Yes, apixaban and Eliquis are the same medication.
Apixaban is the generic (chemical) name of the drug, while Eliquis is the brand name under which it is marketed. 1
Key Points
Same active ingredient: Eliquis tablets contain apixaban as the active pharmaceutical ingredient 1
Marketed by: Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer jointly developed and market apixaban under the brand name Eliquis 2
Bioequivalence: Generic apixaban formulations must demonstrate bioequivalence to the reference product Eliquis, meaning they deliver the same amount of active drug to the bloodstream 3
Clinical Context
When you see "apixaban" in medical literature, guidelines, or prescriptions, it refers to the same medication as Eliquis. The drug is:
- A direct factor Xa inhibitor 1
- Available in 2.5 mg and 5 mg oral tablets 1
- Approved for multiple indications including stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation, treatment of venous thromboembolism, and prophylaxis after hip/knee replacement 1
In practice, prescribers may write either "apixaban" or "Eliquis" on prescriptions, and pharmacies may dispense either the brand-name Eliquis or FDA-approved generic apixaban equivalents - they are therapeutically interchangeable when bioequivalence has been established 3.