LONDON (Alliance News) - Drug giant GlaxoSmithKline PLC Tuesday said investigational heart disease treatment darapladib had not met its primary targets in a Phase III study, although there are some other results from the study that it will analyse further in a second study.
The company said the drug had failed to reduce occurrence of any major adverse cardiovascular event like stroke or heart attack in the study, but there were "greater reductions in some of the pre-defined secondary endpoints that require further analysis."
The safety profile of the drug was confirmed in the study, it added.
"Given the level of patient need in this area, we continue to investigate the role of Lp-PLA2 inhibition in coronary heart disease and other diseases. We will now work to better understand the data, including evaluation of the patient sub-groups, and await the outcome of a second Phase III study of darapladib in acute coronary syndrome to determine our next steps," Patrick Vallance, president of pharmaceuticals R&D, said in the statement.
GlaxoSmithKline shares were down 1.2% at 1,631.5 pence early Tuesday, one of the biggest declines on the FTSE 100.
By Steve McGrath; stevemcgrath@alliancenews.com; @SteveMcGrath1
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