The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given green signal to AstraZeneca for 60mg dose of its Brilinta (ticagrelor) tablets for thinning blood. Patients having a history of heart attack or acute coronary syndrome (ACS) can take the drug.

Ticagrelor tablets together with low-dose aspirin were tested in the study, compared with placebo plus low dose aspirin, for the prevention of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death in long term in patients who had suffered a heart attack 1 to 3 years prior to study enrollment. According to the company, physicians have been asking for the study.

FDA has approved only the 60mg dose for patients with a history of myocardial infarction for over 12 months. According to experts, the increased usage will assist in increasing the sales of the drug.

AstraZeneca told that patients who have had heart attack can be prescribed the drug for more than twelve months. The drug is used for prevention of blood clots that can lead to heart attacks, strokes and deaths. Brilinta’s sales increased 38% to $144 million in the second quarter.

According to Antoine Yver, head of oncology in global medicines development at AstraZeneca, “AZD9291 is moving through clinical development with unprecedented speed, and was recently granted US priority review designation”.

The British drugmaker looks forward to selling more Brilinta as it is the company’s priority. Last year, when the company was in a takeover fight with Pfizer, it forecast that the drug’s annual sales could reach $3.5 billion by 2023.