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CV Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CVTX) announced that the company has enrolled the first patient in a Phase 1 trial of CVT-3619, a novel oral compound for potential treatment of cardiometabolic diseases. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently accepted the Company's investigational new drug application for CVT-3619, a partial A1 adenosine receptor agonist.

Regado Biosciences, Inc. announced the presentation of comprehensive results from Phase Ia, Ib and Ic studies of the Company's REG1 Anticoagulation System at the European Society of Cardiology's Congress 2008, currently being held in Munich, Germany. REG1 is a two-component system composed of an aptamer-based anticoagulant, RB006, and its matched, active reversal agent, RB007, which binds to and neutralizes RB006.

A sub-analysis of the TRITON-TIMI 38 clinical trial showed that treatment with prasugrel compared with clopidogrel significantly reduced the risk of new or recurrent heart attacks (7.4 percent vs. 9.7 percent, p

The sooner an individual who has had a heart attack is treated, the better their chance of survival and the less permanent damage is done to their heart. So, Robert Gerszten and colleagues, at Massachusetts General hospital, Charlestown, have developed a new method for early detection of a heart attack.

The management of acute coronary syndromes (with or without ST segment elevation) requires the use of anticoagulants, antiplatelet agents (aspirin, clopidogrel and/or glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitors), beta-blockers, thrombolytics in some cases, and revascularization / reperfusion. The appropriate management of ACS has been shown over the last few decades to result in a significant improvement in outcome in the short and long term.

UCSF scientists have discovered that a gene controlling whether blood vessels differentiate into arteries or veins during embryonic development is linked to a vascular disorder in the brain that causes stroke.

The development of Xarelto® (rivaroxaban), a novel oral anticoagulant, has taken another step forward. Phase II results in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have been chosen for the Late Breaking Clinical Trial session at the American Heart Association's (AHA) upcoming Annual Meeting in New Orleans, USA. The presentation will be held on November 10th, 2008 by C. Michael Gibson, M.D., from Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.

REGENT is a multicenter, randomized trial for comparison of intracoronary infusion of bone marrow-derived unselected mononuclear cells (MNC) and selected CD34+CXCR4+ cells in 200 patients with acute myocardial infarction and reduced LVEF â?¤ 40%. Primary end-point was change of LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and volumes measured by MRI before and 6 months after the procedure.

While the results of the study did not show a statistically significant difference in ischemic events among any of the four doses of apixaban evaluated, trends emerged that support further study, according to researchers at the Duke Clinical Research Institute. Apixaban targets the activity of Factor Xa, one of several enzymes involved in process of blood coagulation. The drug is just one of several new anti-clotting agents under development.

Cordis Corporation announced the first patient enrollment in the STROLL trial, which will evaluate the safety and efficacy of the S.M.A.R.T. ® Nitinol Self-Expandable stent system in treating patients with obstructive superficial femoral artery (SFA) disease, also known as SFA atherosclerosis. The STROLL trial will support a planned PMA filing with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that, if approved, will allow Cordis to market the S.M.A.R.T.