SUNNYVALE, Calif., March 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Scios Inc. (Nasdaq: SCIO) today announced that several abstracts related to
its lead product, Natrecor(R) (nesiritide), and the care of patients with
acute heart failure will be presented at the 52nd Annual Scientific Session of
the American College of Cardiology (ACC) in Chicago next week.
Scios also is supporting a CME-accredited symposium prior to the meeting,
entitled "Improving Heart Failure Care: Emerging Strategies for Congested
Patients," that will take place on Saturday, March 29, from 5:30 - 8:00 p.m.
at The Renaissance Chicago Hotel, in the Grand Ballroom.
The symposium, which will be chaired by James B. Young, M.D., Medical
Director, Kaufman Center for Heart Failure; Head, Section of Heart Failure and
Cardiac Transplant Medicine; Vice Chairman, Department of Cardiovascular
Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH., will address the
physiology and pathophysiology of natriuretic peptides in heart failure, the
relevance of natriuretic peptide measurements for diagnosis, and the impact of
initial treatment with Natrecor in decreasing hospital length of stay. The
speakers also will discuss new data from the ADHERE (Acute Decompensated Heart
Failure National Registry) Registry and its role in evaluating the treatment
of heart failure.
"The data about Natrecor being presented at the ACC meeting will
demonstrate its increasing role in patients with acute heart failure,
particularly those with underlying coronary artery disease and renal
insufficiency," said Darlene P. Horton, M.D., Senior Vice President of
Clinical Research and Medical Affairs at Scios. "The data being presented at
the symposium will highlight the growing potential of the ADHERE registry to
improve in-hospital outcomes for patients being treated for acute heart
failure."
Among the data being presented at the ACC meeting are the following:
-- Poster Presentation #1027-89: Safety and Efficacy of Nesiritide in the
Treatment of Decompensated Heart Failure in Observation Patients, by W.
Franklin Peacock, IV, M.D., and Charles L. Emerman, M.D., FACEP, on
Behalf of the PROACTION Study Group; Department of Emergency Medicine,
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH. This poster
presentation will take place on Sunday, March 30th from
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. in Hall A.
-- Poster Presentation #1085-71: Effect of Nesiritide on Hospital Length
of Stay in Decompensated Heart Failure, by Richard Chang, M.D., et al;
Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA. This poster presentation will
take place on Monday, March 31st from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. in Hall A.
-- Poster Presentation #1184-74: Effects of Intravenous Nesiritide on
Coronary Vasomotor Regulation and Myocardial Oxygen Extraction, by
Andrew D. Michaels, M.D., et al; University of California, San
Francisco, San Francisco, CA. This poster presentation will take place
on Tuesday, April 1st from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. in Hall A.
-- Poster Presentation #1169-56: Gender Differences in Survival After
Admission for Acutely Decompensated Heart Failure, by Doron Aronson,
M.D., et al; Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel. This poster
presentation will take place on Tuesday, April 1st from
9:00 - 10:00 a.m. in Hall A.
-- Poster Presentation #1061-73: The Relationship Between Body Weight and
Mortality in Patients With Decompensated Heart Failure, by Doron
Aronson, M.D., et al; Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel. This poster
presentation will take place on Sunday, March 30th from
4:00 - 5:00 p.m. in Hall A.
-- Poster Presentation #1013-74: Predictors of Mortality After
Hospitalization for Decompensated Heart Failure, by Doron Aronson,
M.D., et al; Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel. This poster
presentation will take place on Sunday, March 30th from
10:00 - 11:00 a.m. in Hall A.
About Natrecor
Natrecor is indicated for the treatment of acutely decompensated
congestive heart failure in patients with dyspnea (shortness of breath) at
rest or with minimal activity. Administered intravenously, Natrecor is a
recombinant form of human B-type natriuretic peptide (hBNP), a naturally
occurring protein in the body. In clinical trials, Natrecor caused arteries
and veins to dilate, alleviating symptoms in patients with acutely
decompensated congestive heart failure by improving blood movement around the
heart, yet without increasing heart rate or interfering with heartbeat
regularity.
Natrecor may cause hypotension. If hypotension occurs during
administration of Natrecor, the dose should be reduced or discontinued, and
blood pressure should be monitored closely. At the recommended dose of
Natrecor, the incidence of symptomatic hypotension (4%) was similar to that of
IV nitroglycerin (5%). Asymptomatic hypotension occurred in 8% of patients
treated with both drugs. The mean duration of symptomatic hypotension was
longer with Natrecor than IV nitroglycerin (2.2 versus 0.7 hours,
respectively). Natrecor may affect renal function in susceptible patients. In
the 30-day follow-up period in the VMAC (Vasodilation in the Management of
Acute Congestive Heart Failure) trial, 5 patients in the IV nitroglycerin
group (2%) and 9 patients in the Natrecor group (3%) required first-time
dialysis. Other adverse events reported at a rate of at least 5% during the
first 24 hours of infusion with either Natrecor plus standard care or IV
nitroglycerin plus standard care therapy, included, respectively: ventricular
tachycardia (3%, 5%), nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (3%, 5%), headache
(8%, 20%), abdominal pain (1%, 5%), and nausea (4%, 6%). Higher doses of
Natrecor increased the risk of hypotension and elevated creatinine. Natrecor
should be avoided in patients with cardiogenic shock, systolic blood pressure
<90 mm Hg, or in patients with low cardiac filling pressures.
Please see full prescribing information for Natrecor(R) (nesiritide).
About ADHERE
The ADHERE Registry Core Module was launched in October 2001. It is a
phase IV, multicenter, observational, open-label registry of the management of
patients treated in the hospital for acute decompensated congestive heart
failure. The Registry is a large clinical database that utilizes information
collected from acute care hospitals across the United States. This
first-of-its-kind registry is designed to help the medical community better
understand acute congestive heart failure, improve its management and enhance
quality of care. Data regarding current management and treatment trends is
collected from the Registry and analyzed on a quarterly basis. This data and
insight can be used by individual hospitals to develop guidelines and
protocols and increase the use of evidence-based therapies to improve the
standard of care among heart failure patients, and, potentially reduce costs
through reduced admissions, length of stay and readmissions.
The ADHERE Registry is sponsored by Scios and overseen by an independent
scientific advisory committee of nationally recognized heart failure experts.
To learn more about it, call 1-866-616-2993, e-mail adhereinfo@sciosinc.com,
or visit http://www.adhereregistry.com.
Scios Inc.
Scios is a biopharmaceutical company developing novel treatments for
cardiovascular and inflammatory disease. The Company's disease-based
technology platform integrates expertise in protein biology with computational
and medicinal chemistry to identify novel targets and rationally design small
molecule compounds for large markets with unmet medical needs. To request
copies of press releases or other company reports, those interested can call
the Company's investor relations information line at 877-8IR-SCIOS
(877-847-7246) or send an e-mail to investor_relations@sciosinc.com.
Forward-Looking Safe Harbor Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, which may include statements concerning the proposed
merger with Johnson & Johnson and strategic plans, expectations, and
objectives for future operations. We generally identify such forward-looking
statements using words like "estimate," "believe," "intend," "expect," "may,"
"should," "plan," "project," "contemplate," "anticipate" or similar
statements. Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking
statements based on current assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties.
These risks and uncertainties may include the sales penetration and success of
Natrecor, the success of clinical trials of Natrecor and our pipeline
products, the failure to complete the proposed merger in a timely manner, the
inability to obtain Scios shareholder or regulatory approvals or to satisfy
other conditions to the merger, actions of governmental entities, and costs
related to the merger, as well as other risks detailed from time to time in
the reports filed by Scios with the SEC, including the Company's quarterly
reports and annual report on Form 10-K. Actual results, performance or
achievements of Scios may differ significantly from those described in these
forward-looking statements. Scios disclaims any intention or obligation to
update or revise any financial projections or forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
SOURCE Scios Inc.
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CONTACT:
media and investors, Suzanne Beveridge of
Scios Inc., +1-408-616-2947; or media, Jim Weiss of WeissCom
Partners, Inc., +1-415-260-1274; or Sara Moorin of Lazar Partners
Ltd., +1-212-867-1762, for Scios Inc.
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