$750,000 Grant to Study Novel Therapeutics for Chronic Heart Failure
DENVER, Nov. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Myogen, Inc., a Colorado-based
biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing and
commercializing drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, announced
today that it has received a Small Business Innovation Research ("SBIR") grant
from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of
Health ("NIH"). This new grant totals more than $750,000 over a two-year
period to investigate the development of inhibitors of cardiac hypertrophy as
drugs for chronic heart failure.
"Dr. Eric Olson, founder and scientific collaborator of Myogen, discovered
that MEF2, a transcription factor that controls gene transcription in the
heart, is responsible for cardiac hypertrophy associated with heart failure,"
said Dr. Richard Gorczynski, Ph.D., Vice President of Research and Development
at Myogen. "Our data suggest that if we can find compounds that selectively
inhibit MEF2 signaling in the heart, these compounds will have the potential
to protect the heart from pathologic remodeling and reverse the disease
process. The proceeds from this grant will be used to accelerate our drug
discovery program aimed at the identification of lead compounds that inhibit
MEF2 dependent signaling as a treatment of chronic heart failure."
Heart failure is a debilitating condition that occurs as the heart is
progressively less able to pump an adequate supply of blood to meet the energy
requirements of the body. The heart compensates by enlarging and forcing
itself to pump faster and harder to circulate more blood, which increases
muscle strain, ultimately leading to further weakness. Therapies available
today have little effect on the natural progression of the disease.
Heart failure is the single most serious health problem facing the U.S.
healthcare system today, affecting more than 5 million Americans with
approximately 400,000 new cases reported each year. About 50% of patients
with heart failure die within five years of being diagnosed.
Myogen is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery,
development and commercialization of therapeutic drugs for the treatment of
cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of
death and disability in the United States, claiming more than one million
lives annually and having associated healthcare costs of approximately
$200 billion per year. The Company's academic founders, collaborators and
staff have been working for more than 20 years to define the molecular bases
of cardiovascular disease and to optimize its treatment. The Company believes
that its expertise provides it with the capability to discover, develop and
optimize therapies that address the underlying mechanisms of cardiovascular
disease, evaluate and in-license product candidates and guide clinical
development efforts. Myogen currently markets one product in Europe for the
acute treatment of advanced heart failure, and it has two product candidates
in late-stage clinical development for three cardiovascular indications. In
addition, the Company has developed a portfolio of molecular therapeutic
targets that it believes play key roles in heart disease. Myogen occupies
22,000 square feet of laboratory and office space in the Denver, Colorado area
and currently has approximately 45 employees. Please visit our website at
http://www.myogen.com .
SOURCE Myogen, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.myogen.com
CONTACT:
J. William Freytag, Ph.D., President & CEO,
+1-303-464-5221, bill.freytag@myogen.com, or Joseph L. Turner,
Chief Financial Officer, +1-303-464-5222, joe.turner@myogen.com,
both of Myogen, Inc.
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