Company That Makes Yaz Birth Control Pills Seeking Blood-Thinner Approval

Berlin, GermanyBayer, the drug company that makes Yaz birth control pills, has reportedly submitted an application that seeks authorization to sell a new blood-thinning drug throughout the European Union, The Associated Press reports.

span itemprop="image" itemscope itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject" style="display:block">The company said recently that it is looking for approval from the European Medicines Agency to sell Rivaroxaban, which is designed to prevent strokes in people with a common heart rhythm issue. The drug is also reportedly aimed at treating patients with deep vein thrombosis, the news source said.

According to the US National Library of Medicine, deep vein thrombosis is defined as "a blood clot that forms in a vein deep in the body" and can cause a pulmonary embolism, stroke or heart attack.

Rivaroxaban is being developed by both Bayer HealthCare and New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson, according to the news provider.

The drug is pending approval from the US Food and Drug Administration and would be sold by Johnson & Johnson's Ortho-McNeil division in the US. Bayer will reportedly be responsible for marketing the drug outside of the US.