Endothelin News and Research

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Endothelins are proteins that constrict blood vessels and raise blood pressure. They are normally kept in balance by other mechanisms, but when they are over-expressed, they contribute to high blood pressure (hypertension) and heart disease.

Enzyme implicated in blood flow in Alzheimer’s, disease progression

Researchers have discovered that the enzyme, endothelin converting enzyme-2 (ECE-2), may cause the decrease in blood flow in the brain seen in Alzheimer's disease and contribute to progression of the disease.

27 Jul 2009

Gilead commences phase II trial of Cicletanine for pulmonary arterial hypertension

Gilead Sciences, Inc. has announced that it has begun enrolling patients in a Phase II clinical trial of cicletanine hydrochloride (cicletanine), an oral agent in development for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

24 Mar 2009

Avosentan shows prmoise for diabetic kidney disease

A new drug called avosentan significantly lowers urinary protein excretion-an important marker of kidney disease progression-in patients with diabetic kidney disease, according to an international clinical trial appearing in the March 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN).

16 Feb 2009

Mechanisms of cardiovascular disease and cancer give clues to new therapies

Cardiovascular conditions leading to heart attacks and strokes are treated quite separately from common cancers of the prostate, breast or lung, but now turn out to involve some of the same critical mechanisms at the molecular level.

21 Nov 2008

Blood pressure response to daily stress provides clues for better hypertension treatment

How the body regulates blood pressure in response to daily stress is the focus of a study geared toward helping people whose pressure is out of control.

14 Aug 2008

Blood vessels: The pied piper for growing nerve cells

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered that blood vessels in the head can guide growing facial nerve cells with blood pressure controlling proteins.

11 Apr 2008

Bosentan drugs offers new approach to limiting organ damage in sickle cell disease

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is so called because of the abnormal sickle shape of the red blood cells in individuals with this blood disorder.

2 Apr 2008

Long-term effects of synthetic progestins cause for concern

The widely used synthetic progestin medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) decreased endothelial function in premenopausal women in a study done at the University of Oregon.

11 Mar 2008

Study aims to improve treatment for children born with heart defects

Trying to understand and stop the collateral lung damage that can occur in babies with congenital heart disease is the focus of a new study.

11 Mar 2008

Tezosentan does not appear to improve symptoms for patients with acute heart failure

The medication tezosentan, which was thought could be beneficial for the treatment of acute heart failure, did not improve breathlessness or reduce the risk of fatal or nonfatal cardiovascular events, according to a study in the November 7 issue of JAMA.

6 Nov 2007

Survival data presented from phase II study of hormone-resistant prostate cancer patients

The results from the randomized, double -blind, placebo -controlled, Phase II EPOC (Endothelin A Proof Of Concept) Study of ZD4054 - a specific endothelin A (ETA) receptor antagonist – were delivered at the 14th European Congress of Clinical Oncology (ECCO, 23-27 September, Barcelona).

26 Sep 2007

New AstraZeneca compound shows promoise for hormone resistant prostate cancer patients with bone metastases

New Phase II data suggests that ZD4054, a novel compound in development for the treatment of men with Hormone Resistant Prostate Cancer (HRPC), could offer a promising improvement in overall survival in men with metastatic HRPC who were asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic for pain.

26 Sep 2007

Twin studies identify genes that influence human health in unexpected ways

Daniel O'Connor, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine has studied about 265 twin pairs over the past few years, which has led him to some surprising discoveries.

18 Apr 2007

Pharmacopeia announces positive results in hypertension and diabetic nephropathy trial

Pharmacopeia ( NASDAQ:PCOP ) , an innovator in the discovery and development of novel small molecule therapeutics, today announced positive results from the initial Phase 1 clinical trial of PS433540, the company's lead internal product candidate for the treatment of hypertension and diabetic nephropathy.

11 Apr 2007

Old red wines best for a healthy heart

According to British scientists when it comes to the health benefits of red wine, the good old French or Italian reds are by far the best option.

2 Dec 2006

PR Pharmaceuticals issued U.S. patent covering 2-methoxyestradiol for the treatment of diabetes

The patent which is assigned to the University of Pittsburgh has been exclusively licensed to PRP. The drug, known as PulmoLAR, containing 2ME as active ingredient, is currently developed by PRP for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

21 Mar 2006

New drug to treat stroke complications tested in US for the first time as part of an international trial

A Roanoke, Va. woman is the first U. S. participant in an international, multi center trial of a new drug that shows promise in treating complications from a stroke.

1 Jul 2005

Myogen's Ambrisentan granted orphan drug designation by Europeans

Myogen today announced that the Commission of the European Communities, with a favorable opinion of the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), has granted orphan drug designation to ambrisentan for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

2 May 2005

Cells linked to asthma and eczema also help cure deadly illness in mice

Mast cells are immune cells known mostly for their unwanted effects: they cause the wheezing of asthma, the itching of eczema, the sneezing and runny nose of hay fever and, in extreme cases, the life-threatening shock of anaphylaxis.

20 Nov 2004

Mast cells can provide protection from a potentially deadly condition known as sepsis

14 Nov 2004