Arena Pharmaceuticals Archives - Medical Design Sourcing

The next wave: 10 promising investigational antihypertensive drugs to watch

[Image courtesy of Adobe Stock]

Cardiovascular diseases remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. This review highlights ten promising antihypertensive drug candidates with the potential to address pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), resistant hypertension and uncontrolled hypertension.

Aprocitentan, developed by Janssen NYSE:JNJ) and Idorsia (SIX:IDIA), is an experimental oral drug designed to treat resistant hypertension. As a dual endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA), it effectively blocks the binding of ET-1 to both ET A and ET B receptors. The drug has a low likelihood of interacting with other medications and its mechanism of action is well-suited for treating resistant hypertension. In clinical trials, aprocitentan demonstrated better blood pressure reduction than placebo, with the effects lasting up to week 40, and was generally well-tolerated by patients. (Text continues beneath th…

Pfizer unveils promising data from Phase 3 study of etrasimod in ulcerative colitis

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) has announced that the Phase 3 ELEVATE 12 study of etrasimod met primary and key secondary endpoints.

The primary endpoint in the trial involved clinical remission in patients with severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) at week 12.

Etrasimod is an experimental once-daily selective sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulator similar to Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Zeposia (ozanimod). Zeposia is now FDA approved for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis and moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis.

The drug’s safety profile was in line with Phase 2 trials.

“These positive results demonstrate that etrasimod, if approved, could be a potential breakthrough option for patients with ulcerative colitis who aren’t able to experience improvement on current therapies,” said Michael Corbo, chief development officer, inflammation and immunology of Pfizer Global Product Development.

The placebo-controlled ELEVATE 12 study enroll…

Pfizer finalizes $6.7 billion acquisition of Arena Pharmaceuticals

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) has completed its $6.7 billion acquisition of Arena Pharmaceuticals, a developer of immuno-inflammatory drugs.

The acquisition of San Diego-based Arena will bolster Pfizer’s pipeline of therapeutic candidates in gastroenterology, dermatology and cardiology.

Among Arena Pharmaceuticals’ assets is etrasimod, an oral, selective sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulator with the potential to treat ulcerative colitis and a range of other conditions.

Etrasimod has been the focus of 27 clinical studies to date.

Arena is also developing temanogrel, a potential for microvascular obstruction and Raynaud’s phenomenon secondary to systemic sclerosis.

“We are excited to add the impressive experience and pipeline of Arena Pharmaceuticals to Pfizer’s Inflammation and Immunology therapeutic area, helping us further our purpose of developing breakthroughs to change the lives of those with immuno-inflammatory diseases,” said Mike G…