New anti-inflammatory compound promising in ACS

ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME

New anti-inflammatory compound promising in ACS

NOVEMBER 21, 2008 | Lisa Nainggolan

New Orleans, LA - A new anti-inflammatory compound, VIA-2291 (VIA Pharmaceuticals), has shown promise in a phase 2 trial in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and the results provide sufficient basis to move forward with additional studies, the lead investigator, Dr Jean-Claude Tardif(Montreal Heart Institute, QC) told heartwire. Tardif reported the phase 2 data at the American Heart Association (AHA) 2008 Scientific Sessions last week.

"We know that inflammation is a significant component, in both atherosclerosis initiation and progression and perhaps even in the events leading to ACS, so to test a drug that focuses on one of these proinflammatory pathways makes a lot of sense," Tardif commented. VIA-2291 is a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, and it demonstrated significant and dose-related inhibition of leukotrienes in the study, "so we know we are hitting the target, and that's good. There are a lot of data pointing to leukotrienes as a significant player," he added./.../