Imatinib effective in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

The pivatol Phase III IMPRES clinical trial showed that the investigational therapy QTI571 (imatinib), known as Gleevec and Glivec in oncology indications from Novartis, significantly improved exercise capacity in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) after 24 weeks compared with placebo. Evidence indicates that QTI571 targets an underlying cause of PAH by counteracting uncontrolled growth of arterial smooth muscle cells. QTI 571 is planned to be submitted for regulatory approval later this year for the treatment of this disease.