PeriCor Therapeutics has announced positive preclinical results for cardioprotective agent, GP531, at the European Heart Failure Congress 2009 in Nice, France.
The study was funded by PeriCor and conducted by Dr. Sabbah and colleagues at the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine of the Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan. GP531 is an investigational drug under development by PeriCor Therapeutics under an Investigational New Drug (IND) application.
The study entitled Intravenous GP531, an adenosine regulating agent, found that an acute intravenous infusion of GP531 at doses ranging from 3 mcg/kg/min to 300 mcg/kg/min, significantly improves left ventricular (LV) systolic function. GP531 treatment, as compared to placebo, increased ejection fraction and decreased LV end-diastolic pressure, end-diastolic volume and end-systolic volume. This improvement in the heart’s pumping ability was achieved without increasing heart rate or lowering blood pressure, and GP531 did not elicit de-novo ventricular arrhythmias, even at the highest doses.
Dr. Sabbah said: This encouraging preclinical study strongly supports continued preclinical and clinical exploration of GP531 as an adjunct therapy for the treatment of acute heart failure syndromes. GP531 represents a novel cardioprotective approach with a unique mechanism of action that addresses key functional maladaptations responsible for the worsening heart failure state.