2011 Scrip 100: Cardiovascular trials

In the cardiovascular therapeutic area, 133 industry-sponsored Phase II to Phase III trials were initiated between 1 October 2009 and 30 September 2010. Trials were distributed slightly in favour of Phase II over Phase III (66 and 62 studies, respectively), with an additional five Phase II/III trials. Hypertension dominated new trial activity, accounting for more than 25% of new studies overall and more than double the number of trial starts in any other disease. Trials for hypertension were evenly distributed between Phase II and Phase III, with studies for essential hypertension outnumbering trials for pulmonary hypertension by a 3:2 margin. Novartis initiated the most hypertension trials with six, followed by the AstraZeneca/Bristol-Myers Squibb collaboration and Actelion with four, and Bayer and United Therapeutics with three. Hypertension trials sponsored by the latter three companies were concentrated in pulmonary hypertension. Novartis and Pfizer were the only companies to initiate trials in both essential and pulmonary hypertension.