Aficamten, an investigational drug, was found to improve oxygen usage during exercise for HCM patients in a Phase 3 trial. The study, involving Oregon Health & Science University, suggests it as a promising new treatment option. People with a common heart condition demonstrated significantly improved oxygen utilization during exercise after taking an investigational drug, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine .
This finding was also presented at the European Society of Cardiology’s Heart Failure 2024 meeting in Lisbon, Portugal. Oregon Health & Science University is part of the randomized, double-blind Phase 3 trial that is evaluating the experimental drug aficamten, which was developed by Cytokinetics to treat the obstructive form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM. Of the 282 adults participating in the trial, 19 enrolled through OHSU — the most of any trial center.
“By having more oxygen available during exercise, patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can more easily walk, perform household chores, and do other everyday tasks,” said cardiologist Ahmad Masri, M.D., M.
S., who co-wrote today’s paper and directs the OHSU Knight Cardiovascular Institute’s Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center. “Our latest clinical trial results suggest aficamten is a promising treatment for HCM.
” Understanding Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy HCM affects about 1 in 500 people and is one of the most common causes of sudden death for you.