CV Therapeutics launches angina drug

Ranexa is approved as second-line treatment for chronic angina and has antianginal and anti-ischemic effects that do not depend upon reductions in heart rate or blood pressure.

“This is a long-awaited day for angina patients, their families and the cardiology community who have hoped for a new pharmaceutical approach to treat chronic angina,” said Dr Louis Lange, CV Therapeutics chairman and CEO.

Chronic angina is a serious and debilitating heart condition, usually associated with coronary artery disease and marked by repeated and sometimes unpredictable attacks of chest pain.

Approximately 6.5 million people in the US have chronic angina, and 400,000 new cases are diagnosed annually, according to the American Heart Association.

According to the approved labeling, because Ranexa prolongs the QT interval, it should be reserved for patients who have not achieved an adequate response with other anti-anginal drugs.