Treprostinil as IV infusion reduces breathlessness in PAH patients...

The treatment, continuous intravenous (IV) treprostinil, (see structure, the drug has already been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension PAH) based on its similarity to an approved treatment delivered subcutaneously (directly into the skin). Practicing physicians, had hesitated to endorse the treatment because it did not have its own placebo-controlled study. But now the researchers from University of Rochester Medical Center, have come up with interesting results.

The more interesting part of their research is that PAH patients had higher than normal blood levels of factors known to play central roles in the clogging of arteries as part of major diseases like atherosclerosis and hypertension, including angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and platelet derived growth factor. Treatment with treprostinil was associated with lowers levels of Ang-2.

Though the mode of action has to be established (relaxing muscles surrounding blood vessels for easier blood flow and turning off sticky ingredients that cause blood clots e.g. platelets) , its is a good achievement. Treprostinil-treated patients feel like they are breathing easier because their lung arteries, not the lungs themselves, are working more efficiently. Better understanding of the mechanisms involved may lead to refinements in drug design; for example, blocking the effects of Ang-2 to treat the disease (may be easier on patients than a continuous IV infusion). Though further studies are essential, its a good achievement and hope in the days to come people with PHT will definitely breathe a sigh of relief instead of breathlessnessssss.....

Source : http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/story/index.cfm?id=2711