Heart failure – omecamtiv mecarbil

Omecamtiv mecarbil1 is being developed by Cytokinetics in collaboration with Amgen.

Heart failure is caused by any of a number of problems with the heart’s structure and function interfering with the ventricle’s capability to fill with and pump out blood. Up to half of all patients with acute heart failure are likely to be readmitted to hospital within the year; half are also likely to die within five years.

A collection of drugs is usually given to treat the symptoms, such as diuretics to preserve renal function, and inotropic agents like dobutamine and milrinone to increase cardiac contractility. However, they are also associated with an increase in mortality, so safer inotropic agents are much needed.

Omecamtiv mecarbil¹ is being developed by Cytokinetics in collaboration with Amgen. It is a cardiac myosin activator that increases the systolic ejection time without affecting myo-cardial oxygen, and several clinical trials have been carried out. In one double blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, dose escalating Phase IIa trial