CardioExchange Archive

January 31st, 2014

A (Not So) New Drug Landscape for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

John Ryan, MD

John Ryan offers a primer on three newly approved drugs for pulmonary arterial hypertension.

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October 18th, 2013

FDA Approves New Pulmonary Hypertension Drug from Actelion

Larry Husten, PHD

The FDA today approved macitentan (Opsumit, Actelion), a new oral endothelin-receptor antagonist that is an enhanced version of the company’s bosentan (Tracleer). The drug is indicated to delay disease progression in patients who have pulmonary arterial hypertension (WHO Group I). Last August the results of the pivotal phase 3 trial, SERAPHIN (Study with an Endothelin Receptor Antagonist in Pulmonary […]

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September 11th, 2013

A New Standard For Pulmonary Hypertension Trials

John Ryan, MD

Recently the New England Journal of Medicine published the SERAPHIN trial studying the effects of macitentan, a new endothelin receptor antagonist, in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). This was a well-conducted study in 742 patients with PAH randomized to placebo, a low dose of macitentan (3mg once a day) and a high dose of macitentan (10mg once […]

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August 28th, 2013

New Drug Found Safe and Effective in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension — But Does It Save Lives?

Larry Husten, PHD

Macitentan, a new drug for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), appears to be safe and effective, but it is unclear whether it offers any significant advantages over currently available drugs.  The drug, a dual endothelin-receptor antagonist, is under development from Actelion as an enhanced version of bosentan (Tracleer). The results of a phase 3 trial, SERAPHIN (Study with an Endothelin […]

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