PhRMA: 300+ new meds for heart disease, stroke in U.S. pipeline
A record number of potential medicines to treat heart disease and stroke are in development, according to a report on medicines in the research pipeline by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). More than 300 new medicines to treat these diseases currently are being tested in human clinical trials or are awaiting FDA approval, compared with 146 medicines in development for these diseases in 2005.
"The medicines now in the research pipeline will add to the substantial progress made by America's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies in developing new and more effective treatments for these diseases," said PhRMA President and CEO Billy Tauzin.
The U.S. accounts for three quarters of the world's biotechnology revenues and research and development spending, and the biopharmaceutical research industry contributes $27 billion to the gross domestic product annually.
Medicines now in the research pipeline for heart disease and stroke include 36 for high blood pressure, 33 for heart failure, 16 for heart attacks and 22 for stroke, according to the report. Many of the potential medicines use new technologies and approaches such as one that uses human stem cells to form new heart muscle and restore cardiac functioning, and another that is a gene therapy that uses a patient's cells to treat their heart failure.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), cardiovascular disease accounted for 34.2 percent of all deaths in 2006, or one of every 2.9 U.S. deaths. On average, every 40 seconds someone in the U.S. has a stroke.
The development of effective medicines that control blood pressure and cholesterol has significantly helped cut deaths from heart disease. According to an AHA 2008 report, death rates for cardiovascular disease fell a dramatic 26.4 percent between 1999 and 2005.
"Pharmaceutical and biotechnology researchers are making exciting progress, but it is wasted if medicines don't get to the patients who need them," said PhRMA Senior Vice President Ken Johnson. "That is particularly true in these hard economic times with people losing their jobs and health insurance."
"The medicines now in the research pipeline will add to the substantial progress made by America's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies in developing new and more effective treatments for these diseases," said PhRMA President and CEO Billy Tauzin.
The U.S. accounts for three quarters of the world's biotechnology revenues and research and development spending, and the biopharmaceutical research industry contributes $27 billion to the gross domestic product annually.
Medicines now in the research pipeline for heart disease and stroke include 36 for high blood pressure, 33 for heart failure, 16 for heart attacks and 22 for stroke, according to the report. Many of the potential medicines use new technologies and approaches such as one that uses human stem cells to form new heart muscle and restore cardiac functioning, and another that is a gene therapy that uses a patient's cells to treat their heart failure.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), cardiovascular disease accounted for 34.2 percent of all deaths in 2006, or one of every 2.9 U.S. deaths. On average, every 40 seconds someone in the U.S. has a stroke.
The development of effective medicines that control blood pressure and cholesterol has significantly helped cut deaths from heart disease. According to an AHA 2008 report, death rates for cardiovascular disease fell a dramatic 26.4 percent between 1999 and 2005.
"Pharmaceutical and biotechnology researchers are making exciting progress, but it is wasted if medicines don't get to the patients who need them," said PhRMA Senior Vice President Ken Johnson. "That is particularly true in these hard economic times with people losing their jobs and health insurance."