FDA approves Opsumit to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension

 October 22 ,2013 | By Márcio Barra

Last Friday, the FDA approved Opsumit (macitentan) 10 mg once daily, from Actelion, for the treatment adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). This is the second drug for the treatment of PAH on Actelion’s portfolio, following Tracleer (bosentan), which loses exclusivity from 2015, and the second drug approved for PAH this month by the FDA, after Adempas (riociguat), from Bayer.

PAH is high blood pressure condition that occurs in the arteries connecting the heart to the lungs. It causes the right side of the heart to work harder than normal, which can lead to limitations on exercise ability and shortness of breath. Opsumit is an endothelin receptor antagonist, which blocks endothelin receptors, thus relaxing the pulmonary arteries. This helps decrease the blood pressure within the lung vasculature that supply deoxygenated blood to the lungs.

The drug is being touted by Actelion as the…

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