Actelion's Uptravi debuts on US market

Europe’s largest biotech firm Actelion (SIX: ATLN) has announced the commercial availability of the oral, selective, IP prostacyclin receptor agonist, Uptravi (selexipag) for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in the USA.

Uptravi is indicated for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH, WHO Group I) to delay disease progression and reduce the risk of hospitalization for PAH. The drug was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration last month (the Pharma Letter December 22) and is under review by the European Medicines Agency.

Effectiveness was established in a long-term study in PAH patients with WHO Functional Class II-III symptoms. Patients had idiopathic and heritable PAH (58%), PAH associated with connective tissue disease (29%), PAH associated with congenital heart disease with repaired shunts (10%).