Pfizer anuncia risco maior do uso de torcetrapib

A Pfizer anunciou ontem no seu site (http://www.pfizer.com) a suspensão do estudo Illuminate com 15 mil participantes que comparava a combinação atorvastatina(Lipitor) /torcetrapib versus atorvastatina isolada. O motivo foi a aumento de mortes no braço da combinação (82) versus o do grupo control (51). A história torcetrapib estava em acompanhamento no blog.

(1) como o Lipitor perderá a patente em 2010, uma tática foi adicionar uma nova substância ativa que elevaria também a fração HDL do colesterol.

(2) estudos iniciais mostravam que o torcetrapib aumentava a pressão arterial em valores pequenos - 2-3 mmHg - para um indivíduo, mas com impacto no conjunto.

(3) a American Heart Association puniu a empresa por apresentar antecipadamente, dados que estavam aprovados para apresentação no congresso da AHA em novembro;

Abaixo, parte do press-release da empresa divulgada ontem à noite:

The Company was informed today that the independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) monitoring the ILLUMINATE morbidity and mortality study for torcetrapib recommended terminating the study because of an imbalance of mortality and cardiovascular events. The Company has terminated ILLUMINATE and is in the process of asking all clinical investigators conducting trials in this development program to inform patient participants to stop taking the study medication immediately. The Company has also ended the development program for this compound. Dr. Philip Barter, Director of the Heart Research Institute in Australia and Chairman of the Steering Committee overseeing the ILLUMINATE study, said, "Based on all the evidence we have seen regarding torcetrapib and in light of prior study results, we were very surprised by the information received from the DSMB, the only body with access to the unblinded safety data. We believed that the study was coming along as expected, and this new information was totally unexpected and disappointing, given the potential benefits of this drug." Pfizer's Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey B. Kindler said, "While the DSMB information we received today was both surprising and disappointing, our focus is on the best interests of patients and making sure all this information is communicated to appropriate medical and regulatory authorities as quickly as possible. "With regard to our business, we understand the challenge that this represents and we will respond quickly and aggressively to it. It is important to put this information in the context of both our commitment to transform Pfizer and our overall product and financial strength," Mr. It is important to note that in the ILLUMINATE trial, Lipitor was used as a comparator for safety and efficacy. It is the most studied statin in reducing cardiovascular outcomes. "The only reason the study was stopped early was due to the torcetrapib data. The ILLUMINATE Steering Committee wants to reassure physicians and patients that nothing in today's information has any impact on the safety or efficacy of Lipitor whatsoever," said Dr. Barter