By Aimee Look

Bayer said it had positive results in late-stage clinical trials for a drug preventing stroke, after a previous study with the same drug failed to reduce blood-clot formation.

The German pharmaceutical company said Sunday that the once-daily 50mg asundexian medication, when combined with antiplatelet therapy, lowered the risk of stroke in patients during the study. It did so without causing major bleeding, a side effect of other blood thinning medications, Bayer said.

The drug blocks Factor XIa, a protein that contributes to blood clotting, Bayer said.

Bayer said it met the primary objective of the Phase 3 Oceanic-Stroke trial.

It halted a Phase 3 clinical trial last year testing the effectiveness of the experimental drug for stroke and systemic embolism prevention. At the time, the trial's failure dealt a blow to Bayer's pharmaceutical division, as it was expected to bring the division back to growth.

The company said it would work with global health authorities as it prepares marketing authorization applications, and will present the results in detail at an upcoming scientific congress.

Bayer is currently battling a number of case filings, particularly in the U.S., that it said added 1.06 billion euros ($1.22 billion) in charges to last quarter's earnings.

Write to Aimee Look at aimee.look@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

Bayer halted a Phase 3 clinical trial testing the effectiveness of the experimental drug for stroke and systemic embolism prevention in 2023. "Bayer Sees Positive Results in Study for Asundexian as Stroke Treatment," at 0646 GMT, incorrectly said the trial was last year.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 24, 2025 04:41 ET (09:41 GMT)

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