Advances in cardiovascular diseases

Todays Headlines from across the DailyUpdates network

Featured Journal Article (from DailyUpdates-Cardiovascular Diseases): Impressive data on Biopure's oxygen therapeutic suggesting the potential for improved treatment of myocardial infarction Oxygen therapeutics are biologic and chemical compounds that are intravenously administered into the circulatory system to enhance oxygen delivery to tissues and organs. Such compounds are required under conditions of anemia or ischemia. Ischemia occurs during a variety of serious and common cardiovascular disorders including myocardial infarction, stroke and peripheral arterial disease. Hemopure (HBOC-201) is an oxygen therapeutic developed by Biopure and approved in South Africa for the treatment of acutely anemic surgical patients. The company is also developing Hemopure for use in trauma and as a cardioprotective agent in ischemic conditions. Hemopure consists of chemically stabilized bovine hemoglobin but compared to whole blood it has a lower viscosity and greater oxygen exchange capacity thus conferring oxygenation at low blood pressure and through partially blocked blood vessels thus enabling reoxygenation of ischemic tissue. Furthermore Hemopure is stable for three years at room temperature contrasting with whole blood that is stable for just 42 days and which must be refrigerated. Conferring further advantages, Hemopure is compatible with all blood types obviating blood typing, testing or cross-matching thus allowing more rapid administration. This is important as it is compatible with faster treatment, potentially while in transit to ERs. Moreover, due to its production process Hemopure holds a much reduced risk of contamination. Today’s featured study tests if Hemopure can decrease infarct size during acute, severe myocardial ischemia and reperfusion. Impressively, when administered 15 minutes into reperfussion in a canine model of coronary ischemia/reperfussion, infarction was dramatically reduced as compared to untreated control while cardiac function was essentially unchanged from baseline. It is hoped that thesed data will support the eventual use of Hemopure as a rapid and effective interevention in patients who have suffered myocardial infarction [Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2006 Apr 14; [Epub ahead of print]]

Featured News Item (from DailyUpdates-Cardiovascular Diseases): CoGenesys cleared to advance long-acting albumin cojugated form of BNP into the clinic as a candidate treatment of chronic heart failure There is a clear need for new treatments for heart failure, as mortality and morbidity rates, although improving, remain high. Heart failure already represents the leading cause of hospitalization for patients over the age of 65 in Western markets and the aging population in these markets will surely lead to growth in the prevalence of the disease and an increase in healthcare expenditure. The late-stage heart failure pipeline is weak in terms of quantity and quality, 81% of products are in Phase I and II of development (see our feature Chronic and Acute Heart Failure). Today’s featured press release announces the imminent Phase I entry of CoGenesys’ Cardeva, a long-acting form of b-type natriuretic peptide (BNP). BNP stimulates cyclic GMP, which is not only a vasodilator but an inhibitor of the progressive heart muscle structural remodeling that leads to progression of heart failure. A short-acting intravenous BNP formulation, NATRECOR (nesiritide; Scios) has already been approved in 2001 for the treatment of acute congestive heart failure however use in chronic heart failure is precluded by the route of administration. Furthermore, two recent publications have raised questions about the safety of NATRECOR with respect to worsening renal function and death. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that Cardeva, a human serum albumin (HSA)-BNP fusion protein, retains the pharmacological profile of BNP peptide but has a greatly extended half-life and long duration of action. Cardeva is hoped to provide improved long-term options to patients in the community [source: CoGenesys]