Drug Discovery and Development

  • Home Drug Discovery and Development
  • Drug Discovery
  • Women in Pharma and Biotech
  • Oncology
  • Neurological Disease
  • Infectious Disease
  • Resources
    • Video features
    • Podcast
    • Webinars
  • Pharma 50
    • 2025 Pharma 50
    • 2024 Pharma 50
    • 2023 Pharma 50
    • 2022 Pharma 50
    • 2021 Pharma 50
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE

New Hope for Treating Heart Failure

By University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry | March 16, 2017

 Heart failure patients who are getting by on existing drug therapies can look forward to a far more effective medicine in the next five years or so, thanks to University of Alberta researchers.

Heart specialist Gavin Oudit and his research team discovered a molecule–angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)–that works to restore balance to the pathways responsible for chronic and acute heart failure, including in patients with advanced heart failure who underwent heart transplants.

In conducting their research, Oudit and his team used genetic mapping technology to discover to an extent not seen before how the renin-angiotensin system (RAS)–which regulates the body’s sodium balance, fluid volume and blood pressure–is at play in both acute and chronic heart failure.

It led to the creation of recombinant human ACE2, a new drug that was manufactured by Apeiron Biologics in collaboration with Oudit. It was bought by GlaxoSmithKline, which recently successfully completed phase II clinical trials that tested for the safety and efficacy of the drug on hundreds of patients. The new drug is expected to be on the market in the next three to five years.

Oudit added that using mapping technology has also made it possible to individualize the dose a patient needs, allowing for a truly personalized treatment plan for heart failure patients in the future. The study also broke ground by showing how ACE2 can be used in heart transplant patients with heart failure.

About six million Canadians will develop heart failure, a common condition that most often happens after the heart has been damaged or weakened by heart attack or stroke. According to the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation, the two most common causes of heart failure are heart attacks and high blood pressure. When someone has heart failure, the heart either can’t accept the inflow of blood or pump it out, or both.

“This research is a terrific example of how the university works together synergistically to develop world-class research and translate that into medicines that impact patient outcomes,” added Oudit.


Filed Under: Drug Discovery

 

Related Articles Read More >

Lokavant’s Spectrum v15 uses AI to cut trial-feasibility modeling from weeks to minutes
Prime time for peptide-based drug discovery 
Why smaller, simpler molecular glues are gaining attention in drug discovery
Glass vial, pipette and woman scientist in laboratory for medical study, research or experiment. Test tube, dropper and professional female person with chemical liquid for pharmaceutical innovation
Unlocking ‘bench-to-bedside’ discoveries requires better data sharing and collaboration
“ddd
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest news and trends happening now in the drug discovery and development industry.

MEDTECH 100 INDEX

Medtech 100 logo
Market Summary > Current Price
The MedTech 100 is a financial index calculated using the BIG100 companies covered in Medical Design and Outsourcing.
Drug Discovery and Development
  • MassDevice
  • DeviceTalks
  • Medtech100 Index
  • Medical Design Sourcing
  • Medical Design & Outsourcing
  • Medical Tubing + Extrusion
  • Subscribe to our E-Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • R&D World
  • Drug Delivery Business News
  • Pharmaceutical Processing World

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Drug Discovery & Development

  • Home Drug Discovery and Development
  • Drug Discovery
  • Women in Pharma and Biotech
  • Oncology
  • Neurological Disease
  • Infectious Disease
  • Resources
    • Video features
    • Podcast
    • Webinars
  • Pharma 50
    • 2025 Pharma 50
    • 2024 Pharma 50
    • 2023 Pharma 50
    • 2022 Pharma 50
    • 2021 Pharma 50
  • Advertise
  • SUBSCRIBE