Two medicines, side by side
Eptifibatide vs tirofiban
Eptifibatide and tirofiban are both labeled for heart attack and coronary artery disease. Drugs@FDA records approvals of eptifibatide since 1998 and of tirofiban since 1998. How each works, in its label's words: Eptifibatide, “Eptifibatide reversibly inhibits platelet aggregation by preventing the binding of fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor, and other adhesive ligands to GP IIb/IIIa.”; Tirofiban, “AGGRASTAT is a reversible antagonist of fibrinogen binding to the GP IIb/IIIa receptor, the major platelet surface receptor involved in platelet aggregation.”
Check it at the source: the eptifibatide FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 28, 2021); the tirofiban FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 1, 2025).
Highlights of the eptifibatide record
Eptifibatide (Integrilin) · label of May 28, 2021
Used for
From the label: indicationsEptifibatide injection is a platelet aggregation inhibitor indicated for: • Treatment of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) managed medically or with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) ( 1.1 ) • Treatment of patients undergoing PCI (including intracoronary stenting) ( 1.2 ) 1.1 Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) Eptifibatide injection is indicated to decrease the rate of a combined endpoint of death or new myocardial […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- May 18, 1998
- Generic labelers
- 8 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- Not in the survey
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 3
Highlights of the tirofiban record
Tirofiban (Aggrastat) · label of January 1, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsAGGRASTAT® is indicated to reduce the rate of thrombotic cardiovascular events (combined endpoint of death, myocardial infarction, or refractory ischemia/repeat cardiac procedure) in patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- May 14, 1998
- Generic labelers
- 4 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- Not in the survey
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 2
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Eptifibatide label of May 28, 2021, Tirofiban label of January 1, 2025); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do eptifibatide and tirofiban differ on the record?
How each works, in its label's words: Eptifibatide, “Eptifibatide reversibly inhibits platelet aggregation by preventing the binding of fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor, and other adhesive ligands to GP IIb/IIIa.”; Tirofiban, “AGGRASTAT is a reversible antagonist of fibrinogen binding to the GP IIb/IIIa receptor, the major platelet surface receptor involved in platelet aggregation.”
Both are in FDA's class platelet aggregation inhibitors.
Half-life, in each label's words: Eptifibatide, “Plasma elimination half-life is approximately 2.5 hours.”; Tirofiban, “12.3 Pharmacokinetics Tirofiban has a half-life of approximately 2 hours.”
Generics: eptifibatide since 2015; tirofiban since 2021 (Drugs@FDA).
| Eptifibatide | Tirofiban | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Heart attack and coronary artery disease | Heart attack and coronary artery disease |
| Pharmacologic class | Platelet Aggregation Inhibitor | Platelet Aggregation Inhibitor |
| How it works (label) | Eptifibatide reversibly inhibits platelet aggregation by preventing the binding of fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor, and other adhesive ligands to GP IIb/IIIa. | AGGRASTAT is a reversible antagonist of fibrinogen binding to the GP IIb/IIIa receptor, the major platelet surface receptor involved in platelet aggregation. |
| Half-life (label) | Plasma elimination half-life is approximately 2.5 hours. | 12.3 Pharmacokinetics Tirofiban has a half-life of approximately 2 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | May 18, 1998 | May 14, 1998 |
| First generic approved | June 5, 2015 | April 8, 2021 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 8 labelers | 4 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | n/a | n/a |
| 12-month price change | n/a | n/a |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 3 | 2 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 766 | 2,889 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What do the labels say about using others of their kind?
Eptifibatide label, warnings and precautionsUse of Thrombolytics, Anticoagulants, and Other Antiplatelet Agents Risk factors for bleeding include older age, a history of bleeding disorders, and concomitant use of drugs that increase the risk of bleeding (thrombolytics, oral anticoagulants, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and P2Y 12 inhibitors).
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA
What next?
- Alternatives to eptifibatide
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions