Vifor Pharma announces positive results from Phase IIIb trial of heart failure treatment
pharmafile | December 21, 2021 | News story | Medical Communications |
Vifor Pharma has announced positive findings for the completed Phase IIIb DIAMOND trial of Veltassa, in heart failure patients with either manifest hyperkalemia or with a history of hyperkalemia while treated with renin-angiotensin aldosterone system inhibitor (RAASi) therapy.
Veltassa demonstrated a statistically significant difference, compared to placebo, for the primary endpoint to serum potassium levels in a high risk population. 85% of the 1,000 patients with either high risk of hyperkalemia, or active hyperkalemia, were optimised through life-saving RAASi treatment, including mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, with Veltassa. The results indicated that Veltassa can address the gap between guideline recommendations and RAASi therapy.
“We are delighted and very encouraged about the positive read-out from the DIAMOND trial for the heart failure patient community,” said Dr Klaus Henning Jensen, Chief Medical Officer of Vifor Pharma.
“RAASi therapy saves lives and delays disease progression, but unfortunately many patients with heart failure are insufficiently treated due to risk of hyperkalemia. Hyperkalemia is a serious condition associated with life-threatening consequences. These data support an effective management of chronic hyperkalemia in heart failure patients on optimal RAASi therapy with Veltassa. We look forward to presenting the detailed data to the scientific community in the first half of 2022.
“This trial makes a significant contribution to the growing body of evidence showing the importance to use Veltassa to enable RAASi and ensures optimal treatment in a high-risk population”, commented Prof Javed Butler, Principal Investigator for the DIAMOND study. “The totality of evidence from the trials with patiromer suggests the treatment to control serum potassium and preventing hyperkalemia in heart failure patients aiding longer term optimal medical therapy.”
Heart failure affects at least 26 million people worldwide, and this is increasing in prevalence.
Lina Adams
