New drug shows early potential to treat aortic stenosis in some patients without TAVR, SAVR
A new drug has shown early potential to slow the progression of aortic stenosis (AS) and potentially limit the number of heart patients who require transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) or surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR).
The team behind this breakthrough, a group of healthcare researchers out of Mayo Clinic, shared its early progress in Circulation.[1]
The drug in question, ataciguat, is able to reactivate oxidized soluble guanylate cyclase, which then limits signals in the body that can lead to fibrocalcific aortic valve stenosis (FCAVS). After observing this phenomenon in action in animal models and in vitro, the Mayo Clinic researchers performed a phase I clinical trial that showed ataciguat is well tolerated in patients with FCAVS. The group then compared ataciguat with a placebo in a phase II clinical trial, finding that six months of treatment with the drug was associated with a significant reduction—nearly 70%—in the progression of aortic valve calcification in patients who presented with moderate FCAVS. Treatment with ataciguat also “tended to slow other changes in valvular and ventricular dysfunction, reflective of disease progression,” in these patients.
“This research represents a significant advancement in the treatment of aortic valve stenosis,” corresponding author Jordan Miller, PhD, director of Mayo Clinic’s Cardiovascular Disease and Aging Laboratory, said in a statement about his team’s research. “Ataciguat has the potential to substantially delay or even prevent the need for valve replacement surgery, significantly improving the lives of millions.”
Miller et al. noted in their analysis that much more research is still needed. The group called for larger trials focused on the effectiveness of treating AS with ataciguat and highlighted the benefits of following patients for longer after treatment to learn more about the long-term impact this drug could have on other aspects of a patient’s heart health.
This research represents a collaboration between Mayo Clinic, the National Institutes of Health, the University of Minnesota, and Sanofi Pharmaceuticals. Work is already underway on a phase 3 clinical trial.
Click here to read the full analysis in Circulation, an American Heart Association journal.
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.