Heart meeting hears disappointing results for J&J/Scios Natrecor; strong findings for Pfizer's Inspra

Studies presented at the American Heart Association conference taking place in Chicago, showed that people with mild heart failure lived longer and benefited from the addition of US drugs behemoth Pfizer's (NYSE: PFE) already marketed Inspra (eplerenone) to standard medications, a finding that could expand use of the drug in healthier patients. On a negative note, drug major Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) and subsidiary Scios Natrecor (nesiritide) - also marketed – revealed that the drug is safe for heart failure patients, although it offers few benefits.

At the AHA meeting, Scios yesterday today that the landmark investigational study of Natrecor for the treatment of acutely decompensated heart failure (ADHF), ASCEND-HF, demonstrated no statistically significant difference from placebo in the co-primary endpoints of dyspnea, measured at six and 24 hours, or in the composite of heart failure re-hospitalizations and death during the first 30 days following treatment. Importantly, however, the study reinforced the safety profile of Natrecor, revealing no excess adverse effects on renal function or mortality.

Safety concerns have hit Natrecor sales