UTHR--news from today
BARCELONA, Spain, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Stuart Rich, M.D. described the results of a 26-patient clinical study for a life-threatening heart-lung disorder at Europe's largest cardiology convention today. The heart-lung disorder is called primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH). The clinical study involved comparison of a new drug called ''UT-15'' to a placebo.
The new drug, ''UT-15'', is a modified version of a molecule called ''prostacyclin'' that is naturally produced within the body. A primary purpose of prostacyclin is to keep blood vessels healthy. However, the disorder called PPH is associated with low levels of natural prostacyclin. Consequently, researchers have tried providing PPH patients with additional prostacyclin to halt the progression of their illness.
Dr. Stuart Rich, M.D., is one of the world's leading experts on PPH. He recently chaired the World Health Organization's second symposium on PPH. He is the Director of the Center for Pulmonary Heart Disease at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois.
The abstract presentation at the European Society of Cardiology meeting concluded that ''UT-15 is a safe treatment of PPH and affects hemodynamics and exercise tolerance favorably.'' Dr. Rich also noted that UT-15 was well tolerated and worked similarly to ''Flolan,'' which is a 24-hour-a-day, 365 day- a-year continuous intravenous form of prostacyclin that patients must currently endure.
The co-authors of the paper, entitled ''Efficacy and Safety of UT-15, a Prostacyclin Analogue, for Primary Pulmonary Hypertension,'' were Dr. McLaughlin of Rush Medical College, Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Barst of Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York, Dr. Rubin of the University of California, San Diego, Dr. Gaine of Johns Hopkins University, and Dr. Crow and Mr. Blackburn of United Therapeutics Corporation, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
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