Trevena, Inc., a clinical stage pharmaceutical company involved in the discovery and development of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) biased ligands, announced today initiation of dosing in BLAST-AHF, the Company's randomized, multi-center Phase 2b trial of TRV027 in patients with acute heart failure (AHF). TRV027 is a novel beta-arrestin biased ligand of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor that is being developed as a first-line intravenous treatment in combination with standard diuretic therapy for AHF patients. Trevena has granted Forest Laboratories (NYSE:FRX) an exclusive option to license TRV027 under the companies' May 2013 Option and Licensing Agreements.
"There is a significant need for new treatment options in acute heart failure, in particular for therapies that have an impact on the underlying biology of the heart failure syndrome itself. In some cases, existing treatments may actually perpetuate the underlying pathophysiology of the disease," stated Michael Felker M.D., chief of the heart failure section at the Duke University Medical Center, and scientific steering committee co-chair for this study. "TRV027 represents a promising approach for treating AHF in the hospital emergency department, with rapid onset, reversible effects on blood pressure, and specificity of its mechanism for the syndrome," added Peter Pang M.D., associate professor in emergency medicine and cardiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and scientific steering committee co-chair for the study.