Health · Pharma & Biotech · 5 hrs ago
Aficamten Improves Exercise Capacity in Nonobstructive Heart Condition Trial
Aficamten helped people with nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy exercise more effectively and report better health in a clinical trial.
This inherited condition thickens and stiffens the heart muscle, which can cause shortness of breath and limit activity.
About 30 percent of people with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy have this nonobstructive form, which has lacked a targeted treatment.
Aficamten reduces the activity of a protein involved in heart muscle contraction.
In a trial of 517 people, those taking the drug had greater improvements than those taking a placebo in reported health and peak oxygen use after 36 weeks.
Heart scans also showed changes in contraction and relaxation, which may help explain the benefits, but longer follow-up is needed to see whether they last.
A reversible decline in a measure of the heart’s pumping ability occurred more often with aficamten than with placebo.
An ongoing extension study is tracking patients to assess the drug’s effects over a longer period.
Aficamten improved exercise capacity and reported health in a trial involving people with nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
In the New England Journal of Medicine trial, 517 participants received aficamten or a placebo.
After 36 weeks, those who received aficamten had greater improvements in reported health status and peak oxygen consumption.
A companion study found improved measures of heart relaxation and reduced signs of excessive contraction compared with placebo.
A reversible decline in a measure of the heart’s pumping ability occurred more often with aficamten, and longer follow-up is underway.
- Who
- People with nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy took part in the trial.
- What
- Aficamten improved exercise capacity and reported health compared with placebo.
- When
- After 36 weeks of treatment.
- Where
- Not stated.
- Why
- Researchers tested whether reducing excessive heart muscle contraction could benefit people with nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
517 participants received aficamten or a placebo.
The aficamten group showed greater improvements in reported health status and peak oxygen consumption.
- Drug
- Aficamten
- Trial participants
- 517
- Trial duration
- 36 weeks
- Condition
- Nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (nHCM)
- Studies
- The New England Journal of Medicine and Circulation
What people are saying
With these new studies, I can now recommend to patients a specific designer drug therapy which can work for them, make them feel better, and also improve their overall heart failure status.
This was a game changer, because that really shows we can impact these patients, not only in the way they feel, but objectively in the cardiac function that we’re measuring with the peak VO2
Sources
Related news
Italian Registry Study Finds Avacopan Appeared Effective for AAV
Merck’s eye drug meets main study goal, but results are mixed
FDA approves Asahi Kasei’s herpes treatment
Inclisiran lowered LDL cholesterol more than bempedoic acid in a trial
Bristol Myers lung drug succeeds at lower dose, but higher dose misses target
Mirum reports late-stage trial success for Livmarli in rare liver diseases
Bristol Myers reports two Phase 3 trial successes
GLP-1 drugs may have a role in addiction care, but questions remain
Retatrutide led to major weight loss in a trial involving adults with type 2 diabetes
Brazil suspends Peptistrong supplement and orders all batches recalled
Lenacapavir and cabotegravir controlled HIV in a small patient study
