority of these bleedings were of less severity 
(classified as TIMI Requiring medical attention), e.g. epistaxis, bruising and haematomas.

The bleeding profile of ticagrelor 60 mg was consistent across multiple pre-defined subgroups 
(e.g. by age, gender, weight, race, geographic region, concurrent conditions, concomitant therapy 
and medical history) for TIMI Major, TIMI Major or Minor and PLATO Major bleeding events.

Intracranial bleeding:
Spontaneous ICHs were reported in similar rates for ticagrelor 60 mg and ASA therapy alone
(n=13, 0.2% in both treatment groups). Traumatic and procedural ICHs showed a minor increase 
with ticagrelor 60 mg treatment, (n=15, 0.2%) compared with ASA therapy alone (n=10, 0.1%). 
There were 6 fatal ICHs with ticagrelor 60 mg and 5 fatal ICHs with ASA therapy alone. The 
incidence of intracranial bleeding was low in both treatment groups given the significant 
comorbidity and CV risk factors of the population under study.

Dyspnoea
Dyspnoea, a sensation of breathlessness, is reported by patients treated with ticagrelor. In PLATO, 
dyspnoea adverse events (AEs) (dyspnoea, dyspnoea at rest, dyspnoea exertional, dyspnoea 
paroxysmal nocturnal and nocturnal dyspnoea), when combined, was reported by 13.8% of patients 
treated with ticagrelor and by 7.8% of patients treated with clopidogrel. In 2.2% of patients taking 
ticagrelor and by 0.6% taking clopidogrel investigators considered the dyspnoea causally related to 
treatment in the PLATO study and few were serious (0.14% ticagrelor; 0.02% clopidogrel), (see 
section 4.4). Most reported symptoms of dyspnoea were mild to moderate in intensity, and most 
were reported as a single episode early after starting treatment.

Compared with clopidogrel, patients with asthma/COPD treated with ticagrelor may have an 
increased risk of experiencing non-serious dyspnoea (3.29% ticagrelor versus 0.53% clopidogrel) 
and serious dyspnoea (0.38% ticagrelor versus 0.00% clopidogrel). In absolute terms, this risk was 
higher than in the overall PLATO population. Ticagrelor should be used with caution in patients 
with history of asthma and/or COPD (see section 4.4).

About 30% of episodes resolved within 7 days. PLATO included patients with baseline congestive 
heart failure, COPD or asthma; these patients, and the elderly, were more likely to report dyspnoea.
For ticagrelor, 0.9% of patients discontinued study drug because of dyspnoea compared with 



37

0.1% taking clopidogrel. The higher incidence of dyspnoea with ticagrelor is not associated with 
new or worsening heart or lung disease (see section 4.4). Ticagrelor does not affect tests of 
pulmonary function.

In PEGASUS, dyspnoea was reported in 14.2% of patients taking ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily and 
in 5.5% of patients taking ASA alone. As in PLATO, most reported dyspnoea was mild to 
moderate in intensity (see section 4.4). Patients who reported dyspnoea tended to be older and 
more frequently had dyspnoea, COPD or asthma at baseline.

Investigations
Uric acid elevations: In PLATO, serum uric acid increased to more than upper limit of normal in 
22% of patients receiving ticagrelor compared to 13% of patients receiving clopidogrel. The 
corresponding numbers in PEGASUS were 9.1%, 8.8% and 5.5% for ticagrelor 90 mg, 60 mg and 
placebo, respectively. Mean serum uric acid increased approximately 15% with ticagrelor 
compared to approximately 7.5% with clopidogrel and after treatment was stopped, decreased to 
approximately 7% on ticagrelor but with no decrease observed for clopidogrel. In PEGASUS, a 
reversible increase in mean serum uric acid levels of 6.3% and 5.6% was found for ticagrelor 
90 mg and 60 mg, respectively, compared to a 1.5% decrease in the placebo group. In PLATO, the 
frequency of gouty arthritis was 0.2% for ticagrelor vs. 0.1% for clopidogrel. The corresponding 
numbers for gout/gouty arthritis in PEGASUS were 1.6%, 1.5% and 1.1% for ticagrelor 90 mg, 
60 mg and placebo, respectively.

Reporting of suspected adverse reactions
Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It 
allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare 
professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the national reporting system 
listed in Appendix V.

4.9 Overdose

Ticagrelor is well tolerated in single doses up to 900 mg. Gastrointestinal toxicity was 
dose-limiting in a single ascending dose study. Other clinically meaningful adverse reactions 
which may occur with overdose include dyspnoea and ventricular pauses (see section 4.8).

In the event of an overdose, the above potential adverse reactions could occur and ECG monitoring
should be considered.

There is currently no known antidote to reverse the effects of ticagrelor, and ticagrelor is not 
dialysable (see section 5.2). Treatment of overdose should follow local standard medical practice. 
The expected effect of excessive ticagrelor dosing is prolonged duration of bleeding risk associated 
with platelet inhibition. Platelet transfusion is unlikely to be of clinical benefit in patients with 
bleeding (see section 4.4). If bleeding occurs other appropriate supportive measures should be 
taken.

5. PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

5.1 Pharmacodynamic properties

Pharmacotherapeutic group: Platelet aggregation inhibitors excluding heparin, ATC code: 
B01AC24

Mechanism of action

http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Template_or_form/2013/03/WC500139752.doc


38

Brilique contains ticagrelor, a member of the chemical class cyclopentyltriazolopyrimidines 
(CPTP), which is an oral, direct acting, selective and reversibly binding P2Y12 receptor antagonist 
that prevents ADP-mediated P2Y12 dependent platelet activation and aggregation. Ticagrelor does 
not prevent ADP binding but when bound to the P2Y12 receptor prevents ADP-induced signal 
transduction. Since platelets participate in the initiation and/or evolution of thrombotic 
complications of atherosclerotic disease, inhibition of platelet function has been shown to reduce 
the risk of CV events such as death, MI or stroke.

Ticagrelor also increases local endogenous adenosine levels by inhibiting the equilibrative 
nucleoside transporter-1 (ENT-1). 

Ticagrelor has been documented to augment the following adenosine-induced effects in healthy 
subjects and in patients with ACS: vasodilation (measured by coronary blood flow increases in 
healthy volunteers and ACS patients; headache), inhibition of platelet function (in human whole 
blood in vitro) and dyspnoea. However, a link between the observed increases in adenosine and 
clinical outcomes (e.g. morbidity-mortality) has not been clearly elucidated.

Pharmacodynamic effects
Onset of action
In patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) on ASA, ticagrelor demonstrates a rapid 
onset of pharmacological effect as demonstrated by a mean inhibition of platelet aggregation (IPA) 
for ticagrelor at 0.5 hours after 180 mg loading dose of about 41%, with the maximum IPA effect 
of 89% by 2-4 hours post dose, and maintained between 2-8 hours. 90% of patients had final extent 
IPA>70% by 2 hours post dose.

Offset of action
If a CABG procedure is planned, ticagrelor bleeding risk is increased compared to clopidogrel 
when discontinued within less than 96 hours prior to procedure.

Switching data
Switching from clopidogrel 75 mg to ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily results in an absolute IPA 
increase of 26.4% and switching from ticagrelor to clopidogrel results in an absolute IPA decrease 
of 24.5%. Patients can be switched from clopidogrel to ticagrelor without any interruption of 
antiplatelet effect (see section 4.2).

Clinical efficacy and safety
The clinical evidence for the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor is derived from two phase 3 trials:

 The PLATO [PLATelet Inhibition and Patient Outcomes] study, a comparison of ticagrelor 
to clopidogrel, both given in combination with ASA and other standard therapy.

 The PEGASUS TIMI-54 [PrEvention with TicaGrelor of SecondAry Thrombotic Events in 
High-RiSk AcUte Coronary Syndrome Patients] study, a comparison of ticagrelor combined 
with ASA to ASA therapy alone.

PLATO study (Acute Coronary Syndromes)

The PLATO study included 18,624 patients who presented within 24 hours of onset of symptoms 
of unstable angina (UA), non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) or ST elevation 
myocardial infarction (STEMI), and were initially managed medically, or with percutaneous 
coronary intervention (PCI), or with CABG.

Clinical efficacy



39

On a background of daily ASA, ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily showed superiority to 75 mg daily 
clopidogrel in preventing the composite endpoint of CV death, MI or stroke, with the difference 
driven by CV death and MI. Patients received a 300 mg loading dose of clopidogrel (600 mg 
possible if having PCI) or 180 mg of ticagrelor.

The result appeared early (absolute risk reduction [ARR] 0.6% and relative risk reduction [RRR] 
of 12% at 30 days), with a constant treatment effect over the entire 12-month period, yielding ARR 
1.9% per year with RRR of 16%. This suggests it is appropriate to treat patients with ticagrelor 90 
mg twice daily for 12 months (see section 4.2). Treating 54 ACS patients with ticagrelor instead of 
clopidogrel will prevent 1 atherothrombotic event; treating 91 will prevent 1 CV death (see 
Figure 1 and Table 4).

The treatment effect of ticagrelor over clopidogrel appears consistent across many subgroups, 
including weight; sex; medical history of diabetes mellitus, transient ischaemic attack or 
non-haemorrhagic stroke, or revascularisation; concomitant therapies including heparins, 
GpIIb/IIIa inhibitors and proton pump inhibitors (see section 4.5); final index event diagnosis 
(STEMI, NSTEMI or UA); and treatment pathway intended at randomisation (invasive or 
medical).

A weakly significant treatment interaction was observed with region whereby the hazard ratio 
(HR) for the primary endpoint favours ticagrelor in the rest of world but favours clopidogrel in 
North America, which represented approximately 10% of the overall population studied 
(interaction p-value=0.045). Exploratory analyses suggest a possible association with ASA dose 
such that reduced efficacy was observed with ticagrelor with increasing ASA doses. Chronic daily 
ASA doses to accompany ticagrelor should be 75-150 mg (see sections 4.2 and 4.4).

Figure 1 shows the estimate of the risk to the first occurrence of any event in the composite efficacy 
endpoint.



40

Figure 1 – Analysis of primary clinical composite endpoint of CV death, MI and stroke 
(PLATO)

Ticagrelor reduced the occurrence of the primary composite endpoint compared to clopidogrel in 
both the UA/NSTEMI and STEMI population (Table 4). Thus, Brilique 90 mg twice daily together 
with low-dose ASA can be used in patients with ACS (unstable angina, non-ST elevation 
Myocardial Infarction [NSTEMI] or ST elevation Myocardial Infarction [STEMI]); including 
patients managed medically, and those who are managed with percutaneous coronary intervention 
(PCI) or coronary artery by-pass grafting (CABG).

Table 4 - Analysis of primary and secondary efficacy endpoints (PLATO)

Ticagrelor
90 mg

twice daily
(% patients 
with event)

N=9333

Clopidogrel 
75 mg

once daily
(% patients 
with event)

N=9291

ARRa

(%/yr)
RRRa (%)
(95% CI)

p-value

CV death, MI (excl. 
silent MI) or stroke

9.3 10.9 1.9 16 (8, 23) 0.0003

Invasive intent 8.5 10.0 1.7 16 (6, 25) 0.0025

Medical intent 11.3 13.2 2.3 15 (0.3, 27) 0.0444d

CV death 3.8 4.8 1.1 21 (9, 31) 0.0013

MI (excl. silent MI)b 5.4 6.4 1.1 16 (5, 25) 0.0045
Stroke 1.3 1.1 -0.2 -17 (-52, 9) 0.2249



41

All-cause mortality, 
MI (excl. silent MI) 
or stroke

9.7 11.5 2.1 16 (8, 23) 0.0001

CV death, total MI, 
stroke, SRI, RI, TIA 
or other ATEc

13.8 15.7 2.1 12 (5, 19) 0.0006

All-cause mortality 4.3 5.4 1.4 22 (11, 31) 0.0003d

Definite stent
thrombosis

1.2 1.7 0.6 32 (8, 49) 0.0123d

a ARR = absolute risk reduction; RRR = relative risk reduction = (1-Hazard ratio) x 100%. A negative RRR indicates a 
relative risk increase.
b Excluding silent MI.
c SRI = serious recurrent ischaemia; RI = recurrent ischaemia; TIA = transient ischaemic attack; ATE = arterial 
thrombotic event. Total MI includes silent MI, with date of event set to date when discovered.
d Nominal significance value; all others are formally statistically significant by pre-defined hierarchical testing.

PLATO genetic substudy
CYP2C19 and ABCB1 genotyping of 10,285 patients in PLATO provided associations of 
genotype groups with PLATO outcomes. The superiority of ticagrelor over clopidogrel in reducing 
major CV events was not significantly affected by patient CYP2C19 or ABCB1 genotype. Similar 
to the overall PLATO study, total PLATO Major bleeding did not differ between ticagrelor and 
clopidogrel, regardless of CYP2C19 or ABCB1 genotype. Non-CABG PLATO Major bleeding 
was increased with ticagrelor compared clopidogrel in patients with one or more CYP2C19 loss of 
function alleles, but similar to clopidogrel in patients with no loss of function allele.

Combined efficacy and safety composite
A combined efficacy and safety composite (CV death, MI, stroke or PLATO-defined ‘Total Major’ 
bleeding) indicates that the benefit in efficacy of ticagrelor compared to clopidogrel is not offset by 
the major bleeding events (ARR 1.4%, RRR 8%, HR 0.92; p=0.0257) over 12 months after ACS.

Clinical safety

Holter substudy:
To study the occurrence of ventricular pauses and other arrhythmic episodes during PLATO, 
investigators performed Holter monitoring in a subset of nearly 3000 patients, of whom 
approximately 2000 had recordings both in the acute phase of their ACS and after one month. The 
primary variable of interest was the occurrence of ventricular pauses ≥3 seconds. More patients had 
ventricular pauses with ticagrelor (6.0%) than with clopidogrel (3.5%) in the acute phase; and 
2.2% and 1.6%, respectively, after 1 month (see section 4.4). The increase in ventricular pauses in 
the acute phase of ACS was more pronounced in ticagrelor patients with history of CHF (9.2% 
versus 5.4% in patients without CHF history; for clopidogrel patients, 4.0% in those with versus 
3.6% in those without CHF history). This imbalance did not occur at one month: 2.0% versus 2.1% 
for ticagrelor patients with and without CHF history, respectively; and 3.8% versus 1.4% with 
clopidogrel. There were no adverse clinical consequences associated with this imbalance 
(including pacemaker insertions) in this population of patients.

PEGASUS study (History of Myocardial Infarction)

The PEGASUS TIMI-54 study was a 21,162 patient, event-driven, randomised, double-blind, 
placebo-controlled, parallel group, international multicentre study to assess the prevention of 
atherothrombotic events with ticagrelor given at 2 doses (either 90 mg twice daily or 60 mg twice 
daily) combined with low dose ASA (75-150 mg), compared to ASA therapy alone in patients with 
history of MI and additional risk factors for atherothrombosis.



42

Patients were eligible to participate if they were aged 50 years or over, with a history of MI (1 to 
3 years prior to randomisation), and had at least one of the following risk factors for 
atherothrombosis: age ≥65 years, diabetes mellitus requiring medication, a second prior MI, 
evidence of multivessel CAD or chronic non-end-stage renal dysfunction.

Patients were ineligible if there was planned use of a P2Y12 receptor antagonist, dipyridamole, 
cilostazol, or anticoagulant therapy during the study period; if they had a bleeding disorder or a 
history of an ischaemic stroke or intracranial bleeding, a central nervous system tumour or an 
intracranial vascular abnormality; if they had had gastrointestinal bleeding within the previous 
6 months or major surgery within the previous 30 days.

Clinical efficacy

Figure 2 - Analysis of primary clinical composite endpoint of CV death, MI and stroke 
(PEGASUS)

Table 5 - Analysis of primary and secondary efficacy endpoints (PEGASUS)

Ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily +ASA
N = 7045

ASA alone
N = 7067

p-value

Characteristic
Patients 

with events
KM %

HR
(95% CI)

Patients with 
events

KM %

Primary endpoint



43

Ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily +ASA
N = 7045

ASA alone
N = 7067

p-value

Characteristic
Patients 

with events
KM %

HR
(95% CI)

Patients with 
events

KM %

Composite of CV 
Death/MI/Stroke

487 (6.9%) 7.8%
0.84 

(0.74, 0.95)
578 (8.2%) 9.0% 0.0043 (s)

CV death 174 (2.5%) 2.9%
0.83 

(0.68, 1.01)
210 (3.0%) 3.4% 0.0676

MI 285 (4.0%) 4.5%
0.84 

(0.72, 0.98)
338 (4.8%) 5.2% 0.0314

Stroke 91 (1.3%) 1.5%
0.75 

(0.57, 0.98)
122 (1.7%) 1.9% 0.0337

Secondary endpoint

CV death 174 (2.5%) 2.9%
0.83 

(0.68, 1.01)
210 (3.0%) 3.4% -

All-cause 
mortality

289 (4.1%) 4.7%
0.89

(0.76, 1.04)
326 (4.6%) 5.2% -

Hazard ratio and p-values are calculated separately for ticagrelor vs. ASA therapy alone from Cox proportional hazards 

model with treatment group as the only explanatory variable.

KM percentage calculated at 36 months.

Note: the number of first events for the components CV death, MI and stroke are the actual number of first events for 

each component and do not add up to the number of events in the composite endpoint

(s) Indicates statistical significance.

CI = Confidence interval; CV = Cardiovascular; HR = Hazard ratio; KM = Kaplan-Meier; MI = Myocardial infarction; 

N = Number of patients.

Both 60 mg twice daily and 90 mg twice daily regimens of ticagrelor in combination with ASA
were superior to ASA alone in the prevention of atherothrombotic events (composite endpoint: CV 
death, MI and stroke), with a consistent treatment effect over the entire study period, yielding a 
16% RRR and 1.27% ARR for ticagrelor 60 mg and a 15% RRR and 1.19% ARR for ticagrelor 
90 mg.

Although the efficacy profile of 90 mg and 60 mg were similar, there is evidence that the lower 
dose has a better tolerability and safety profile in relation to risk of the bleeding and dyspnoea. 
Therefore, only Brilique 60 mg twice daily co-administered with ASA is recommended for the 
prevention atherothrombotic events (CV death, MI and stroke) in patients with a history of MI and 
a high risk of developing an atherothrombotic event.

Relative to ASA alone, ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily significantly reduced the primary composite 
endpoint of CV death, MI and stroke. Each of the components contributed to the reduction in the 
primary composite endpoint (CV death 17% RRR, MI 16% RRR and stroke 25% RRR).

The RRR for the composite endpoint from 1 to 360 days (17% RRR) and from 361 days and 
onwards (16% RRR) was similar. There are limited data on the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor 
beyond 3 years of extended treatment.

There was no evidence of benefit (no reduction in the primary composite endpoint of CV death, MI 
and stroke, but an increase in major bleeding) when ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily was introduced in 



44

clinically stable patients >2 years from the MI, or more than one year after stopping previous ADP 
receptor inhibitor treatment (see also section 4.2).

Clinical safety
The rate of discontinuations with ticagrelor 60 mg due to bleeding and dyspnoea was higher in 
patients >75 years (42%) than in younger patients (range: 23-31%), with a difference versus 
placebo higher than 10% (42% vs. 29%) in patients >75 years.

Paediatric population
The European Medicines Agency has waived the obligation to submit the results of studies with 
Brilique in all subsets of the paediatric population in acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and history 
of myocardial infarction (MI) (see section 4.2 for information on paediatric use).

5.2 Pharmacokinetic properties

Ticagrelor demonstrates linear pharmacokinetics and exposure to ticagrelor and the active 
metabolite (AR-C124910XX) are approximately dose proportional up to 1260 mg.

Absorption
Absorption of ticagrelor is rapid with a median tmax of approximately 1.5 hours. The formation of 
the major circulating metabolite AR-C124910XX (also active) from ticagrelor is rapid with a 
median tmax of approximately 2.5 hours. Following an oral ticagrelor 90 mg single dose under 
fasted conditions in healthy subjects, Cmax is 529 ng/ml and AUC is 3451 ng*h/ml. The metabolite 
parent ratios are 0.28 for Cmax and 0.42 for AUC. The pharmacokinetics of ticagrelor and 
AR-C124910XX in patients with a history of MI were generally similar to that in the ACS 
population. Based on a population pharmacokinetic analysis of the PEGASUS study the median 
ticagrelor Cmax was 391 ng/ml and AUC was 3801 ng*h/ml at steady state for ticagrelor 60 mg. For 
ticagrelor 90 mg Cmax was 627 ng/ml and AUC was 6255 ng*h/ml at steady state.

The mean absolute bioavailability of ticagrelor was estimated to be 36%. Ingestion of a high-fat 
meal resulted in a 21% increase in ticagrelor AUC and 22% decrease in the active metabolite Cmax 
but had no effect on ticagrelor Cmax or the AUC of the active metabolite. These small changes are 
considered of minimal clinical significance; therefore, ticagrelor can be given with or without food. 
Ticagrelor as well as the active metabolite are P-gp substrates.

Ticagrelor as crushed tablets mixed in water, given orally or administered through a nasogastric 
tube into the stomach, has a comparable bioavailability to whole tablets with regards to AUC and 
Cmax for ticagrelor and the active metabolite. Initial exposure (0.5 and 1 hour post-dose) from 
crushed ticagrelor tablets mixed in water was higher compared to whole tablets, with a generally 
identical concentration profile thereafter (2 to 48 hours).

Distribution
The steady state volume of distribution of ticagrelor is 87.5 l. Ticagrelor and the active metabolite
is extensively bound to human plasma protein (>99.0%).

Biotransformation
CYP3A4 is the major enzyme responsible for ticagrelor metabolism and the formation of the active 
metabolite and their interactions with other CYP3A substrates ranges from activation through to 
inhibition. 

The major metabolite of ticagrelor is AR-C124910XX, which is also active as assessed by in vitro
binding to the platelet P2Y12 ADP-receptor. The systemic exposure to the active metabolite is 
approximately 30-40% of that obtained for ticagrelor.



45

Elimination
The primary route of ticagrelor elimination is via hepatic metabolism. When radiolabelled 
ticagrelor is administered, the mean recovery of radioactivity is approximately 84% (57.8% in 
faeces, 26.5% in urine). Recoveries of ticagrelor and the active metabolite in urine were both less 
than 1% of the dose. The primary route of elimination for the active metabolite is most likely via 
biliary secretion. The mean t1/2 was approximately 7 hours for ticagrelor and 8.5 hours for the 
active metabolite.

Special populations

Elderly
Higher exposures to ticagrelor (approximately 25% for both Cmax and AUC) and the active 
metabolite were observed in elderly (≥75years) ACS patients compared to younger patients by the 
population pharmacokinetic analysis. These differences are not considered clinically significant 
(see section 4.2).

Paediatric population
Ticagrelor has not been evaluated in a paediatric population (see sections 4.2 and 5.1).

Gender
Higher exposures to ticagrelor and the active metabolite were observed in women compared to 
men. These differences are not considered clinically significant.

Renal impairment
Exposure to ticagrelor was approximately 20% lower and exposure to the active metabolite was 
approximately 17% higher in patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance 
<30 ml/min) compared to subjects with normal renal function.

In patients with end stage renal disease on haemodialysis AUC and Cmax of ticagrelor 90 mg 
administered on a day without dialysis were 38% and 51% higher compared to subjects with 
normal renal function. A similar increase in exposure was observed when ticagrelor was 
administered immediately prior to dialysis (49% and 61%, respectively) showing that ticagrelor is 
not dialysable. Exposure of the active metabolite increased to a lesser extent (AUC 13-14% and 
Cmax 17-36%). The inhibition of platelet (IPA) effect of  ticagrelor was independent of dialysis in 
patients with end stage renal disease and similar to subjects with normal renal function (see 
section 4.2).

Hepatic impairment
Cmax and AUC for ticagrelor were 12% and 23% higher in patients with mild hepatic impairment 
compared to matched healthy subjects, respectively, however, the IPA effect of ticagrelor was 
similar between the two groups. No dose adjustment is needed for patients with mild hepatic 
impairment. Ticagrelor has not been studied in patients with severe hepatic impairment and there is 
no pharmacokinetic information in patients with moderate hepatic impairment. In patients that had 
moderate or severe elevation in one or more liver function tests at baseline, ticagrelor plasma 
concentrations were on average similar or slightly higher as compared to those without baseline 
elevations. No dose adjustment is recommended in patients with moderate hepatic impairment (see 
sections 4.2 and 4.4).

Ethnicity
Patients of Asian descent have a 39% higher mean bioavailability compared to Caucasian patients. 
Patients self-identified as black had an 18% lower bioavailability of ticagrelor compared to 
Caucasian patients, in clinical pharmacology studies, the exposure (Cmax and AUC) to ticagrelor in 



46

Japanese subjects was approximately 40% (20% after adjusting for body weight) higher compared 
to that in Caucasians. The exposure in patients self-identified as Hispanic or Latino was similar to 
that in Caucasians.

5.3 Preclinical safety data

Preclinical data for ticagrelor and its major metabolite have not demonstrated unacceptable risk for 
adverse effects for humans based on conventional studies of safety pharmacology, single and 
repeated dose toxicity and genotoxic potential.

Gastrointestinal irritation was observed in several animal species at clinical relevant exposure 
levels (see section 4.8).

In female rats, ticagrelor at high dose showed an increased incidence of uterine tumours 
(adenocarcinomas) and an increased incidence of hepatic adenomas. The mechanism for uterine 
tumours is likely hormonal imbalance which can lead to tumours in rats. The mechanism for the 
hepatic adenomas is likely due to a rodent-specific enzyme induction in the liver. Thus, the 
carcinogenicity findings are considered unlikely to be relevant for humans.

In rats, minor developmental anomalies were seen at a maternal toxic dose (safety margin of 5.1). 
In rabbits, a slight delay in hepatic maturity and skeletal development was seen in foetuses from 
dams at high dose without showing maternal toxicity (safety margin of 4.5).

Studies in rats and rabbits have shown reproductive toxicity, with slightly reduced maternal body 
weight gain and reduced neonatal viability and birth weight, with delayed growth. Ticagrelor 
produced irregular cycles (mostly extended cycles) in female rats, but did not affect overall fertility 
in male and female rats. Pharmacokinetic studies performed with radiolabelled ticagrelor have 
shown that the parent compound and its metabolites are excreted in the milk of rats (see 
section 4.6).

6. PHARMACEUTICAL PARTICULARS

6.1 List of excipients

Tablet core
Mannitol (E421)
Calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate
Magnesium stearate (E470b)
Sodium starch glycolate type A
Hydroxypropylcellulose (E463)

Tablet coating 
Talc
Titanium dioxide (E171)
Iron oxide yellow (E172)
Macrogol 400
Hypromellose (E464)

6.2 Incompatibilities

Not applicable.



47

6.3 Shelf life

3 years

6.4 Special precautions for storage

This medicinal product does not require any special storage conditions.

6.5 Nature and contents of container

 PVC-PVDC/Al transparent blister (with sun/moon symbols) of 10 tablets; cartons of 
60 tablets (6 blisters) and 180 tablets (18 blisters).

 PVC-PVDC/Al transparent calendar blister (with sun/moon symbols) of 14 tablets; cartons 
of 14 tablets (1 blister), 56 tablets (4 blisters) and 168 tablets (12 blisters).

 PVC-PVDC/Al perforated unit dose transparent blister of 10 tablets; cartons of 100x1 tablets 
(10 blisters).

Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

6.6 Special precautions for disposal

Any unused medicinal product or waste material should be disposed of in accordance with local 
requirements.

7. MARKETING AUTHORISATION HOLDER

AstraZeneca AB
SE-151 85 Södertälje
Sweden

8. MARKETING AUTHORISATION NUMBER(S) 

EU/1/10/655/001-006

9. DATE OF FIRST AUTHORISATION/RENEWAL OF THE AUTHORISATION

Date of first authorisation: 03 December 2010
Date of latest renewal: 17 July 2015

10. DATE OF REVISION OF THE TEXT

Detailed information on this medicinal product is available on the website of the European 
Medicines Agency http://www.ema.europa.eu.

http://www.ema.europa.eu/


48

1. NAME OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT

Brilique 90 mg orodispersible tablets

2. QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE COMPOSITION

Each orodispersible tablet contains 90 mg ticagrelor.
Brilique contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per dose, i.e. is essentially ‘sodium-free’.

For the full list of excipients, see section 6.1.

3. PHARMACEUTICAL FORM

Orodispersible tablet.

Round, flat, bevelled edged, white to pale pink, orodispersible tablets marked with ‘90’ above ‘TI’ 
on one side and plain on the other.

4. CLINICAL PARTICULARS

4.1 Therapeutic indications

Brilique, co-administered with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), is indicated for the prevention of 
atherothrombotic events in adult patients with 

- acute coronary syndromes (ACS) or
- a history of myocardial infarction (MI) and a high risk of developing an atherothrombotic 

event (see sections 4.2 and 5.1).

4.2 Posology and method of administration

Posology

Patients taking Brilique should also take a daily low maintenance dose of ASA 75-150 mg, unless 
specifically contraindicated.

Acute coronary syndromes
Brilique treatment should be initiated with a single 180 mg loading dose (two tablets of 90 mg) and 
then continued at 90 mg twice daily. Treatment with Brilique 90 mg twice daily is recommended 
for 12 months in ACS patients unless discontinuation is clinically indicated (see section 5.1). 

History of myocardial infarction
Brilique 60 mg twice daily is the recommended dose when an extended treatment is required for 
patients with a history of MI of at least one year and a high risk of an atherothrombotic event (see 
section 5.1). Treatment may be started without interruption as continuation therapy after the initial 
one-year treatment with Brilique 90 mg or other adenosine diphosphate (ADP) receptor inhibitor 
therapy in ACS patients with a high risk of an atherothrombotic event. Treatment can also be 
initiated up to 2 years from the MI, or within one year after stopping previous ADP receptor 
inhibitor treatment. There are limited data on the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor beyond 3 years of 
extended treatment.



49

If a switch is needed, the first dose of Brilique should be administered 24 hours following the last 
dose of the other antiplatelet medication.

Missed dose
Lapses in therapy should also be avoided. A patient who misses a dose of Brilique should take only 
one tablet (their next dose) at its scheduled time.

Special populations
Elderly
No dose adjustment is required in elderly (see section 5.2).

Renal impairment
No dose adjustment is necessary for patients with renal impairment (see section 5.2).

Hepatic impairment
Ticagrelor has not been studied in patients with severe hepatic impairment and its use in these 
patients is therefore contraindicated (see section 4.3). Only limited information is available in 
patients with moderate hepatic impairment. Dose adjustment is not recommended, but ticagrelor
should be used with caution (see sections 4.4 and 5.2). No dose adjustment is necessary for patients 
with mild hepatic impairment (see section 5.2).

Paediatric population
The safety and efficacy of ticagrelor in children below the age of 18 years have not been 
established. No data are available.

Method of administration 
For oral use.
Brilique can be administered with or without food.
The orodispersible tablets may be used as an alternative to Brilique 90 mg film-coated tablets for 
patients who have difficulty swallowing the tablets whole or for whom there is a preference for 
orodispersible tablets. The tablet should be placed on the tongue, where it will rapidly disperse in 
saliva. It can then be swallowed with or without water (see section 5.2). The tablet can also be 
dispersed in water and administered via a nasogastric tube (CH8 or greater). It is important to flush 
the nasogastric tube through with water after administration of the mixture. A 60 mg orodispersible 
tablet is not available.

4.3 Contraindications

 Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1 (see 
section 4.8).

 Active pathological bleeding.
 History of intracranial haemorrhage (see section 4.8).
 Severe hepatic impairment (see sections 4.2, 4.4 and 5.2).
 Co-administration of ticagrelor with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g. ketoconazole, 

clarithromycin, nefazodone, ritonavir and atazanavir), as co-administration may lead to a 
substantial increase in exposure to ticagrelor (see section 4.5).



50

4.4 Special warnings and precautions for use

Bleeding risk
The use of ticagrelor in patients at known increased risk for bleeding should be balanced against 
the benefit in terms of prevention of atherothrombotic events (see sections 4.8 and 5.1). If 
clinically indicated, ticagrelor should be used with caution in the following patient groups:

 Patients with a propensity to bleed (e.g. due to recent trauma, recent surgery, coagulation 
disorders, active or recent gastrointestinal bleeding). The use of ticagrelor is contraindicated 
in patients with active pathological bleeding, in those with a history of intracranial 
haemorrhage, and in patients with severe hepatic impairment (see section 4.3).

 Patients with concomitant administration of medicinal products that may increase the risk of 
bleeding (e.g. non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), oral anticoagulants and/or 
fibrinolytics) within 24 hours of ticagrelor dosing.

Platelet transfusion did not reverse the antiplatelet effect of ticagrelor in healthy volunteers and is 
unlikely to be of clinical benefit in patients with bleeding. Since co-administration of ticagrelor 
with desmopressin did not decrease template-bleeding time, desmopressin is unlikely to be 
effective in managing clinical bleeding events (see section 4.5).

Antifibrinolytic therapy (aminocaproic acid or tranexamic acid) and/or recombinant factor VIIa 
therapy may increase haemostasis. Ticagrelor may be resumed after the cause of bleeding has been 
identified and controlled.

Surgery
Patients should be advised to inform physicians and dentists that they are taking ticagrelor before 
any surgery is scheduled and before any new medicinal product is taken.

In PLATO patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), ticagrelor had more 
bleeding than clopidogrel when stopped within 1 day prior to surgery but a similar rate of major 
bleeds compared to clopidogrel after stopping therapy 2 or more days before surgery (see 
section 4.8). If a patient is to undergo elective surgery and antiplatelet effect is not desired, 
ticagrelor should be discontinued 5 days prior to surgery (see section 5.1).

Patients with prior ischaemic stroke
ACS patients with prior ischaemic stroke can be treated with ticagrelor for up to 12 months 
(PLATO study).

In PEGASUS, patients with history of MI with prior ischaemic stroke were not included. 
Therefore, in the absence of data, treatment beyond one year is not recommended in these patients.

Hepatic impairment
Use of ticagrelor is contraindicated in patients with severe hepatic impairment (see sections 4.2 
and 4.3). There is limited experience with ticagrelor in patients with moderate hepatic impairment, 
therefore, caution is advised in these patients (see sections 4.2 and 5.2).

Patients at risk for bradycardic events
Holter ECG monitoring has shown an increased frequency of mostly asymptomatic ventricular 
pauses during treatment with ticagrelor compared with clopidogrel. Patients with an increased risk 
of bradycardic events (e.g. patients without a pacemaker who have sick sinus syndrome, 2nd or 3rd

degree AV block or bradycardic-related syncope) have been excluded from the main studies 
evaluating the safety and efficacy of ticagrelor. Therefore, due to the limited clinical experience, 
ticagrelor should be used with caution in these patients (see section 5.1).



51

In addition, caution should be exercised when administering ticagrelor concomitantly with 
medicinal products known to induce bradycardia. However, no evidence of clinically significant 
adverse reactions was observed in the PLATO trial after concomitant administration with one or 
more medicinal products known to induce bradycardia (e.g. 96% beta blockers, 33% calcium 
channel blockers diltiazem and verapamil and 4% digoxin) (see section 4.5).

During the Holter substudy in PLATO, more patients had ventricular pauses >3 seconds with 
ticagrelor than with clopidogrel during the acute phase of their ACS. The increase in 
Holter-detected ventricular pauses with ticagrelor was higher in patients with chronic heart failure 
(CHF) than in the overall study population during the acute phase of ACS, but not at one month 
with ticagrelor or compared to clopidogrel. There were no adverse clinical consequences associated 
with this imbalance (including syncope or pacemaker insertion) in this patient population (see 
section 5.1).

Dyspnoea
Dyspnoea was reported in patients treated with ticagrelor. Dyspnoea is usually mild to moderate in 
intensity and often resolves without need for treatment discontinuation. Patients with 
asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may have an increased absolute risk of 
experiencing dyspnoea with ticagrelor. Ticagrelor should be used with caution in patients with 
history of asthma and/or COPD. The mechanism has not been elucidated. If a patient reports new, 
prolonged or worsened dyspnoea this should be investigated fully and if not tolerated, treatment 
with ticagrelor should be stopped. For further details see section 4.8.

Creatinine elevations
Creatinine levels may increase during treatment with ticagrelor. The mechanism has not been 
elucidated. Renal function should be checked according to routine medical practice. In patients 
with ACS, it is recommended that renal function is also checked one month after initiating the 
treatment with ticagrelor, paying special attention to patients ≥75 years, patients with 
moderate/severe renal impairment and those receiving concomitant treatment with an angiotensin 
receptor blocker (ARB).

Uric acid increase
Hyperuricaemia may occur during treatment with ticagrelor (see section 4.8). Caution is advised in 
patients with history of hyperuricaemia or gouty arthritis. As a precautionary measure, the use of 
ticagrelor in patients with uric acid nephropathy is discouraged.

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP)
Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) has been reported very rarely with the use of 
ticagrelor. It is characterised by thrombocytopenia and microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia 
associated with either neurological findings, renal dysfunction or fever. TTP is a potentially fatal 
condition requiring prompt treatment including plasmapheresis.

Interference with platelet function tests to diagnose heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)
In the heparin induced platelet activation (HIPA) test used to diagnose HIT, anti-platelet factor 
4/heparin antibodies in patient serum activate platelets of healthy donors in the presence of 
heparin.
False negative results in a platelet function test (to include, but may not be limited to the HIPA 
test) for HIT have been reported in patients administered ticagrelor. This is related to inhibition of 
the P2Y12-receptor on the healthy donor platelets in the test by ticagrelor in the patient’s 
sera/plasma. Information on concomitant treatment with ticagrelor is required for interpretation of 
HIT platelet function tests. 



52

In patients who have developed HIT, the benefit-risk of continued treatment with ticagrelor should 
be assessed, taking both the prothrombotic state of HIT and the increased risk of bleeding with 
concomitant anticoagulant and ticagrelor treatment into consideration.

Other
Based on a relationship observed in PLATO between maintenance ASA dose and relative efficacy 
of ticagrelor compared to clopidogrel, co-administration of ticagrelor and high maintenance dose 
ASA (>300 mg) is not recommended (see section 5.1).

Premature discontinuation
Premature discontinuation with any antiplatelet therapy, including Brilique, could result in an 
increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) death, MI or stroke due to the patient’s underlying disease. 
Therefore, premature discontinuation of treatment should be avoided.

4.5 Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction

Ticagrelor is primarily a CYP3A4 substrate and a mild inhibitor of CYP3A4. Ticagrelor is also a 
P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrate and a weak P-gp inhibitor and may increase the exposure of P-gp 
substrates.

Effects of medicinal and other products on ticagrelor

CYP3A4 inhibitors
 Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors – Co-administration of ketoconazole with ticagrelor increased the 

ticagrelor Cmax and AUC equal to 2.4-fold and 7.3-fold, respectively. The Cmax and AUC of 
the active metabolite were reduced by 89% and 56%, respectively. Other strong inhibitors of 
CYP3A4 (clarithromycin, nefazodone, ritonavir and atazanavir) would be expected to have 
similar effects and therefore concomitant use of strong CYP3A4 inhibitors with ticagrelor is 
contraindicated (see section 4.3).

 Moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors – Co-administration of diltiazem with ticagrelor increased the 
ticagrelor Cmax by 69% and AUC to 2.7-fold and decreased the active metabolite Cmax by 
38% and AUC was unchanged. There was no effect of ticagrelor on diltiazem plasma levels. 
Other moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g. amprenavir, aprepitant, erythromycin and 
fluconazole) would be expected to have a similar effect and can as well be co-administered 
with ticagrelor. 

 A 2-fold increase of ticagrelor exposure was observed after daily consumption of large 
quantities of grapefruit juice (3x200 ml). This magnitude of increased exposure is not 
expected to be clinically relevant to most patients.

CYP3A inducers
Co-administration of rifampicin with ticagrelor decreased ticagrelor Cmax and AUC by 73% and 
86%, respectively. The Cmax of the active metabolite was unchanged and the AUC was decreased 
by 46%, respectively. Other CYP3A inducers (e.g. phenytoin, carbamazepine and phenobarbital) 
would be expected to decrease the exposure to ticagrelor as well. Co-administration of ticagrelor 
with potent CYP3A inducers may decrease exposure and efficacy of ticagrelor, therefore, their 
concomitant use with ticagrelor is discouraged.

Cyclosporine (P-gp and CYP3A inhibitor)
Co-administration of cyclosporine (600 mg) with ticagrelor increased ticagrelor Cmax and AUC 
equal to 2.3-fold and 2.8-fold, respectively. The AUC of the active metabolite was increased by 
32% and Cmax was decreased by 15% in the presence of cyclosporine. 



53

No data are available on concomitant use of ticagrelor with other active substances that also are 
potent P-gp inhibitors and moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g. verapamil, quinidine) that also may 
increase ticagrelor exposure. If the association cannot be avoided, their concomitant use should be 
made with caution.

Others
Clinical pharmacology interaction studies showed that co-administration of ticagrelor with heparin, 
enoxaparin and ASA or desmopressin did not have any effect on the pharmacokinetics of ticagrelor 
or the active metabolite or on ADP-induced platelet aggregation compared with ticagrelor alone. If 
clinically indicated, medicinal products that alter haemostasis should be used with caution in 
combination with ticagrelor.

A delayed and decreased exposure to oral P2Y12 inhibitors, including ticagrelor and its active 

metabolite, has been observed in patients with ACS treated with morphine (35% reduction in 

ticagrelor exposure). This interaction may be related to reduced gastrointestinal motility and apply 

to other opioids. The clinical relevance is unknown, but data indicate the potential for reduced 

ticagrelor efficacy in patients co-administered ticagrelor and morphine. In patients with ACS, in 

whom morphine cannot be withheld and fast P2Y12 inhibition is deemed crucial, the use of a 

parenteral P2Y12 inhibitor may be considered.

Effects of ticagrelor on other medicinal products

Medicinal products metabolised by CYP3A4
 Simvastatin – Co-administration of ticagrelor with simvastatin increased simvastatin Cmax by 

81% and AUC by 56% and increased simvastatin acid Cmax by 64% and AUC by 52% with 
some individual increases equal to 2- to 3-fold. Co-administration of ticagrelor with doses of 
simvastatin exceeding 40 mg daily could cause adverse reactions of simvastatin and should 
be weighed against potential benefits. There was no effect of simvastatin on ticagrelor 
plasma levels. Ticagrelor may have similar effect on lovastatin. The concomitant use of 
ticagrelor with doses of simvastatin or lovastatin greater than 40 mg is not recommended.

 Atorvastatin – Co-administration of atorvastatin and ticagrelor increased atorvastatin acid 
Cmax by 23% and AUC by 36%. Similar increases in AUC and Cmax were observed for all 
atorvastatin acid metabolites. These increases are not considered clinically significant.

 A similar effect on other statins metabolised by CYP3A4 cannot be excluded. Patients in 
PLATO receiving ticagrelor took a variety of statins, with no concern of an association with 
statin safety among the 93% of the PLATO cohort taking these medicinal products. 

Ticagrelor is a mild CYP3A4 inhibitor. Co-administration of ticagrelor and CYP3A4 substrates 
with narrow therapeutic indices (i.e. cisapride or ergot alkaloids) is not recommended, as ticagrelor 
may increase the exposure to these medicinal products.

P-gp substrates (including digoxin, cyclosporine) 
Concomitant administration of ticagrelor increased the digoxin Cmax by 75% and AUC by 28%. 
The mean trough digoxin levels were increased about 30% with ticagrelor co-administration with 
some individual maximum increases to 2-fold. In the presence of digoxin, the Cmax and AUC of 
ticagrelor and its active metabolite were not affected. Therefore, appropriate clinical and/or 
laboratory monitoring is recommended when giving narrow therapeutic index P-gp dependent 
medicinal products like digoxin concomitantly with ticagrelor.

There was no effect of ticagrelor on cyclosporine blood levels. Effect of ticagrelor on other P-gp 
substrates has not been studied.



54

Medicinal products metabolised by CYP2C9
Co-administration of ticagrelor with tolbutamide resulted in no change in the plasma levels of 
either medicinal product, which suggests that ticagrelor is not a CYP2C9 inhibitor and unlikely to 
alter the CYP2C9 mediated metabolism of medicinal products like warfarin and tolbutamide.

Oral contraceptives
Co-administration of ticagrelor and levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol increased ethinyl estradiol 
exposure approximately 20% but did not alter the pharmacokinetics of levonorgestrel. No 
clinically relevant effect on oral contraceptive efficacy is expected when levonorgestrel and ethinyl 
estradiol are co-administered with ticagrelor.

Medicinal products known to induce bradycardia
Due to observations of mostly asymptomatic ventricular pauses and bradycardia, caution should be 
exercised when administering ticagrelor concomitantly with medicinal products known to induce 
bradycardia (see section 4.4). However, no evidence of clinically significant adverse reactions was 
observed in the PLATO trial after concomitant administration with one or more medicinal products 
known to induce bradycardia (e.g. 96% beta blockers, 33% calcium channel blockers diltiazem and 
verapamil and 4% digoxin).

Other concomitant therapy
In clinical studies, ticagrelor was commonly administered with ASA, proton pump inhibitors, 
statins, beta-blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor 
blockers as needed for concomitant conditions for long-term and also heparin, low molecular 
weight heparin and intravenous GpIIb/IIIa inhibitors for short durations (see section 5.1). No 
evidence of clinically significant adverse interactions with these medicinal products was observed.

Co-administration of ticagrelor with heparin, enoxaparin or desmopressin had no effect on 
activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), activated coagulation time (ACT) or factor Xa 
assays. However, due to potential pharmacodynamic interactions, caution should be exercised with 
the concomitant administration of ticagrelor with medicinal products known to alter haemostasis.

Due to reports of cutaneous bleeding abnormalities with SSRIs (e.g. paroxetine, sertraline and 
citalopram), caution is advised when administering SSRIs with ticagrelor as this may increase the 
risk of bleeding.

4.6 Fertility, pregnancy and lactation

Women of childbearing potential
Women of childbearing potential should use appropriate contraceptive measures to avoid 
pregnancy during ticagrelor therapy.

Pregnancy
There are no or limited amount of data from the use of ticagrelor in pregnant women. Studies in 
animals have shown reproductive toxicity (see section 5.3). Ticagrelor is not recommended during 
pregnancy.

Breast-feeding 
Available pharmacodynamic/toxicological data in animals have shown excretion of ticagrelor and 
its active metabolites in milk (see section 5.3). A risk to newborns/infants cannot be excluded. A 
decision must be made whether to discontinue breast-feeding or to discontinue/abstain from 
ticagrelor therapy taking into account the benefit of breast-feeding for the child and the benefit of 
therapy for the woman.



55

Fertility
Ticagrelor had no effect on male or female fertility in animals (see section 5.3).

4.7 Effects on ability to drive and use machines

Ticagrelor has no or negligible influence on the ability to drive and use machines. During treatment 
with ticagrelor, dizziness and confusion have been reported. Therefore, patients who experience 
these symptoms should be cautious while driving or using machines.

4.8 Undesirable effects

Summary of the safety profile
The safety profile of ticagrelor has been evaluated in two large phase 3 outcome trials (PLATO and 
PEGASUS) including more than 39,000 patients (see section 5.1).

In PLATO, patients on ticagrelor had a higher incidence of discontinuation due to adverse events 
than clopidogrel (7.4% vs. 5.4%). In PEGASUS, patients on ticagrelor had a higher incidence of 
discontinuation due to adverse events compared to ASA therapy alone (16.1% for ticagrelor 60 mg 
with ASA vs. 8.5% for ASA therapy alone). The most commonly reported adverse reactions in 
patients treated with ticagrelor were bleeding and dyspnoea (see section 4.4).

Tabulated list of adverse reactions
The following adverse reactions have been identified following studies or have been reported in
post-marketing experience with ticagrelor (Table 1). 

Adverse reactions are listed by MedDRA System Organ Class (SOC). Within each SOC the 
adverse reactions are ranked by frequency category. Frequency categories are defined according to 
the following conventions: Very common (≥1/10), common (≥1/100 to 1/10), uncommon 
(≥1/1,000 to 1/100), rare (≥1/10,000 to 1/1,000), very rare (<1/10,000), not known (cannot be 
estimated from the available data). 

Table 1 – Adverse reactions by frequency and system organ class (SOC)

SOC Very common Common Uncommon Not known

Neoplasms 
benign, 
malignant and 
unspecified 
(including cysts 
and polyps)

Tumour 
bleedingsa

Blood and 
lymphatic system 
disorders

Blood disorder 
bleedingsb

Thrombotic 
Thrombocytopenic 
Purpurac

Immune system 
disorders

Hypersensitivity 
including 
angioedemac

Metabolism and 
nutrition 
disorders

Hyperuricaemiad Gout/Gouty 

Arthritis



56

SOC Very common Common Uncommon Not known

Psychiatric 
disorders

Confusion

Nervous system 
disorders

Dizziness,
Syncope, 
Headache

Intracranial 
haemorrhage 

Eye disorders Eye 
haemorrhagee

Ear and 
labyrinth 
disorders

Vertigo Ear haemorrhage

Vascular 
disorders

Hypotension

Respiratory, 
thoracic and 
mediastinal 
disorders

Dyspnoea Respiratory 
system 
bleedingsf

Gastrointestinal 
disorders

Gastrointestinal 
haemorrhageg, 
Diarrhoea, 
Nausea, 
Dyspepsia, 
Constipation

Retroperitoneal 
haemorrhage

Skin and 
subcutaneous 
tissue disorders

Subcutaneous or 
dermal 
bleedingh, Rash, 
Pruritus 

Musculoskeletal 
connective tissue 
and bone

Muscular 
bleedingsi

Renal and 
urinary 
disorders

Urinary tract 
bleedingj

Reproductive 
system and 
breast disorders

Reproductive 
system 
bleedingsk

Investigations Blood creatinine 
increasedd

Injury, poisoning 
and procedural 
complications

Post procedural 
haemorrhage, 
Traumatic 
bleedingsl

a e.g. bleeding from bladder cancer, gastric cancer, colon cancer
b e.g. increased tendency to bruise, spontaneous haematoma, haemorrhagic diathesis
c Identified in post-marketing experience
d Frequencies derived from lab observations (Uric acid increases to >upper limit of normal from baseline below or within 
reference range. Creatinine increases of >50% from baseline.) and not crude adverse event report frequency.
e e.g. conjunctival, retinal, intraocular bleeding
f e.g. epistaxis, haemoptysis
g e.g. gingival bleeding, rectal haemorrhage, gastric ulcer haemorrhage



57

h e.g. ecchymosis, skin haemorrhage, petechiae
i e.g. haemarthrosis, muscle haemorrhage
j e.g. haematuria, cystitis haemorrhagic
k e.g. vaginal haemorrhage, haematospermia, postmenopausal haemorrhage
l e.g. contusion, traumatic haematoma, traumatic haemorrhage

Description of selected adverse reactions

Bleeding
Bleeding findings in PLATO
Overall outcome of bleeding rates in the PLATO study are shown in Table 2.

Table 2 – Analysis of overall bleeding events, Kaplan-Meier estimates at 12 months (PLATO)

Ticagrelor 90 mg
twice daily

N=9235

Clopidogrel
N=9186 p-value*

PLATO Total Major 11.6 11.2 0.4336

PLATO Major Fatal/Life-Threatening 5.8 5.8 0.6988

Non-CABG PLATO Major 4.5 3.8 0.0264
Non-Procedural PLATO Major 3.1 2.3 0.0058

PLATO Total Major + Minor 16.1 14.6 0.0084

Non-Procedural PLATO Major + Minor 5.9 4.3 0.0001

TIMI-defined Major 7.9 7.7 0.5669

TIMI-defined Major + Minor 11.4 10.9 0.3272

Bleeding category definitions:
Major Fatal/Life-threatening Bleed: Clinically apparent with >50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin or ≥4 red cell units 
transfused; or fatal; or intracranial; or intrapericardial with cardiac tamponade; or with hypovolaemic shock or severe 
hypotension requiring pressors or surgery.
Major Other: Clinically apparent with 30-50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin or 2-3 red cell units transfused; or
significantly disabling.
Minor Bleed: Requires medical intervention to stop or treat bleeding.
TIMI Major Bleed: Clinically apparent with >50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin or intracranial haemorrhage.
TIMI Minor Bleed: Clinically apparent with 30-50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin.
*p-value calculated from Cox proportional hazards model with treatment group as the only explanatory variable.

Ticagrelor and clopidogrel did not differ in rates of PLATO Major Fatal/Life-threatening bleeding, 
PLATO total Major bleeding, TIMI Major bleeding, or TIMI Minor bleeding (Table 2). However, 
more PLATO combined Major + Minor bleeding occurred with ticagrelor compared with 
clopidogrel. Few patients in PLATO had fatal bleeds: 20 (0.2%) for ticagrelor and 23 (0.3%) for 
clopidogrel (see section 4.4).

Age, sex, weight, race, geographic region, concurrent conditions, concomitant therapy and medical 
history, including a previous stroke or transient ischaemic attack, all did not predict either overall 
or non-procedural PLATO Major bleeding. Thus, no particular group was identified at risk for any 
subset of bleeding.

CABG-related bleeding:
In PLATO, 42% of the 1584 patients (12% of cohort) who underwent coronary artery bypass graft 
(CABG) surgery had a PLATO Major Fatal/Life-threatening bleeding with no difference between 
treatment groups. Fatal CABG bleeding occurred in 6 patients in each treatment group (see 
section 4.4).

Non-CABG related bleeding and non-procedural related bleeding:



58

Ticagrelor and clopidogrel did not differ in non-CABG PLATO-defined Major Fatal/Life-
threatening bleeding, but PLATO-defined Total Major, TIMI Major, and TIMI Major + Minor 
bleeding were more common with ticagrelor. Similarly, when removing all procedure related 
bleeds, more bleeding occurred with ticagrelor than with clopidogrel (Table 2). Discontinuation of 
treatment due to non-procedural bleeding was more common for ticagrelor (2.9%) than for 
clopidogrel (1.2%; p<0.001).

Intracranial bleeding:
There were more intracranial non-procedural bleeds with ticagrelor (n=27 bleeds in 26 patients, 
0.3%) than with clopidogrel (n=14 bleeds, 0.2%), of which 11 bleeds with ticagrelor and 1 with 
clopidogrel were fatal. There was no difference in overall fatal bleeds.

Bleeding findings in PEGASUS
Overall outcome of bleeding events in the PEGASUS study are shown in Table 3.

Table 3 – Analysis of overall bleeding events, Kaplan-Meier estimates at 36 months 
(PEGASUS)

Ticagrelor 60 mg twice 

daily + ASA

N=6958

ASA alone

N=6996

Safety Endpoints KM%

Hazard 
Ratio

(95% CI)

KM% p-value

TIMI-defined bleeding categories

TIMI    Major
2.3 2.32

(1.68, 3.21)

1.1 <0.0001

Fatal
0.3 1.00

(0.44, 2.27)

0.3 1.0000

ICH
0.6 1.33

(0.77, 2.31)

0.5 0.3130

Other TIMI Major
1.6 3.61

(2.31, 5.65)

0.5 <0.0001

TIMI Major or Minor
3.4 2.54

(1.93, 3.35)

1.4 <0.0001

TIMI Major or Minor or Requiring 

medical attention

16.6 2.64

(2.35, 2.97)

7.0 <0.0001

PLATO-defined bleeding categories

PLATO Major
3.5 2.57

(1.95, 3.37)

1.4 <0.0001

Fatal/Life-threatening
2.4 2.38

(1.73, 3.26)

1.1 <0.0001

Other PLATO Major
1.1 3.37

(1.95, 5.83)

0.3 <0.0001

PLATO Major or Minor
15.2 2.71

(2.40, 3.08)

6.2 <0.0001

Bleeding category definitions:

TIMI Major: Fatal bleeding, OR any intracranial bleeding, OR clinically overt signs of haemorrhage associated with a 

drop in haemoglobin (Hgb) of ≥50 g/L, or when Hgb is not available, a fall in haematocrit (Hct) of 15%.



59

Fatal: A bleeding event that directly led to death within 7 days.

ICH: Intracranial haemorrhage.

Other TIMI Major: Non-fatal non-ICH TIMI Major bleeding.

TIMI Minor: Clinically apparent with 30-50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin.

TIMI Requiring medical attention: Requiring intervention, OR leading to hospitalisation, OR prompting evaluation.

PLATO Major Fatal/life-threatening: Fatal bleeding, OR any intracranial bleeding, OR intrapericardial with cardiac 

tamponade, OR with hypovolaemic shock or severe hypotension requiring pressors/inotropes or surgery OR clinically 

apparent with >50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin or ≥4 red cell units transfused.

PLATO Major Other: Significantly disabling, OR clinically apparent with 30-50 g/L decrease in haemoglobin, OR 

2-3 red cell units transfused.

PLATO Minor: Requires medical intervention to stop or treat bleeding.

In PEGASUS, TIMI Major bleeding for ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily was higher than for ASA 
alone. No increased bleeding risk was seen for fatal bleeding and only a minor increase was 
observed in intracranial haemorrhages, as compared to ASA therapy alone. There were few fatal 
bleeding events in the study, 11 (0.3%) for ticagrelor 60 mg and 12 (0.3%) for ASA therapy alone. 
The observed increased risk of TIMI Major bleeding with ticagrelor 60 mg was primarily due to a 
higher frequency of Other TIMI Major bleedings driven by events in the gastrointestinal SOC.

Increased bleeding patterns similar to TIMI Major were seen for TIMI Major or Minor and 
PLATO Major and PLATO Major or Minor bleeding categories (see Table 3). Discontinuation of 
treatment due to bleeding was more common with ticagrelor 60 mg compared to ASA therapy 
alone (6.2% and 1.5%, respectively). The majority of these bleedings were of less severity 
(classified as TIMI Requiring medical attention), e.g. epistaxis, bruising and haematomas.

The bleeding profile of ticagrelor 60 mg was consistent across multiple pre-defined subgroups 
(e.g. by age, gender, weight, race, geographic region, concurrent conditions, concomitant therapy 
and medical history) for TIMI Major, TIMI Major or Minor and PLATO Major bleeding events.

Intracranial bleeding:
Spontaneous ICHs were reported in similar rates for ticagrelor 60 mg and ASA therapy alone
(n=13, 0.2% in both treatment groups). Traumatic and procedural ICHs showed a minor increase 
with ticagrelor 60 mg treatment, (n=15, 0.2%) compared with ASA therapy alone (n=10, 0.1%). 
There were 6 fatal ICHs with ticagrelor 60 mg and 5 fatal ICHs with ASA therapy alone. The 
incidence of intracranial bleeding was low in both treatment groups given the significant 
comorbidity and CV risk factors of the population under study.

Dyspnoea
Dyspnoea, a sensation of breathlessness, is reported by patients treated with ticagrelor. In PLATO, 
dyspnoea adverse events (AEs) (dyspnoea, dyspnoea at rest, dyspnoea exertional, dyspnoea 
paroxysmal nocturnal and nocturnal dyspnoea), when combined, was reported by 13.8% of patients 
treated with ticagrelor and by 7.8% of patients treated with clopidogrel. In 2.2% of patients taking 
ticagrelor and by 0.6% taking clopidogrel investigators considered the dyspnoea causally related to 
treatment in the PLATO study and few were serious (0.14% ticagrelor; 0.02% clopidogrel), (see 
section 4.4). Most reported symptoms of dyspnoea were mild to moderate in intensity, and most 
were reported as a single episode early after starting treatment.

Compared with clopidogrel, patients with asthma/COPD treated with ticagrelor may have an 
increased risk of experiencing non-serious dyspnoea (3.29% ticagrelor versus 0.53% clopidogrel) 
and serious dyspnoea (0.38% ticagrelor versus 0.00% clopidogrel). In absolute terms, this risk was 
higher than in the overall PLATO population. Ticagrelor should be used with caution in patients 
with history of asthma and/or COPD (see section 4.4).



60

About 30% of episodes resolved within 7 days. PLATO included patients with baseline congestive 
heart failure, COPD or asthma; these patients, and the elderly, were more likely to report dyspnoea.
For ticagrelor, 0.9% of patients discontinued study drug because of dyspnoea compared with 
0.1% taking clopidogrel. The higher incidence of dyspnoea with ticagrelor is not associated with 
new or worsening heart or lung disease (see section 4.4). Ticagrelor does not affect tests of 
pulmonary function.

In PEGASUS, dyspnoea was reported in 14.2% of patients taking ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily and 
in 5.5% of patients taking ASA alone. As in PLATO, most reported dyspnoea was mild to 
moderate in intensity (see section 4.4). Patients who reported dyspnoea tended to be older and 
more frequently had dyspnoea, COPD or asthma at baseline.

Investigations
Uric acid elevations: In PLATO, serum uric acid increased to more than upper limit of normal in 
22% of patients receiving ticagrelor compared to 13% of patients receiving clopidogrel. The 
corresponding numbers in PEGASUS were 9.1%, 8.8% and 5.5% for ticagrelor 90 mg, 60 mg and 
placebo, respectively. Mean serum uric acid increased approximately 15% with ticagrelor 
compared to approximately 7.5% with clopidogrel and after treatment was stopped, decreased to 
approximately 7% on ticagrelor but with no decrease observed for clopidogrel. In PEGASUS, a 
reversible increase in mean serum uric acid levels of 6.3% and 5.6% was found for ticagrelor 
90 mg and 60 mg, respectively, compared to a 1.5% decrease in the placebo group. In PLATO, the 
frequency of gouty arthritis was 0.2% for ticagrelor vs. 0.1% for clopidogrel. The corresponding 
numbers for gout/gouty arthritis in PEGASUS were 1.6%, 1.5% and 1.1% for ticagrelor 90 mg, 
60 mg and placebo, respectively.

Reporting of suspected adverse reactions
Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It 
allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare 
professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the national reporting system 
listed in Appendix V.

4.9 Overdose

Ticagrelor is well tolerated in single doses up to 900 mg. Gastrointestinal toxicity was 
dose-limiting in a single ascending dose study. Other clinically meaningful adverse reactions 
which may occur with overdose include dyspnoea and ventricular pauses (see section 4.8).

In the event of an overdose, the above potential adverse reactions could occur and ECG monitoring 
should be considered.

There is currently no known antidote to reverse the effects of ticagrelor, and ticagrelor is not 
dialysable (see section 5.2). Treatment of overdose should follow local standard medical practice. 
The expected effect of excessive ticagrelor dosing is prolonged duration of bleeding risk associated 
with platelet inhibition. Platelet transfusion is unlikely to be of clinical benefit in patients with 
bleeding (see section 4.4). If bleeding occurs other appropriate supportive measures should be 
taken.

5. PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

5.1 Pharmacodynamic properties

http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Template_or_form/2013/03/WC500139752.doc


61

Pharmacotherapeutic group: Platelet aggregation inhibitors excluding heparin, ATC code: 
B01AC24

Mechanism of action
Brilique contains ticagrelor, a member of the chemical class cyclopentyltriazolopyrimidines 
(CPTP), which is an oral, direct acting, selective and reversibly binding P2Y12 receptor antagonist 
that prevents ADP-mediated P2Y12 dependent platelet activation and aggregation. Ticagrelor does 
not prevent ADP binding but when bound to the P2Y12 receptor prevents ADP-induced signal 
transduction. Since platelets participate in the initiation and/or evolution of thrombotic 
complications of atherosclerotic disease, inhibition of platelet function has been shown to reduce 
the risk of CV events such as death, MI or stroke.

Ticagrelor also increases local endogenous adenosine levels by inhibiting the equilibrative 
nucleoside transporter-1 (ENT-1). 

Ticagrelor has been documented to augment the following adenosine-induced effects in healthy 
subjects and in patients with ACS: vasodilation (measured by coronary blood flow increases in 
healthy volunteers and ACS patients; headache), inhibition of platelet function (in human whole 
blood in vitro) and dyspnoea. However, a link between the observed increases in adenosine and 
clinical outcomes (e.g. morbidity-mortality) has not been clearly elucidated.

Pharmacodynamic effects
Onset of action
In patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) on ASA, ticagrelor demonstrates a rapid 
onset of pharmacological effect as demonstrated by a mean inhibition of platelet aggregation (IPA) 
for ticagrelor at 0.5 hours after 180 mg loading dose of about 41%, with the maximum IPA effect 
of 89% by 2-4 hours post dose, and maintained between 2-8 hours. 90% of patients had final extent 
IPA>70% by 2 hours post dose.

Offset of action
If a CABG procedure is planned, ticagrelor bleeding risk is increased compared to clopidogrel 
when discontinued within less than 96 hours prior to procedure.

Switching data
Switching from clopidogrel 75 mg to ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily results in an absolute IPA 
increase of 26.4% and switching from ticagrelor to clopidogrel results in an absolute IPA decrease 
of 24.5%. Patients can be switched from clopidogrel to ticagrelor without any interruption of 
antiplatelet effect (see section 4.2).

Clinical efficacy and safety
The clinical evidence for the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor is derived from two phase 3 trials:

 The PLATO [PLATelet Inhibition and Patient Outcomes] study, a comparison of ticagrelor 
to clopidogrel, both given in combination with ASA and other standard therapy.

 The PEGASUS TIMI-54 [PrEvention with TicaGrelor of SecondAry Thrombotic Events in 
High-RiSk AcUte Coronary Syndrome Patients] study, a comparison of ticagrelor combined 
with ASA to ASA therapy alone.

PLATO study (Acute Coronary Syndromes)

The PLATO study included 18,624 patients who presented within 24 hours of onset of symptoms 
of unstable angina (UA), non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) or ST elevation 



62

myocardial infarction (STEMI), and were initially managed medically, or with percutaneous 
coronary intervention (PCI), or with CABG.

Clinical efficacy
On a background of daily ASA, ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily showed superiority to 75 mg daily 
clopidogrel in preventing the composite endpoint of CV death, MI or stroke, with the difference 
driven by CV death and MI. Patients received a 300 mg loading dose of clopidogrel (600 mg 
possible if having PCI) or 180 mg of ticagrelor.

The result appeared early (absolute risk reduction [ARR] 0.6% and relative risk reduction [RRR] 
of 12% at 30 days), with a constant treatment effect over the entire 12-month period, yielding ARR 
1.9% per year with RRR of 16%. This suggests it is appropriate to treat patients with ticagrelor 90 
mg twice daily for 12 months (see section 4.2). Treating 54 ACS patients with ticagrelor instead of 
clopidogrel will prevent 1 atherothrombotic event; treating 91 will prevent 1 CV death (see 
Figure 1 and Table 4).

The treatment effect of ticagrelor over clopidogrel appears consistent across many subgroups, 
including weight; sex; medical history of diabetes mellitus, transient ischaemic attack or 
non-haemorrhagic stroke, or revascularisation; concomitant therapies including heparins, 
GpIIb/IIIa inhibitors and proton pump inhibitors (see section 4.5); final index event diagnosis 
(STEMI, NSTEMI or UA); and treatment pathway intended at randomisation (invasive or 
medical).

A weakly significant treatment interaction was observed with region whereby the hazard ratio 
(HR) for the primary endpoint favours ticagrelor in the rest of world but favours clopidogrel in 
North America, which represented approximately 10% of the overall population studied 
(interaction p-value=0.045). Exploratory analyses suggest a possible association with ASA dose 
such that reduced efficacy was observed with ticagrelor with increasing ASA doses. Chronic daily 
ASA doses to accompany ticagrelor should be 75-150 mg (see sections 4.2 and 4.4).

Figure 1 shows the estimate of the risk to the first occurrence of any event in the composite efficacy 
endpoint.



63

Figure 1 – Analysis of primary clinical composite endpoint of CV death, MI and stroke 
(PLATO)

Ticagrelor reduced the occurrence of the primary composite endpoint compared to clopidogrel in 
both the UA/NSTEMI and STEMI population (Table 4). Thus, Brilique 90 mg twice daily together 
with low-dose ASA can be used in patients with ACS (unstable angina, non-ST elevation 
Myocardial Infarction [NSTEMI] or ST elevation Myocardial Infarction [STEMI]); including 
patients managed medically, and those who are managed with percutaneous coronary intervention 
(PCI) or coronary artery by-pass grafting (CABG).

Table 4 - Analysis of primary and secondary efficacy endpoints (PLATO)

Ticagrelor
90 mg

twice daily
(% patients 
with event)

N=9333

Clopidogrel 
75 mg 

once daily
(% patients 
with event)

N=9291

ARRa

(%/yr)
RRRa (%)
(95% CI)

p-value

CV death, MI (excl. 
silent MI) or stroke

9.3 10.9 1.9 16 (8, 23) 0.0003

Invasive intent 8.5 10.0 1.7 16 (6, 25) 0.0025

Medical intent 11.3 13.2 2.3 15 (0.3, 27) 0.0444d

CV death 3.8 4.8 1.1 21 (9, 31) 0.0013

MI (excl. silent MI)b 5.4 6.4 1.1 16 (5, 25) 0.0045

Stroke 1.3 1.1 -0.2 -17 (-52, 9) 0.2249

All-cause mortality, 
MI (excl. silent MI) 
or stroke

9.7 11.5 2.1 16 (8, 23) 0.0001



64

CV death, total MI, 
stroke, SRI, RI, TIA 
or other ATEc

13.8 15.7 2.1 12 (5, 19) 0.0006

All-cause mortality 4.3 5.4 1.4 22 (11, 31) 0.0003d

Definite stent 
thrombosis

1.2 1.7 0.6 32 (8, 49) 0.0123d

a ARR = absolute risk reduction; RRR = relative risk reduction = (1-Hazard ratio) x 100%. A negative RRR indicates a 
relative risk increase.
b Excluding silent MI.
c SRI = serious recurrent ischaemia; RI = recurrent ischaemia; TIA = transient ischaemic attack; ATE = arterial 
thrombotic event. Total MI includes silent MI, with date of event set to date when discovered.
d Nominal significance value; all others are formally statistically significant by pre-defined hierarchical testing.

PLATO genetic substudy
CYP2C19 and ABCB1 genotyping of 10,285 patients in PLATO provided associations of 
genotype groups with PLATO outcomes. The superiority of ticagrelor over clopidogrel in reducing 
major CV events was not significantly affected by patient CYP2C19 or ABCB1 genotype. Similar 
to the overall PLATO study, total PLATO Major bleeding did not differ between ticagrelor and 
clopidogrel, regardless of CYP2C19 or ABCB1 genotype. Non-CABG PLATO Major bleeding 
was increased with ticagrelor compared clopidogrel in patients with one or more CYP2C19 loss of 
function alleles, but similar to clopidogrel in patients with no loss of function allele.

Combined efficacy and safety composite
A combined efficacy and safety composite (CV death, MI, stroke, or PLATO-defined ‘Total 
Major’ bleeding) indicates that the benefit in efficacy of ticagrelor compared to clopidogrel is not 
offset by the major bleeding events (ARR 1.4%, RRR 8%, HR 0.92; p=0.0257) over 12 months 
after ACS.

Clinical safety

Holter substudy:
To study the occurrence of ventricular pauses and other arrhythmic episodes during PLATO,
investigators performed Holter monitoring in a subset of nearly 3000 patients, of whom 
approximately 2000 had recordings both in the acute phase of their ACS and after one month. The 
primary variable of interest was the occurrence of ventricular pauses ≥3 seconds. More patients had 
ventricular pauses with ticagrelor (6.0%) than with clopidogrel (3.5%) in the acute phase; and 
2.2% and 1.6%, respectively, after 1 month (see section 4.4). The increase in ventricular pauses in 
the acute phase of ACS was more pronounced in ticagrelor patients with history of CHF (9.2% 
versus 5.4% in patients without CHF history; for clopidogrel patients, 4.0% in those with versus 
3.6% in those without CHF history). This imbalance did not occur at one month: 2.0% versus 2.1% 
for ticagrelor patients with and without CHF history, respectively; and 3.8% versus 1.4% with 
clopidogrel. There were no adverse clinical consequences associated with this imbalance 
(including pacemaker insertions) in this population of patients.

PEGASUS study (History of Myocardial Infarction)

The PEGASUS TIMI-54 study was a 21,162 patient, event-driven, randomised, double-blind, 
placebo-controlled, parallel group, international multicentre study to assess the prevention of 
atherothrombotic events with ticagrelor given at 2 doses (either 90 mg twice daily or 60 mg twice 
daily) combined with low dose ASA (75-150 mg), compared to ASA therapy alone in patients with 
history of MI and additional risk factors for atherothrombosis.



65

Patients were eligible to participate if they were aged 50 years or over, with a history of MI (1 to 
3 years prior to randomisation), and had at least one of the following risk factors for 
atherothrombosis: age ≥65 years, diabetes mellitus requiring medication, a second prior MI, 
evidence of multivessel CAD or chronic non-end-stage renal dysfunction.

Patients were ineligible if there was planned use of a P2Y12 receptor antagonist, dipyridamole, 
cilostazol, or anticoagulant therapy during the study period; if they had a bleeding disorder or a 
history of an ischaemic stroke or intracranial bleeding, a central nervous system tumour or an 
intracranial vascular abnormality; if they had had gastrointestinal bleeding within the previous 
6 months or major surgery within the previous 30 days.

Clinical efficacy

Figure 2 - Analysis of primary clinical composite endpoint of CV death, MI and stroke 
(PEGASUS)

Table 5 - Analysis of primary and secondary efficacy endpoints (PEGASUS)

Ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily +ASA
N = 7045

ASA alone
N = 7067

p-value

Characteristic
Patients 

with events
KM %

HR
(95% CI)

Patients with 
events

KM %

Primary endpoint



66

Ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily +ASA
N = 7045

ASA alone
N = 7067

p-value

Characteristic
Patients 

with events
KM %

HR
(95% CI)

Patients with 
events

KM %

Composite of CV 
Death/MI/Stroke

487 (6.9%) 7.8%
0.84 

(0.74, 0.95)
578 (8.2%) 9.0% 0.0043 (s)

CV death 174 (2.5%) 2.9%
0.83 

(0.68, 1.01)
210 (3.0%) 3.4% 0.0676

MI 285 (4.0%) 4.5%
0.84 

(0.72, 0.98)
338 (4.8%) 5.2% 0.0314

Stroke 91 (1.3%) 1.5%
0.75 

(0.57, 0.98)
122 (1.7%) 1.9% 0.0337

Secondary endpoint

CV death 174 (2.5%) 2.9%
0.83 

(0.68, 1.01)
210 (3.0%) 3.4% -

All-cause 
mortality

289 (4.1%) 4.7%
0.89

(0.76, 1.04)
326 (4.6%) 5.2% -

Hazard ratio and p-values are calculated separately for ticagrelor vs. ASA therapy alone from Cox proportional hazards 

model with treatment group as the only explanatory variable.

KM percentage calculated at 36 months.

Note: the number of first events for the components CV death, MI and stroke are the actual number of first events for 

each component and do not add up to the number of events in the composite endpoint

(s) Indicates statistical significance.

CI = Confidence interval; CV = Cardiovascular; HR = Hazard ratio; KM = Kaplan-Meier; MI = Myocardial infarction; 

N = Number of patients.

Both 60 mg twice daily and 90 mg twice daily regimens of ticagrelor in combination with ASA
were superior to ASA alone in the prevention of atherothrombotic events (composite endpoint: CV 
death, MI and stroke), with a consistent treatment effect over the entire study period, yielding a 
16% RRR and 1.27% ARR for ticagrelor 60 mg and a 15% RRR and 1.19% ARR for ticagrelor 
90 mg.

Although the efficacy profile of 90 mg and 60 mg were similar, there is evidence that the lower 
dose has a better tolerability and safety profile in relation to risk of the bleeding and dyspnoea. 
Therefore, only Brilique 60 mg twice daily co-administered with ASA is recommended for the 
prevention atherothrombotic events (CV death, MI and stroke) in patients with a history of MI and 
a high risk of developing an atherothrombotic event.

Relative to ASA alone, ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily significantly reduced the primary composite 
endpoint of CV death, MI and stroke. Each of the components contributed to the reduction in the 
primary composite endpoint (CV death 17% RRR, MI 16% RRR and stroke 25% RRR).

The RRR for the composite endpoint from 1 to 360 days (17% RRR) and from 361 days and 
onwards (16% RRR) was similar. There are limited data on the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor 
beyond 3 years of extended treatment.

There was no evidence of benefit (no reduction in the primary composite endpoint of CV death, MI 
and stroke, but an increase in major bleeding) when ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily was introduced in 



67

clinically stable patients >2 years from the MI, or more than one year after stopping previous ADP 
receptor inhibitor treatment (see also section 4.2).

Clinical safety
The rate of discontinuations with ticagrelor 60 mg due to bleeding and dyspnoea was higher in 
patients >75 years (42%) than in younger patients (range: 23-31%), with a difference versus 
placebo higher than 10% (42% vs. 29%) in patients >75 years.

Paediatric population
The European Medicines Agency has waived the obligation to submit the results of studies with 
Brilique in all subsets of the paediatric population in acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and history 
of myocardial infarction (MI) (see section 4.2 for information on paediatric use).

5.2 Pharmacokinetic properties

Ticagrelor demonstrates linear pharmacokinetics and exposure to ticagrelor and the active 
metabolite (AR-C124910XX) are approximately dose proportional up to 1260 mg.

Absorption
Absorption of ticagrelor is rapid with a median tmax of approximately 1.5 hours. The formation of 
the major circulating metabolite AR-C124910XX (also active) from ticagrelor is rapid with a 
median tmax of approximately 2.5 hours. Following an oral ticagrelor 90 mg single dose under 
fasted conditions in healthy subjects, Cmax is 529 ng/ml and AUC is 3451 ng*h/ml. The metabolite 
parent ratios are 0.28 for Cmax and 0.42 for AUC. The pharmacokinetics of ticagrelor and 
AR-C124910XX in patients with a history of MI were generally similar to that in the ACS 
population. Based on a population pharmacokinetic analysis of the PEGASUS study the median 
ticagrelor Cmax was 391 ng/ml and AUC was 3801 ng*h/ml at steady state for ticagrelor 60 mg. For 
ticagrelor 90 mg Cmax was 627 ng/ml and AUC was 6255 ng*h/ml at steady state.

The mean absolute bioavailability of ticagrelor was estimated to be 36%. Ingestion of a high-fat 
meal resulted in a 21% increase in ticagrelor AUC and 22% decrease in the active metabolite Cmax 
but had no effect on ticagrelor Cmax or the AUC of the active metabolite. These small changes are 
considered of minimal clinical significance; therefore, ticagrelor can be given with or without food. 
Ticagrelor as well as the active metabolite are P-gp substrates.

Ticagrelor orodispersible tablets, dispersed in saliva and swallowed without water or suspended in 
water and administered through a nasogastric tube into the stomach, were bioequivalent to 
film-coated whole tablets (AUC and Cmax within 80-125% for ticagrelor and the active metabolite). 
When the orodispersible tablet was dispersed in saliva and swallowed with water, ticagrelor AUC 
was similar, while Cmax was about 15% lower than for the film-coated tablet. The small difference 
in Cmax noted is unlikely to be of clinical relevance.

Distribution
The steady state volume of distribution of ticagrelor is 87.5 l. Ticagrelor and the active metabolite
is extensively bound to human plasma protein (>99.0%).

Biotransformation
CYP3A4 is the major enzyme responsible for ticagrelor metabolism and the formation of the active 
metabolite and their interactions with other CYP3A substrates ranges from activation through to 
inhibition. 



68

The major metabolite of ticagrelor is AR-C124910XX, which is also active as assessed by in vitro
binding to the platelet P2Y12 ADP-receptor. The systemic exposure to the active metabolite is 
approximately 30-40% of that obtained for ticagrelor.

Elimination
The primary route of ticagrelor elimination is via hepatic metabolism. When radiolabelled 
ticagrelor is administered, the mean recovery of radioactivity is approximately 84% (57.8% in 
faeces, 26.5% in urine). Recoveries of ticagrelor and the active metabolite in urine were both less 
than 1% of the dose. The primary route of elimination for the active metabolite is most likely via 
biliary secretion. The mean t1/2 was approximately 7 hours for ticagrelor and 8.5 hours for the 
active metabolite.

Special populations

Elderly
Higher exposures to ticagrelor (approximately 25% for both Cmax and AUC) and the active 
metabolite were observed in elderly (≥75 years) ACS patients compared to younger patients by the 
population pharmacokinetic analysis. These differences are not considered clinically significant 
(see section 4.2).

Paediatric population
Ticagrelor has not been evaluated in a paediatric population (see sections 4.2 and 5.1).

Gender
Higher exposures to ticagrelor and the active metabolite were observed in women compared to 
men. These differences are not considered clinically significant.

Renal impairment
Exposure to ticagrelor was approximately 20% lower and exposure to the active metabolite was 
approximately 17% higher in patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance 
<30 ml/min) compared to subjects with normal renal function.

In patients with end stage renal disease on haemodialysis AUC and Cmax of ticagrelor 90 mg 
administered on a day without dialysis were 38% and 51% higher compared to subjects with 
normal renal function. A similar increase in exposure was observed when ticagrelor was 
administered immediately prior to dialysis (49% and 61%, respectively) showing that ticagrelor is 
not dialysable. Exposure of the active metabolite increased to a lesser extent (AUC 13-14% and 
Cmax 17-36%). The inhibition of platelet aggregation (IPA) effect of ticagrelor was independent of 
dialysis in patients with end stage renal disease and similar to subjects with normal renal function 
(see section 4.2).

Hepatic impairment
Cmax and AUC for ticagrelor were 12% and 23% higher in patients with mild hepatic impairment 
compared to matched healthy subjects, respectively, however, the IPA effect of ticagrelor was 
similar between the two groups. No dose adjustment is needed for patients with mild hepatic 
impairment. Ticagrelor has not been studied in patients with severe hepatic impairment and there is 
no pharmacokinetic information in patients with moderate hepatic impairment. In patients that had 
moderate or severe elevation in one or more liver function tests at baseline, ticagrelor plasma 
concentrations were on average similar or slightly higher as compared to those without baseline 
elevations. No dose adjustment is recommended in patients with moderate hepatic impairment (see 
sections 4.2 and 4.4).



69

Ethnicity
Patients of Asian descent have a 39% higher mean bioavailability compared to Caucasian patients. 
Patients self-identified as black had an 18% lower bioavailability of ticagrelor compared to 
Caucasian patients, in clinical pharmacology studies, the exposure (Cmax and AUC) to ticagrelor in 
Japanese subjects was approximately 40% (20% after adjusting for body weight) higher compared 
to that in Caucasians. The exposure in patients self-identified as Hispanic or Latino was similar to 
that in Caucasians.

5.3 Preclinical safety data

Preclinical data for ticagrelor and its major metabolite have not demonstrated unacceptable risk for 
adverse effects for humans based on conventional studies of safety pharmacology, single and 
repeated dose toxicity and genotoxic potential.

Gastrointestinal irritation was observed in several animal species at clinical relevant exposure 
levels (see section 4.8).

In female rats, ticagrelor at high dose showed an increased incidence of uterine tumours 
(adenocarcinomas) and an increased incidence of hepatic adenomas. The mechanism for uterine 
tumours is likely hormonal imbalance which can lead to tumours in rats. The mechanism for the 
hepatic adenomas is likely due to a rodent-specific enzyme induction in the liver. Thus, the 
carcinogenicity findings are considered unlikely to be relevant for humans.

In rats, minor developmental anomalies were seen at a maternal toxic dose (safety margin of 5.1). 
In rabbits a slight delay in hepatic maturity and skeletal development was seen in foetuses from 
dams at high dose without showing maternal toxicity (safety margin of 4.5).

Studies in rats and rabbits have shown reproductive toxicity, with slightly reduced maternal body 
weight gain and reduced neonatal viability and birth weight, with delayed growth. Ticagrelor 
produced irregular cycles (mostly extended cycles) in female rats, but did not affect overall fertility 
in male and female rats. Pharmacokinetic studies performed with radiolabelled ticagrelor have 
shown that the parent compound and its metabolites are excreted in the milk of rats (see 
section 4.6).

6. PHARMACEUTICAL PARTICULARS

6.1 List of excipients

Mannitol (E421)
Microcrystalline cellulose (E460)
Crospovidone (E1202)
Xylitol (E967)
Anhydrous calcium hydrogen phosphate (E341)
Sodium stearyl fumarate
Hydroxypropylcellulose (E463)
Colloidal anhydrous silica

6.2 Incompatibilities

Not applicable.



70

6.3 Shelf life

3 years

6.4 Special precautions for storage

This medicinal product does not require any special storage conditions.

6.5 Nature and contents of container

Al/Al perforated unit dose blister of 8 or 10 tablets; cartons of 10 x 1 tablets (1 blister), cartons of 
56 x 1 tablets (7 blisters) and cartons of 60 x 1 tablets (6 blisters).

Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

6.6 Special precautions for disposal

Any unused medicinal product or waste material should be disposed of in accordance with local 
requirements.

7. MARKETING AUTHORISATION HOLDER

AstraZeneca AB
SE-151 85 Södertälje
Sweden

8. MARKETING AUTHORISATION NUMBER(S) 

EU/1/10/655/012-014

9. DATE OF FIRST AUTHORISATION/RENEWAL OF THE AUTHORISATION

Date of first authorisation: 03 December 2010
Date of latest renewal: 17 July 2015

10. DATE OF REVISION OF THE TEXT

Detailed information on this medicinal product is available on the website of the European 
Medicines Agency http://www.ema.europa.eu.

http://www.ema.europa.eu/


71

ANNEX II

A. MANUFACTURER(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR BATCH 
RELEASE

B. CONDITIONS OR RESTRICTIONS REGARDING 
SUPPLY AND USE

C. OTHER CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE 
MARKETING AUTHORISATION

D. CONDITIONS OR RESTRICTIONS WITH REGARD TO 
THE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE USE OF THE 
MEDICINAL PRODUCT



72

A. MANUFACTURER(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR BATCH RELEASE

Name and address of the manufacturer(s) responsible for batch release

AstraZeneca AB
Gärtunavägen
SE-151 85 Södertälje
Sweden

AstraZeneca UK Limited
Silk Road Business Park
Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 2NA
United Kingdom

The printed package leaflet of the medicinal product must state the name and address of the 
manufacturer responsible for the release of the concerned batch.

B. CONDITIONS OR RESTRICTIONS REGARDING SUPPLY AND USE

Medicinal product subject to medical prescription.

C. OTHER CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE MARKETING 
AUTHORISATION

 Periodic Safety Update Reports

The  requirements for submission of periodic safety update reports for this medicinal product 
are set out in the list of Union reference dates (EURD list) provided for under Article 
107c(7) of Directive 2001/83/EC and any subsequent updates published on the European 
medicines web-portal.

D. CONDITIONS OR RESTRICTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE SAFE AND 
EFFECTIVE USE OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT

 Risk Management Plan (RMP)

The MAH shall perform the required pharmacovigilance activities and interventions detailed in the 
agreed RMP presented in Module 1.8.2 of the Marketing Authorisation and any agreed subsequent 
updates of the RMP.

An updated RMP should be submitted:
 At the request of the European Medicines Agency;
 Whenever the risk management system is modified, especially as the result of new 

information being received that may lead to a significant change to the benefit/risk profile or 
as the result of an important (pharmacovigilance or risk minimisation) milestone being 
reached.



73

ANNEX III

LABELLING AND PACKAGE LEAFLET



74

A. LABELLING



75

PARTICULARS TO APPEAR ON THE OUTER PACKAGING

CARTON

1. NAME OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT

Brilique 60 mg film-coated tablets
ticagrelor

2. STATEMENT OF ACTIVE SUBSTANCE(S)

Each film-coated tablet contains 60 mg ticagrelor

3. LIST OF EXCIPIENTS

4. PHARMACEUTICAL FORM AND CONTENTS

14 film-coated tablets
56 film-coated tablets
60 film-coated tablets
168 film-coated tablets
180 film-coated tablets

5. METHOD AND ROUTE(S) OF ADMINISTRATION

Read the package leaflet before use.
Oral use

6. SPECIAL WARNING THAT THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT MUST BE STORED 
OUT OF THE SIGHT AND REACH OF CHILDREN

Keep out of the sight and reach of children.

7. OTHER SPECIAL WARNING(S), IF NECESSARY

8. EXPIRY DATE

EXP



76

9. SPECIAL STORAGE CONDITIONS

10. SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS FOR DISPOSAL OF UNUSED MEDICINAL 
PRODUCTS OR WASTE MATERIALS DERIVED FROM SUCH MEDICINAL 
PRODUCTS, IF APPROPRIATE

11. NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE MARKETING AUTHORISATION HOLDER

AstraZeneca AB
SE-151 85
Södertälje
Sweden

12. MARKETING AUTHORISATION NUMBER(S) 

EU/1/10/655/007 14 film-coated tablets
EU/1/10/655/008 56 film-coated tablets
EU/1/10/655/009 60 film-coated tablets
EU/1/10/655/010 168 film-coated tablets
EU/1/10/655/011 180 film-coated tablets

13. BATCH NUMBER

Lot

14. GENERAL CLASSIFICATION FOR SUPPLY

Medicinal product subject to medical prescription.

15. INSTRUCTIONS ON USE

16. INFORMATION IN BRAILLE

brilique 60 mg

17. UNIQUE IDENTIFIER – 2D BARCODE

2D barcode carrying the unique identifier included.



77

18. UNIQUE IDENTIFIER - HUMAN READABLE DATA

PC:
SN:
NN:



78

MINIMUM PARTICULARS TO APPEAR ON BLISTERS OR STRIPS

BLISTER

1. NAME OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT

Brilique 60 mg tablets
ticagrelor

2. NAME OF THE MARKETING AUTHORISATION HOLDER

AstraZeneca AB

3. EXPIRY DATE

EXP

4. BATCH NUMBER

Lot

5. OTHER

Sun/Moon symbol



79

MINIMUM PARTICULARS TO APPEAR ON BLISTERS OR STRIPS

CALENDAR BLISTER

1. NAME OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT

Brilique 60 mg tablets
ticagrelor

2. NAME OF THE MARKETING AUTHORISATION HOLDER

AstraZeneca AB

3. EXPIRY DATE

EXP

4. BATCH NUMBER

Lot

5. OTHER

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Sun/Moon symbol



80

PARTICULARS TO APPEAR ON THE OUTER PACKAGING

CARTON

1. NAME OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT

Brilique 90 mg film-coated tablets
ticagrelor

2. STATEMENT OF ACTIVE SUBSTANCE(S)

Each film-coated tablet contains 90 mg ticagrelor

3. LIST OF EXCIPIENTS

4. PHARMACEUTICAL FORM AND CONTENTS

14 film-coated tablets
56 film-coated tablets
60 film-coated tablets
100x1 film-coated tablets
168 film-coated tablets
180 film-coated tablets

5. METHOD AND ROUTE(S) OF ADMINISTRATION

Read the package leaflet before use.
Oral use

6. SPECIAL WARNING THAT THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT MUST BE STORED 
OUT OF THE SIGHT AND REACH OF CHILDREN

Keep out of the sight and reach of children.

7. OTHER SPECIAL WARNING(S), IF NECESSARY

8. EXPIRY DATE

EXP



81

9. SPECIAL STORAGE CONDITIONS

10. SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS FOR DISPOSAL OF UNUSED MEDICINAL 
PRODUCTS OR WASTE MATERIALS DERIVED FROM SUCH MEDICINAL 
PRODUCTS, IF APPROPRIATE

11. NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE MARKETING AUTHORISATION HOLDER

AstraZeneca AB
SE-151 85
Södertälje
Sweden

12. MARKETING AUTHORISATION NUMBER(S) 

EU/1/10/655/001 60 film-coated tablets
EU/1/10/655/002 180 film-coated tablets
EU/1/10/655/003 14 film-coated tablets
EU/1/10/655/004 56 film-coated tablets
EU/1/10/655/005 168 film-coated tablets
EU/1/10/655/006 100x1 film-coated tablets

13. BATCH NUMBER

Lot

14. GENERAL CLASSIFICATION FOR SUPPLY

Medicinal product subject to medical prescription.

15. INSTRUCTIONS ON USE

16. INFORMATION IN BRAILLE

brilique 90 mg

17. UNIQUE IDENTIFIER – 2D BARCODE

2D barcode carrying the unique identifier included.



82

18. UNIQUE IDENTIFIER - HUMAN READABLE DATA

PC:
SN:
NN:



83

MINIMUM PARTICULARS TO APPEAR ON BLISTERS OR STRIPS

PERFORATED UNIT DOSE BLISTER

1. NAME OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT

Brilique 90 mg tablets
ticagrelor

2. NAME OF THE MARKETING AUTHORISATION HOLDER

AstraZeneca AB

3. EXPIRY DATE

EXP

4. BATCH NUMBER

Lot

5. OTHER



84

MINIMUM PARTICULARS TO APPEAR ON BLISTERS OR STRIPS

BLISTER

1. NAME OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT

Brilique 90 mg tablets
ticagrelor

2. NAME OF THE MARKETING AUTHORISATION HOLDER

AstraZeneca AB

3. EXPIRY DATE

EXP

4. BATCH NUMBER

Lot

5. OTHER

Sun/Moon symbol



85

MINIMUM PARTICULARS TO APPEAR ON BLISTERS OR STRIPS

CALENDAR BLISTER

1. NAME OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT

Brilique 90 mg tablets
ticagrelor

2. NAME OF THE MARKETING AUTHORISATION HOLDER

AstraZeneca AB

3. EXPIRY DATE

EXP

4. BATCH NUMBER

Lot

5. OTHER

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Sun/Moon symbol



86

PARTICULARS TO APPEAR ON THE OUTER PACKAGING

CARTON

1. NAME OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT

Brilique 90 mg orodispersible tablets
ticagrelor

2. STATEMENT OF ACTIVE SUBSTANCE(S)

Each orodispersible tablet contains 90 mg ticagrelor

3. LIST OF EXCIPIENTS

4. PHARMACEUTICAL FORM AND CONTENTS

10 x 1 orodispersible tablets
56 x 1 orodispersible tablets
60 x 1 orodispersible tablets

5. METHOD AND ROUTE(S) OF ADMINISTRATION

Read the package leaflet before use.
Oral use

6. SPECIAL WARNING THAT THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT MUST BE STORED 
OUT OF THE SIGHT AND REACH OF CHILDREN

Keep out of the sight and reach of children.

7. OTHER SPECIAL WARNING(S), IF NECESSARY

8. EXPIRY DATE

EXP

9. SPECIAL STORAGE CONDITIONS



87

10. SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS FOR DISPOSAL OF UNUSED MEDICINAL 
PRODUCTS OR WASTE MATERIALS DERIVED FROM SUCH MEDICINAL 
PRODUCTS, IF APPROPRIATE

11. NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE MARKETING AUTHORISATION HOLDER

AstraZeneca AB
SE-151 85 Södertälje
Sweden

12. MARKETING AUTHORISATION NUMBER(S) 

EU/1/10/655/012 10 x 1 orodispersible tablets
EU/1/10/655/013 56 x 1 orodispersible tablets
EU/1/10/655/014 60 x 1 orodispersible tablets

13. BATCH NUMBER

Lot

14. GENERAL CLASSIFICATION FOR SUPPLY

Medicinal product subject to medical prescription.

15. INSTRUCTIONS ON USE

16. INFORMATION IN BRAILLE

brilique 90 mg

17. UNIQUE IDENTIFIER – 2D BARCODE

2D barcode carrying the unique identifier included.

18. UNIQUE IDENTIFIER - HUMAN READABLE DATA

PC:
SN: 
NN: 



88

MINIMUM PARTICULARS TO APPEAR ON BLISTERS OR STRIPS

PERFORATED UNIT DOSE BLISTER

1. NAME OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT

Brilique 90 mg orodispersible tablets
ticagrelor

2. NAME OF THE MARKETING AUTHORISATION HOLDER

AstraZeneca AB

3. EXPIRY DATE

EXP

4. BATCH NUMBER

Lot

5. OTHER



89

B. PACKAGE LEAFLET 



90

Package leaflet: Information for the user

Brilique 60 mg film-coated tablets
ticagrelor

Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains 
important information for you.
- Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again. 
- If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
- This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm 

them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
- If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side 

effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

What is in this leaflet
1. What Brilique is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you take Brilique
3. How to take Brilique
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Brilique
6. Contents of the pack and other information

1. What Brilique is and what it is used for 

What Brilique is
Brilique contains an active substance called ticagrelor. This belongs to a group of medicines called 
antiplatelet medicines.

What Brilique is used for
Brilique in combination with acetylsalicylic acid (another antiplatelet agent) is to be used in adults 
only. You have been given this medicine because you have had:

 a heart attack, over a year ago.
It reduces the chances of you having another heart attack, stroke or dying from a disease related to 
your heart or blood vessels.

How Brilique works
Brilique affects cells called ‘platelets’ (also called thrombocytes). These very small blood cells 
help stop bleeding by clumping together to plug tiny holes in blood vessels that are cut or 
damaged. 

However, platelets can also form clots inside diseased blood vessels in the heart and brain. This can 
be very dangerous because:

 the clot can cut off the blood supply completely; this can cause a heart attack (myocardial 
infarction) or stroke, or

 the clot can partly block the blood vessels to the heart; this reduces the blood flow to the 
heart and can cause chest pain which comes and goes (called ‘unstable angina’).

Brilique helps stop the clumping of platelets. This reduces the chance of a blood clot forming that 
can reduce blood flow.



91

2. What you need to know before you take Brilique

Do not take Brilique if:
 You are allergic to ticagrelor or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in 

section 6).
 You are bleeding now.
 You have had a stroke caused by bleeding in the brain.
 You have severe liver disease.
 You are taking any of the following medicines: 

- ketoconazole (used to treat fungal infections) 
- clarithromycin (used to treat bacterial infections) 
- nefazodone (an antidepressant) 
- ritonavir and atazanavir (used to treat HIV infection and AIDS)

Do not take Brilique if any of the above applies to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or 
pharmacist before taking this medicine.

Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Brilique if:

 You have an increased risk of bleeding because of:
- a recent serious injury
- recent surgery (including dental work, ask your dentist about this)
- you have a condition that affects blood clotting
- recent bleeding from your stomach or gut (such as a stomach ulcer or colon ‘polyps’)

 You are due to have surgery (including dental work) at any time while taking Brilique. This 
is because of the increased risk of bleeding. Your doctor may want you to stop taking this 
medicine 5 days prior to surgery.

 Your heart rate is abnormally low (usually lower than 60 beats per minute) and you do not 
already have in place a device that paces your heart (pacemaker).

 You have asthma or other lung problems or breathing difficulties.
 You have had any problems with your liver or have previously had any disease which may 

have affected your liver.
 You have had a blood test that showed more than the usual amount of uric acid.

If any of the above apply to you (or you are not sure), talk to your doctor or pharmacist before 
taking this medicine.

If you are taking both Brilique and heparin:
 Your doctor may require a sample of your blood for diagnostic tests if they suspect a rare 

platelet disorder caused by heparin. It is important that you inform your doctor that you are 
taking both Brilique and heparin, as Brilique may affect the diagnostic test.

Children and adolescents
Brilique is not recommended for children and adolescents under 18 years.

Other medicines and Brilique
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other 
medicines. This is because Brilique can affect the way some medicines work and some medicines 
can have an effect on Brilique.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines:
 more than 40 mg daily of either simvastatin or lovastatin (medicines used to treat high 

cholesterol)
 rifampicin (an antibiotic) 
 phenytoin, carbamazepine and phenobarbital (used to control seizures) 



92

 digoxin (used to treat heart failure) 
 cyclosporine (used to lessen your body’s defenses) 
 quinidine and diltiazem (used to treat abnormal heart rhythms) 
 beta blockers and verapamil (used to treat high blood pressure)
 morphine and other opioids (used to treat severe pain)

In particular, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines that 
increase your risk of bleeding:

 ‘oral anticoagulants’ often referred to as ‘blood thinners’ which include warfarin.
 Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (abbreviated as NSAIDs) often taken as painkillers 

such as ibuprofen and naproxen.
 Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (abbreviated as SSRIs) taken as antidepressants 

such as paroxetine, sertraline and citalopram.
 other medicines such as ketoconazole (used to treat fungal infections), clarithromycin (used 

to treat bacterial infections), nefazodone (an antidepressant), ritonavir and atazanavir (used 
to treat HIV infection and AIDS), cisapride (used to treat heartburn), ergot alkaloids (used to 
treat migraines and headaches).

Also tell your doctor that because you are taking Brilique, you may have an increased risk of 
bleeding if your doctor gives you fibrinolytics, often called ‘clot dissolvers’, such as streptokinase 
or alteplase.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding
It is not recommended to use Brilique if you are pregnant or may become pregnant. Women should 
use appropriate contraceptive measures to avoid pregnancy while taking this medicine.

Talk to your doctor before taking this medicine if you are breast-feeding. Your doctor will discuss 
with you the benefits and risks of taking Brilique during this time.

If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, 
ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.

Driving and using machines
Brilique is not likely to affect your ability to drive or use machines. If you feel dizzy or confused
while taking this medicine, be careful while driving or using machines.

Sodium content
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per dose, that is to say it is essentially 
‘sodium-free’.

3. How to take Brilique

Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or 
pharmacist if you are not sure.

How much to take
 The usual dose is one tablet of 60 mg twice a day. Continue taking Brilique as long as your 

doctor tells you.
 Take this medicine around the same time every day (for example, one tablet in the morning 

and one in the evening).

Taking Brilique with other medicines for blood clotting



93

Your doctor will usually also tell you to take acetylsalicylic acid. This is a substance present in 
many medicines used to prevent blood clotting. Your doctor will tell you how much to take 
(usually between 75-150 mg daily).

How to take Brilique
 You can take the tablet with or without food.
 You can check when you last took a tablet of Brilique by looking on the blister. There is a 

sun (for the morning) and a moon (for the evening). This will tell you whether you have 
taken the dose.

If you have trouble swallowing the tablet
If you have trouble swallowing the tablet you can crush it and mix with water as follows:

 Crush the tablet to a fine powder.
 Pour the powder into half a glass of water.
 Stir and drink immediately.
 To make sure there is no medicine left, rinse the empty glass with another half a glass of 

water and drink it.
If you are in the hospital you may be given this tablet mixed with some water and given through a 
tube via the nose (nasogastric tube).  

If you take more Brilique than you should
If you take more Brilique than you should, talk to a doctor or go to hospital straight away. Take the 
medicine pack with you. You may be at increased risk of bleeding.

If you forget to take Brilique
 If you forget to take a dose, just take your next dose as normal. 
 Do not take a double dose (two doses at the same time) to make up for the forgotten dose.

If you stop taking Brilique
Do not stop taking Brilique without talking to your doctor. Take this medicine on a regular basis 
and for as long as your doctor keeps prescribing it. If you stop taking Brilique, it may increase your 
chances of having another heart attack or stroke or dying from a disease related to your heart or 
blood vessels.

If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. The 
following side effects may happen with this medicine:

Brilique affects blood clotting, so most side effects are related to bleeding. Bleeding may occur in 
any part of the body. Some bleeding is common (like bruising and nosebleeds). Severe bleeding is 
uncommon but can be life threatening.

See a doctor straight away if you notice any of the following – you may need urgent medical 
treatment:

 Bleeding into the brain or inside the skull is an uncommon side effect, and may cause 
signs of a stroke such as:
- sudden numbness or weakness of your arm, leg or face, especially if only on one side of 

the body
- sudden confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding others
- sudden difficulty in walking or loss of balance or co-ordination



94

- suddenly feeling dizzy or sudden severe headache with no known cause

 Signs of bleeding such as: 
- bleeding that is severe or that you cannot control
- unexpected bleeding or bleeding that lasts a long time
- pink, red or brown urine
- vomiting red blood or your vomit looks like ‘coffee grounds’
- red or black stools (look like tar)
- coughing up or vomiting blood clots

 Fainting (syncope)
- a temporary loss of consciousness due to sudden drop in blood flow to the brain

(common)

 Signs of a blood clotting problem called Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura 
(TTP) such as:
- fever and purplish spots (called purpura) on the skin or in the mouth, with or without 

yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), unexplained extreme tiredness or confusion

Discuss with your doctor if you notice any of the following:
 Feeling short of breath - this is very common. It might be due to your heart disease or 

another cause, or it might be a side effect of Brilique. Brilique-related breathlessness is 
generally mild and characterised as a sudden, unexpected hunger for air usually occurring at 
rest and may appear in the first weeks of therapy and for many may disappear. If your 
feeling of shortness of breath gets worse or lasts a long time, tell your doctor. Your doctor 
will decide if it needs treatment or further investigations.

Other possible side effects

Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
 High level of uric acid in your blood (as seen in tests)
 Bleeding caused by blood disorders

Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
 Bruising
 Headache
 Feeling dizzy or like the room is spinning
 Diarrhoea or indigestion
 Feeling sick (nausea)
 Constipation
 Rash
 Itching
 Severe pain and swelling in your joints – these are signs of gout 
 Feeling dizzy or light-headed, or having blurred vision – these are signs of low blood 

pressure
 Nosebleed
 Bleeding after surgery or from cuts (for example while shaving) and wounds more than is 

normal
 Bleeding from your stomach lining (ulcer)
 Bleeding gums

Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)



95

 Allergic reaction – a rash, itching or a swollen face or swollen lips/tongue may be signs of 
an allergic reaction

 Confusion
 Visual problems caused by blood in your eye
 Vaginal bleeding that is heavier, or happens at different times, than your normal period 

(menstrual) bleeding
 Bleeding into your joints and muscles causing painful swelling
 Blood in your ear 
 Internal bleeding, this may cause dizziness or light-headedness

Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side 
effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the national reporting 
system listed in Appendix V. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on 
the safety of this medicine.

5. How to store Brilique

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the blister and carton after EXP. 
The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
This medicine does not require any special storage conditions.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to 
throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help to protect the environment.

6. Contents of the pack and other information

What Brilique contains 
 The active substance is ticagrelor. Each film-coated tablet contains 60 mg of ticagrelor.

 The other ingredients are:
Tablet core: mannitol (E421), calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate, sodium starch 
glycolate type A, hydroxypropylcellulose (E463), magnesium stearate (E470b).

Tablet film-coating: hypromellose (E464), titanium dioxide (E171), macrogol 400, iron
oxide black (E172), iron oxide red (E172).

What Brilique looks like and contents of the pack
Film-coated tablet (tablet): The tablets are round, biconvex, pink, film-coated marked with a “60” 
above “T” on one side.

Brilique is available in:
 standard blisters (with sun/moon symbols) in cartons of 60 and 180 tablets
 calendar blisters (with sun/moon symbols) in cartons of 14, 56 and 168 tablets 

Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer

Marketing Authorisation Holder:
AstraZeneca AB
SE-151 85 Södertälje

http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Template_or_form/2013/03/WC500139752.doc


96

Sweden

Manufacturer:
AstraZeneca AB
Gärtunavägen
SE-151 85 Södertälje
Sweden

Manufacturer:
AstraZeneca UK Limited
Silk Road Business Park
Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 2NA
United Kingdom

For any information about this medicine, please contact the local representative of the Marketing 
Authorisation Holder:

België/Belgique/Belgien
AstraZeneca S.A./N.V.
Tel: +32 2 370 48 11

Lietuva
UAB AstraZeneca Lietuva
Tel: +370 5 2660550

България
АстраЗенека България ЕООД
Teл.: +359 2 44 55 000

Luxembourg/Luxemburg
AstraZeneca S.A./N.V.
Tél/Tel: +32 2 370 48 11

Česká republika
AstraZeneca Czech Republic s.r.o
Tel: +420 222 807 111

Magyarország
AstraZeneca Kft.
Tel.: +36 1 883 6500

Danmark
AstraZeneca A/S
Tlf: +45 43 66 64 62

Malta
Associated Drug Co. Ltd
Tel: +356 2277 8000

Deutschland
AstraZeneca GmbH
Tel: +49 41 03 7080

Nederland
AstraZeneca BV
Tel: +31 79 363 2222

Eesti
AstraZeneca
Tel: +372 6549 600

Norge
AstraZeneca AS
Tlf: +47 21 00 64 00

Ελλάδα
AstraZeneca A.E.
Τηλ: +30 2 106871500

Österreich
AstraZeneca Österreich GmbH
Tel: +43 1 711 31 0

España
AstraZeneca Farmacéutica Spain, S.A.
Tel: +34 91 301 91 00

Polska
AstraZeneca Pharma Poland Sp. z o.o.
Tel.: +48 22 245 73 00

France
AstraZeneca
Tél: +33 1 41 29 40 00

Portugal
AstraZeneca Produtos Farmacêuticos, Lda.
Tel: +351 21 434 61 00



97

Hrvatska
AstraZeneca d.o.o.
Tel: +385 1 4628 000

România
AstraZeneca Pharma SRL
Tel: +40 21 317 60 41

Ireland
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals (Ireland) DAC
Tel: +353 1609 7100

Slovenija
AstraZeneca UK Limited
Tel: +386 1 51 35 600

Ísland
Vistor hf.
Sími: +354 535 7000

Slovenská republika
AstraZeneca AB, o.z.
Tel: +421 2 5737 7777

Italia
AstraZeneca S.p.A.
Tel: +39 02 9801 1

Suomi/Finland
AstraZeneca Oy
Puh/Tel: +358 10 23 010

Κύπρος
Αλέκτωρ Φαρµακευτική Λτδ
Τηλ: +357 22490305

Sverige
AstraZeneca AB
Tel: +46 8 553 26 000

Latvija
SIA AstraZeneca Latvija
Tel: +371 67377100

United Kingdom
AstraZeneca UK Ltd
Tel: +44 1582 836 836

This leaflet was last revised in

Other sources of information
Detailed information on this medicine is available on the European Medicines Agency web site: 
http://www.ema.europa.eu.

http://www.ema.europa.eu/


98

Package leaflet: Information for the user

Brilique 90 mg film-coated tablets
ticagrelor

Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains 
important information for you.
- Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again. 
- If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
- This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm 

them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
- If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side 

effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

What is in this leaflet
1. What Brilique is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you take Brilique
3. How to take Brilique
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Brilique
6. Contents of the pack and other information

1. What Brilique is and what it is used for 

What Brilique is
Brilique contains an active substance called ticagrelor. This belongs to a group of medicines called 
antiplatelet medicines.

What Brilique is used for
Brilique in combination with acetylsalicylic acid (another antiplatelet agent) is to be used in adults 
only. You have been given this medicine because you have had:

 a heart attack, or
 unstable angina (angina or chest pain that is not well controlled).

It reduces the chances of you having another heart attack, stroke or dying from a disease related to 
your heart or blood vessels.

How Brilique works
Brilique affects cells called ‘platelets’ (also called thrombocytes). These very small blood cells 
help stop bleeding by clumping together to plug tiny holes in blood vessels that are cut or 
damaged. 

However, platelets can also form clots inside diseased blood vessels in the heart and brain. This can 
be very dangerous because:

 the clot can cut off the blood supply completely; this can cause a heart attack (myocardial 
infarction) or stroke, or

 the clot can partly block the blood vessels to the heart; this reduces the blood flow to the 
heart and can cause chest pain which comes and goes (called ‘unstable angina’).

Brilique helps stop the clumping of platelets. This reduces the chance of a blood clot forming that 
can reduce blood flow.



99

2. What you need to know before you take Brilique

Do not take Brilique if:
 You are allergic to ticagrelor or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in 

section 6).
 You are bleeding now.
 You have had a stroke caused by bleeding in the brain.
 You have severe liver disease.
 You are taking any of the following medicines: 

- ketoconazole (used to treat fungal infections) 
- clarithromycin (used to treat bacterial infections) 
- nefazodone (an antidepressant)
- ritonavir and atazanavir (used to treat HIV infection and AIDS)

Do not take Brilique if any of the above applies to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or 
pharmacist before taking this medicine.

Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Brilique if:

 You have an increased risk of bleeding because of:
- a recent serious injury
- recent surgery (including dental work, ask your dentist about this)
- you have a condition that affects blood clotting
- recent bleeding from your stomach or gut (such as a stomach ulcer or colon ‘polyps’)

 You are due to have surgery (including dental work) at any time while taking Brilique. This 
is because of the increased risk of bleeding. Your doctor may want you to stop taking this 
medicine 5 days prior to surgery.

 Your heart rate is abnormally low (usually lower than 60 beats per minute) and you do not 
already have in place a device that paces your heart (pacemaker).

 You have asthma or other lung problems or breathing difficulties.
 You have had any problems with your liver or have previously had any disease which may 

have affected your liver.
 You have had a blood test that showed more than the usual amount of uric acid.

If any of the above apply to you (or you are not sure), talk to your doctor or pharmacist before 
taking this medicine.

If you are taking both Brilique and heparin:
 Your doctor may require a sample of your blood for diagnostic tests if they suspect a rare 

platelet disorder caused by heparin. It is important that you inform your doctor that you are 
taking both Brilique and heparin, as Brilique may affect the diagnostic test.

Children and adolescents
Brilique is not recommended for children and adolescents under 18 years.

Other medicines and Brilique
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other 
medicines. This is because Brilique can affect the way some medicines work and some medicines 
can have an effect on Brilique.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines:
 more than 40 mg daily of either simvastatin or lovastatin (medicines used to treat high 

cholesterol)
 rifampicin (an antibiotic) 



100

 phenytoin, carbamazepine and phenobarbital (used to control seizures) 
 digoxin (used to treat heart failure) 
 cyclosporine (used to lessen your body’s defenses) 
 quinidine and diltiazem (used to treat abnormal heart rhythms) 
 beta blockers and verapamil (used to treat high blood pressure)
 morphine and other opioids (used to treat severe pain)

In particular, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines that 
increase your risk of bleeding:

 ‘oral anticoagulants’ often referred to as ‘blood thinners’ which include warfarin.
 Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (abbreviated as NSAIDs) often taken as painkillers 

such as ibuprofen and naproxen.
 Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (abbreviated as SSRIs) taken as antidepressants 

such as paroxetine, sertraline and citalopram.
 other medicines such as ketoconazole (used to treat fungal infections), clarithromycin (used 

to treat bacterial infections), nefazodone (an antidepressant), ritonavir and atazanavir (used 
to treat HIV infection and AIDS), cisapride (used to treat heartburn), ergot alkaloids (used to 
treat migraines and headaches).

Also tell your doctor that because you are taking Brilique, you may have an increased risk of 
bleeding if your doctor gives you fibrinolytics, often called ‘clot dissolvers’, such as streptokinase 
or alteplase.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding
It is not recommended to use Brilique if you are pregnant or may become pregnant. Women should 
use appropriate contraceptive measures to avoid pregnancy while taking this medicine.

Talk to your doctor before taking this medicine if you are breast-feeding. Your doctor will discuss 
with you the benefits and risks of taking Brilique during this time.

If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, 
ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.

Driving and using machines
Brilique is not likely to affect your ability to drive or use machines. If you feel dizzy or confused
while taking this medicine, be careful while driving or using machines.

Sodium content
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per dose, that is to say it is essentially 
‘sodium-free’.

3. How to take Brilique

Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or 
pharmacist if you are not sure.

How much to take
 The starting dose is two tablets at the same time (loading dose of 180 mg). This dose will 

usually be given to you in the hospital.
 After this starting dose, the usual dose is one tablet of 90 mg twice a day for up to 12 months 

unless your doctor tells you differently. 



101

 Take this medicine around the same time every day (for example, one tablet in the morning 
and one in the evening).

Taking Brilique with other medicines for blood clotting
Your doctor will usually also tell you to take acetylsalicylic acid. This is a substance present in 
many medicines used to prevent blood clotting. Your doctor will tell you how much to take 
(usually between 75-150 mg daily).

How to take Brilique
 You can take the tablet with or without food.
 You can check when you last took a tablet of Brilique by looking on the blister. There is a 

sun (for the morning) and a moon (for the evening). This will tell you whether you have 
taken the dose.

If you have trouble swallowing the tablet
If you have trouble swallowing the tablet you can crush it and mix with water as follows:

 Crush the tablet to a fine powder.
 Pour the powder into half a glass of water.
 Stir and drink immediately.
 To make sure there is no medicine left, rinse the empty glass with another half a glass of 

water and drink it.
If you are in the hospital you may be given this tablet mixed with some water and given through a 
tube via the nose (nasogastric tube).  

If you take more Brilique than you should
If you take more Brilique than you should, talk to a doctor or go to hospital straight away. Take the 
medicine pack with you. You may be at increased risk of bleeding.

If you forget to take Brilique
 If you forget to take a dose, just take your next dose as normal. 
 Do not take a double dose (two doses at the same time) to make up for the forgotten dose.

If you stop taking Brilique
Do not stop taking Brilique without talking to your doctor. Take this medicine on a regular basis 
and for as long as your doctor keeps prescribing it. If you stop taking Brilique, it may increase your 
chances of having another heart attack or stroke or dying from a disease related to your heart or 
blood vessels.

If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

4. Possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. The 
following side effects may happen with this medicine:

Brilique affects blood clotting, so most side effects are related to bleeding. Bleeding may occur in 
any part of the body. Some bleeding is common (like bruising and nosebleeds). Severe bleeding is 
uncommon but can be life threatening.

See a doctor straight away if you notice any of the following – you may need urgent medical 
treatment:



102

 Bleeding into the brain or inside the skull is an uncommon side effect, and may cause 
signs of a stroke such as:
- sudden numbness or weakness of your arm, leg or face, especially if only on one side of 

the body
- sudden confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding others
- sudden difficulty in walking or loss of balance or co-ordination
- suddenly feeling dizzy or sudden severe headache with no known cause

 Signs of bleeding such as: 
- bleeding that is severe or that you cannot control
- unexpected bleeding or bleeding that lasts a long time
- pink, red or brown urine
- vomiting red blood or your vomit looks like ‘coffee grounds’
- red or black stools (look like tar)
- coughing up or vomiting blood clots

 Fainting (syncope)
- a temporary loss of consciousness due to sudden drop in blood flow to the brain

(common)

 Signs of a blood clotting problem called Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) 
such as:
- fever and purplish spots (called purpura) on the skin or in the mouth, with or without 

yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), unexplained extreme tiredness or confusion

Discuss with your doctor if you notice any of the following:
 Feeling short of breath - this is very common. It might be due to your heart disease or 

another cause, or it might be a side effect of Brilique. Brilique-related breathlessness is 
generally mild and characterised as a sudden, unexpected hunger for air usually occurring at 
rest and may appear in the first weeks of therapy and for many may disappear. If your feeling 
of shortness of breath gets worse or lasts a long time, tell your doctor. Your doctor will 
decide if it needs treatment or further investigations.

Other possible side effects

Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
 High level of uric acid in your blood (as seen in tests)
 Bleeding caused by blood disorders

Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
 Bruising
 Headache
 Feeling dizzy or like the room is spinning
 Diarrhoea or indigestion
 Feeling sick (nausea)
 Constipation
 Rash
 Itching
 Severe pain and swelling in your joints – these are signs of gout 
 Feeling dizzy or light-headed, or having blurred vision – these are signs of low blood 

pressure



103

 Nosebleed
 Bleeding after surgery or from cuts (for example while shaving) and wounds more than is 

normal
 Bleeding from your stomach lining (ulcer)
 Bleeding gums

Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
 Allergic reaction – a rash, itching or a swollen face or swollen lips/tongue may be signs of 

an allergic reaction
 Confusion
 Visual problems caused by blood in your eye
 Vaginal bleeding that is heavier, or happens at different times, than your normal period 

(menstrual) bleeding
 Bleeding into your joints and muscles causing painful swelling
 Blood in your ear
 Internal bleeding, this may cause dizziness or light-headedness

Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side 
effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the national reporting 
system listed in Appendix V. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on 
the safety of this medicine.

5. How to store Brilique

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the blister and carton after EXP. 
The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
This medicine does not require any special storage conditions.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to 
throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help to protect the environment.

6. Contents of the pack and other information

What Brilique contains 
 The active substance is ticagrelor. Each film-coated tablet contains 90 mg of ticagrelor.

 The other ingredients are:
Tablet core: mannitol (E421), calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate, sodium starch 
glycolate type A, hydroxypropylcellulose (E463), magnesium stearate (E470b).

Tablet film-coating: hypromellose (E464), titanium dioxide (E171), talc, macrogol 400, iron 
oxide yellow (E172).

What Brilique looks like and contents of the pack
Film-coated tablet (tablet): The tablets are round, biconvex, yellow, film-coated marked with a 
“90” above “T” on one side.

Brilique is available in:
 standard blisters (with sun/moon symbols) in cartons of 60 and 180 tablets
 calendar blisters (with sun/moon symbols) in cartons of 14, 56 and 168 tablets 

http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Template_or_form/2013/03/WC500139752.doc


104

 perforated unit-dosed blisters in a carton of 100x1 tablets 
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer

Marketing Authorisation Holder:
AstraZeneca AB
SE-151 85 Södertälje
Sweden

Manufacturer:
AstraZeneca AB
Gärtunavägen
SE-151 85 Södertälje
Sweden

Manufacturer:
AstraZeneca UK Limited
Silk Road Business Park
Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 2NA
United Kingdom

For any information about this medicine, please contact the local representative of the Marketing 
Authorisation Holder:

België/Belgique/Belgien
AstraZeneca S.A./N.V.
Tel: +32 2 370 48 11

Lietuva
UAB AstraZeneca Lietuva
Tel: +370 5 2660550

България
АстраЗенека България ЕООД
Teл.: +359 2 44 55 000

Luxembourg/Luxemburg
AstraZeneca S.A./N.V.
Tél/Tel: +32 2 370 48 11

Česká republika
AstraZeneca Czech Republic s.r.o
Tel: +420 222 807 111

Magyarország
AstraZeneca Kft.
Tel.: +36 1 883 6500

Danmark
AstraZeneca A/S
Tlf: +45 43 66 64 62

Malta
Associated Drug Co. Ltd
Tel: +356 2277 8000

Deutschland
AstraZeneca GmbH
Tel: +49 41 03 7080

Nederland
AstraZeneca BV
Tel: +31 79 363 2222

Eesti
AstraZeneca
Tel: +372 6549 600

Norge
AstraZeneca AS
Tlf: +47 21 00 64 00

Ελλάδα
AstraZeneca A.E.
Τηλ: +30 2 106871500

Österreich
AstraZeneca Österreich GmbH
Tel: +43 1 711 31 0



105

España
AstraZeneca Farmacéutica Spain, S.A.
Tel: +34 91 301 91 00

Polska
AstraZeneca Pharma Poland Sp. z o.o.
Tel.: +48 22 245 73 00

France
AstraZeneca
Tél: +33 1 41 29 40 00

Portugal
AstraZeneca Produtos Farmacêuticos, Lda.
Tel: +351 21 434 61 00

Hrvatska
AstraZeneca d.o.o.
Tel: +385 1 4628 000

România
AstraZeneca Pharma SRL
Tel: +40 21 317 60 41

Ireland
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals (Ireland) DAC
Tel: +353 1609 7100

Slovenija
AstraZeneca UK Limited
Tel: +386 1 51 35 600

Ísland
Vistor hf.
Sími: +354 535 7000

Slovenská republika
AstraZeneca AB, o.z.
Tel: +421 2 5737 7777

Italia
AstraZeneca S.p.A.
Tel: +39 02 9801 1

Suomi/Finland
AstraZeneca Oy
Puh/Tel: +358 10 23 010

Κύπρος
Αλέκτωρ Φαρµακευτική Λτδ
Τηλ: +357 22490305

Sverige
AstraZeneca AB
Tel: +46 8 553 26 000

Latvija
SIA AstraZeneca Latvija
Tel: +371 67377100

United Kingdom
AstraZeneca UK Ltd
Tel: +44 1582 836 836

This leaflet was last revised in

Other sources of information

Detailed information on this medicine is available on the European Medicines Agency web site: 
http://www.ema.europa.eu.

http://www.ema.europa.eu/


106

Package leaflet: Information for the user

Brilique 90 mg orodispersible tablets
ticagrelor

Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains 
important information for you.
- Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again. 
- If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
- This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm 

them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
- If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side 

effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

What is in this leaflet
1. What Brilique is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you take Brilique
3. How to take Brilique
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Brilique
6. Contents of the pack and other information

1. What Brilique is and what it is used for 

What Brilique is
Brilique contains an active substance called ticagrelor. This belongs to a group of medicines called 
antiplatelet medicines.

What Brilique is used for
Brilique in combination with acetylsalicylic acid (another antiplatelet agent) is to be used in adults 
only. You have been given this medicine because you have had:

 a heart attack, or
 unstable angina (angina or chest pain that is not well controlled).

It reduces the chances of you having another heart attack, stroke or dying from a disease related to 
your heart or blood vessels.

How Brilique works
Brilique affects cells called ‘platelets’ (also called thrombocytes). These very small blood cells 
help stop bleeding by clumping together to plug tiny holes in blood vessels that are cut or 
damaged. 

However, platelets can also form clots inside diseased blood vessels in the heart and brain. This can 
be very dangerous because:

 the clot can cut off the blood supply completely; this can cause a heart attack (myocardial 
infarction) or stroke, or

 the clot can partly block the blood vessels to the heart; this reduces the blood flow to the 
heart and can cause chest pain which comes and goes (called ‘unstable angina’).

Brilique helps stop the clumping of platelets. This reduces the chance of a blood clot forming that 
can reduce blood flow.



107

2. What you need to know before you take Brilique

Do not take Brilique if:
 You are allergic to ticagrelor or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in 

section 6).
 You are bleeding now.
 You have had a stroke caused by bleeding in the brain.
 You have severe liver disease.
 You are taking any of the following medicines: 

- ketoconazole (used to treat fungal infections) 
- clarithromycin (used to treat bacterial infections) 
- nefazodone (an antidepressant)
- ritonavir and atazanavir (used to treat HIV infection and AIDS)

Do not take Brilique if any of the above applies to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or 
pharmacist before taking this medicine.

Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Brilique if:

 You have an increased risk of bleeding because of:
- a recent serious injury
- recent surgery (including dental work, ask your dentist about this)
- you have a condition that affects blood clotting
- recent bleeding from your stomach or gut (such as a stomach ulcer or colon ‘polyps’)

 You are due to have surgery (including dental work) at any time while taking Brilique. This 
is because of the increased risk of bleeding. Your doctor may want you to stop taking this 
medicine 5 days prior to surgery.

 Your heart rate is abnormally low (usually lower than 60 beats per minute) and you do not 
already have in place a device that paces your heart (pacemaker).

 You have asthma or other lung problems or breathing difficulties.
 You have had any problems with your liver or have previously had any disease which may 

have affected your liver.
 You have had a blood test that showed more than the usual amount of uric acid.

If any of the above apply to you (or you are not sure), talk to your doctor or pharmacist before 
taking this medicine.

If you are taking both Brilique and heparin:
 Your doctor may require a sample of your blood for diagnostic tests if they suspect a rare 

platelet disorder caused by heparin. It is important that you inform your doctor that you are 
taking both Brilique and heparin, as Brilique may affect the diagnostic test.

Children and adolescents
Brilique is not recommended for children and adolescents under 18 years.

Other medicines and Brilique
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other 
medicines. This is because Brilique can affect the way some medicines work and some medicines 
can have an effect on Brilique.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines:
 more than 40 mg daily of either simvastatin or lovastatin (medicines used to treat high 

cholesterol)
 rifampicin (an antibiotic) 



108

 phenytoin, carbamazepine and phenobarbital (used to control seizures) 
 digoxin (used to treat heart failure) 
 cyclosporine (used to lessen your body’s defenses)
 quinidine and diltiazem (used to treat abnormal heart rhythms) 
 beta blockers and verapamil (used to treat high blood pressure)
 morphine and other opioids (used to treat severe pain)

In particular, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines that 
increase your risk of bleeding:

 ‘oral anticoagulants’ often referred to as ‘blood thinners’ which include warfarin.
 Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (abbreviated as NSAIDs) often taken as painkillers 

such as ibuprofen and naproxen.
 Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (abbreviated as SSRIs) taken as antidepressants 

such as paroxetine, sertraline and citalopram.
 other medicines such as ketoconazole (used to treat fungal infections), clarithromycin (used 

to treat bacterial infections), nefazodone (an antidepressant), ritonavir and atazanavir (used 
to treat HIV infection and AIDS), cisapride (used to treat heartburn), ergot alkaloids (used to 
treat migraines and headaches).

Also tell your doctor that because you are taking Brilique, you may have an increased risk of 
bleeding if your doctor gives you fibrinolytics, often called ‘clot dissolvers’, such as streptokinase 
or alteplase.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding
It is not recommended to use Brilique if you are pregnant or may become pregnant. Women should 
use appropriate contraceptive measures to avoid pregnancy while taking this medicine.

Talk to your doctor before taking this medicine if you are breast-feeding. Your doctor will discuss 
with you the benefits and risks of taking Brilique during this time.

If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, 
ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.

Driving and using machines
Brilique is not likely to affect your ability to drive or use machines. If you feel dizzy or confused 
while taking this medicine, be careful while driving or using machines.

Sodium content
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per dose, that is to say that it is 
essentially ‘sodium-free’.

3. How to take Brilique

Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or 
pharmacist if you are not sure.

How much to take
 The starting dose is two tablets at the same time (loading dose of 180 mg). This dose will 

usually be given to you in the hospital.
 After this starting dose, the usual dose is one tablet of 90 mg twice a day for up to 12 months 

unless your doctor tells you differently. 



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 Take this medicine around the same time every day (for example, one tablet in the morning 
and one in the evening).

Taking Brilique with other medicines for blood clotting
Your doctor will usually also tell you to take acetylsalicylic acid. This is a substance present in 
many medicines used to prevent blood clotting. Your doctor will tell you how much to take 
(usually between 75-150 mg daily).

How to take Brilique
Do not open the blister until it is time to take your medicine.

 To take out the tablet, tear open the blister foil - do not push it through the foil because the 
tablet may break.

 Put the tablet on your tongue and let it disintegrate. 
 You can then swallow it with or without water.
 You can take the tablet with or without food.

If you are in the hospital you may be given this tablet mixed with some water and given through a 
tube via the nose (nasogastric tube).  

If you take more Brilique than you should
If you take more Brilique than you should, talk to a doctor or go to hospital straight away. Take the 
medicine pack with you. You may be at increased risk of bleeding.

If you forget to take Brilique
 If you forget to take a dose, just take your next dose as normal. 
 Do not take a double dose (two doses at the same time) to make up for the forgotten dose.

If you stop taking Brilique
Do not stop taking Brilique without talking to your doctor. Take this medicine on a regular basis 
and for as long as your doctor keeps prescribing it. If you stop taking Brilique, it may increase your 
chances of having another heart attack or stroke or dying from a disease related to your heart or 
blood vessels.

If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

4. Possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. The 
following side effects may happen with this medicine:

Brilique affects blood clotting, so most side effects are related to bleeding. Bleeding may occur in 
any part of the body. Some bleeding is common (like bruising and nosebleeds). Severe bleeding is 
uncommon but can be life threatening.

See a doctor straight away if you notice any of the following – you may need urgent medical 
treatment:

 Bleeding into the brain or inside the skull is an uncommon side effect, and may cause 
signs of a stroke such as:
- sudden numbness or weakness of your arm, leg or face, especially if only on one side of 

the body
- sudden confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding others
- sudden difficulty in walking or loss of balance or co-ordination
- suddenly feeling dizzy or sudden severe headache with no known cause



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 Signs of bleeding such as: 
- bleeding that is severe or that you cannot control
- unexpected bleeding or bleeding that lasts a long time
- pink, red or brown urine
- vomiting red blood or your vomit looks like ‘coffee grounds’
- red or black stools (look like tar)
- coughing up or vomiting blood clots

 Fainting (syncope)
- a temporary loss of consciousness due to sudden drop in blood flow to the brain

(common)

 Signs of a blood clotting problem called Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) 
such as:
- fever and purplish spots (called purpura) on the skin or in the mouth, with or without 

yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), unexplained extreme tiredness or confusion

Discuss with your doctor if you notice any of the following:
 Feeling short of breath - this is very common. It might be due to your heart disease or 

another cause, or it might be a side effect of Brilique. Brilique-related breathlessness is 
generally mild and characterised as a sudden, unexpected hunger for air usually occurring at 
rest and may appear in the first weeks of therapy and for many may disappear. If your feeling 
of shortness of breath gets worse or lasts a long time, tell your doctor. Your doctor will 
decide if it needs treatment or further investigations.

Other possible side effects

Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
 High level of uric acid in your blood (as seen in tests)
 Bleeding caused by blood disorders

Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
 Bruising
 Headache
 Feeling dizzy or like the room is spinning
 Diarrhoea or indigestion
 Feeling sick (nausea)
 Constipation
 Rash
 Itching
 Severe pain and swelling in your joints – these are signs of gout 
 Feeling dizzy or light-headed, or having blurred vision – these are signs of low blood 

pressure
 Nosebleed
 Bleeding after surgery or from cuts (for example while shaving) and wounds more than is 

normal
 Bleeding from your stomach lining (ulcer)
 Bleeding gums

Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)



111

 Allergic reaction – a rash, itching or a swollen face or swollen lips/tongue may be signs of 
an allergic reaction

 Confusion
 Visual problems caused by blood in your eye
 Vaginal bleeding that is heavier, or happens at different times, than your normal period 

(menstrual) bleeding
 Bleeding into your joints and muscles causing painful swelling
 Blood in your ear
 Internal bleeding, this may cause dizziness or light-headedness

Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side 
effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the national reporting 
system listed in Appendix V. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on 
the safety of this medicine.

5. How to store Brilique

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the blister and carton after EXP. 
The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
This medicine does not require any special storage conditions.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to 
throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help to protect the environment.

6. Contents of the pack and other information

What Brilique contains 
 The active substance is ticagrelor. Each orodispersible tablet contains 90 mg of ticagrelor.

 The other ingredients are:
mannitol (E421), microcrystalline cellulose (E460), crospovidone (E1202), xylitol (E967), 
anhydrous calcium hydrogen phosphate (E341), sodium stearyl fumarate, 
hydroxypropylcellulose (E463), colloidal anhydrous silica.

What Brilique looks like and contents of the pack
The orodispersible tablets are round, flat, bevelled edged, white to pale pink, marked with a “90” 
above “TI” on one side.

Brilique is available in:
 perforated unit dose blisters in cartons of 10 x 1, 56 x 1 and 60 x 1 orodispersible tablets. 

Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer

Marketing Authorisation Holder:
AstraZeneca AB
SE-151 85 Södertälje
Sweden

Manufacturer:

http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Template_or_form/2013/03/WC500139752.doc


112

AstraZeneca AB
Gärtunavägen
SE-151 85 Södertälje
Sweden

Manufacturer:
AstraZeneca UK Limited
Silk Road Business Park
Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 2NA
United Kingdom

For any information about this medicine, please contact the local representative of the Marketing 
Authorisation Holder:

België/Belgique/Belgien
AstraZeneca S.A./N.V.
Tel: +32 2 370 48 11

Lietuva
UAB AstraZeneca Lietuva
Tel: +370 5 2660550

България
АстраЗенека България ЕООД
Teл.: +359 2 44 55 000

Luxembourg/Luxemburg
AstraZeneca S.A./N.V.
Tél/Tel: +32 2 370 48 11

Česká republika
AstraZeneca Czech Republic s.r.o
Tel: +420 222 807 111

Magyarország
AstraZeneca Kft.
Tel.: +36 1 883 6500

Danmark
AstraZeneca A/S
Tlf: +45 43 66 64 62

Malta
Associated Drug Co. Ltd
Tel: +356 2277 8000

Deutschland
AstraZeneca GmbH
Tel: +49 41 03 7080

Nederland
AstraZeneca BV
Tel: +31 79 363 2222

Eesti
AstraZeneca
Tel: +372 6549 600

Norge
AstraZeneca AS
Tlf: +47 21 00 64 00

Ελλάδα
AstraZeneca A.E.
Τηλ: +30 2 106871500

Österreich
AstraZeneca Österreich GmbH
Tel: +43 1 711 31 0

España
AstraZeneca Farmacéutica Spain, S.A.
Tel: +34 91 301 91 00

Polska
AstraZeneca Pharma Poland Sp. z o.o.
Tel.: +48 22 245 73 00

France
AstraZeneca
Tél: +33 1 41 29 40 00

Portugal
AstraZeneca Produtos Farmacêuticos, Lda.
Tel: +351 21 434 61 00

Hrvatska
AstraZeneca d.o.o.

România
AstraZeneca Pharma SRL



113

Tel: +385 1 4628 000 Tel: +40 21 317 60 41

Ireland
AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals (Ireland) DAC
Tel: +353 1609 7100

Slovenija
AstraZeneca UK Limited
Tel: +386 1 51 35 600

Ísland
Vistor hf.
Sími: +354 535 7000

Slovenská republika
AstraZeneca AB, o.z.
Tel: +421 2 5737 7777

Italia
AstraZeneca S.p.A.
Tel: +39 02 9801 1

Suomi/Finland
AstraZeneca Oy
Puh/Tel: +358 10 23 010

Κύπρος
Αλέκτωρ Φαρµακευτική Λτδ
Τηλ: +357 22490305

Sverige
AstraZeneca AB
Tel: +46 8 553 26 000

Latvija
SIA AstraZeneca Latvija
Tel: +371 67377100

United Kingdom
AstraZeneca UK Ltd
Tel: +44 1582 836 836

This leaflet was last revised in

Other sources of information

Detailed information on this medicine is available on the European Medicines Agency web site: 
http://www.ema.europa.eu.

http://www.ema.europa.eu/


114


	SUMMARY OF PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS
	A.  MANUFACTURER(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR BATCH RELEASE
	B. CONDITIONS OR RESTRICTIONS REGARDING SUPPLY AND USE
	C.  OTHER CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE MARKETING AUTHORISATION
	D.  CONDITIONS OR RESTRICTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE USE OF THE MEDICINAL PRODUCT
	A. LABELLING
	B. PACKAGE LEAFLET