LONDON (Reuters) - Europe's biggest drugmaker, GlaxoSmithKline Plc, said on Thursday the European Medicines Agency (EMA) had recommended its Arixtra treatment for a new use.

Arixtra -- which GSK acquired last year from Sanofi-Aventis -- is already approved for uses such as preventing deep vein thrombosis in patients undergoing hip or knee surgery.

But GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) said the EMA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) was now recommending Arixtra as a treatment to prevent venous thromboembolic events in patients undergoing abdominal surgery who are judged to be at a high risk of thromboembolic complications.

Recommendations from the CHMP are normally endorsed by the European Commission.

GSK shares closed at 13.56 pounds.

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