BRIEF—United gives up on PAH candidate

Shares in US biotech United Therapeutics (Nasdaq: UTHR) slipped by 6% on Monday after the company announced that it was ending development of esuberaprost following a failed trial in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

The Phase III BEAT study did not meet its primary endpoint of delayed time to first clinical worsening event when adding esuberaprost to United’s existing PAH treatment Tyvaso (treprostinil).

Competition in the PAH space is increasing, including through patent challenges to Tyvaso.