Actelion has announced positive top-line results for a phase III trial of a new oral drug for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The drug, selexipag, is a first-in-class orally available selective prostacyclin IP receptor agonist. The pivotal, double-blind GRIPHON study was the largest outcome trial ever performed in PAH. 1,156 PAH patients were randomized to selexipag or placebo. The company said…
Phase 4 Actelion Study Misses Primary Endpoint
March 17, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Actelion announced today that a phase 4 study with its blockbuster drug bosentan (Tracleer) had failed to meet its primary endpoint. The COMPASS-2 trial was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the effect of bosentan on the time to first confirmed event in patients with symptomatic pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) already receiving treatment with sildenafil. … Click here to read…
Why Is Actelion Suppressing Phase III Data?
December 6, 2013 by 2 Comments
I highly recommend a terrific article by Ian Parker in this week’s New Yorker about Merck’s efforts to develop a novel insomnia drug, suvorexant. Normally I don’t write about non-cardiology topics but I want here to call attention to one small, almost tangential detail buried in the middle of the story. It’s not about the Merck drug but about another orexin antagonist from Actelion, almorexant:…
FDA Approves New Pulmonary Hypertension Drug From Actelion
October 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment
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). … Click here to read the full post on Forbes. …
New Actelion Drug Found Safe And Effective In Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension– But Does It Save Lives?
August 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment
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…
Actelion Executive To Head American College of Cardiology
April 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Shalom “Shal” Jacobovitz will be the new chief executive officer of the American College of Cardiology, the ACC announced today. Jacobovitz is currently the president of the US division of Actelion Pharmaceuticals, best known for its pulmonary hypertension drugs. Click here to read the complete story on Forbes. …
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