Discontinued cardiovascular drugs in 2015

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular drug development
• Pharmacology
• Drug discovery and development

Background:

• Approximately 10,000 compounds are screened for each potential drug.
• Recapitulating previous failures can identify key reasons for drug development disappointment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review cardiovascular compounds discontinued in 2015.
• To identify reasons for drug discontinuation after preclinical or clinical trials.

Main Methods:

• Review of 7 cardiovascular compounds discontinued in 2015.
• Analysis of reasons for discontinuation, including efficacy and safety.

Main Results:

• Lack of efficacy was the primary reason for discontinuation in 6 out of 7 drugs.
• Animal models showed limited predictive value for human safety, as absence of toxicity in animals did not guarantee absence of adverse reactions in humans.

Conclusions:

• Failures underscore the need for more predictive animal models.
• Microdosing and closer collaboration with biotech companies may improve drug development success rates.