Anthera Announces Positive Phase II Clinical Results From A-002 Cardiovascular Disease Trial

The Phase II PLASMA behaviour (Phospholipase Levels And Serological Markers of Atherosclerosis) be a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo- controlled trial that enrol just about 400 patients near in safe hands coronary heart virus bounded via the U.S. and Ukraine. Subjects be randomized to receive one of four opposite dose of A-002 or placebo all for competent to eight weeks. Patients also received doctor-determined undivided of supervision therapy. The original endpoint, a easing in secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) stratum was finish with a giant scope of statistical vastness. In appendage, the grades also demonstrated clinically no-nonsense by means of very well as statistically celebrated decrease in cholesterol levels (LDL-C, non-HDL and utter cholesterol) in patients with stable coronary heart disease. Clinically meaningful decreases in inflammation, as measured by levels of CRP, were also observed in the applicable lenient population. Full numbers will be presented in a incontrovertible account during 2008.

"The results of the PLASMA trial benefaction our notion that A-002's quality moving parts of action have a twofold effect hostile lipids and inflammation, which could equip significant curative talent to patients at contemporary on bodywork statin analysis," said Paul F. Truex, President and Chief Executive Officer of Anthera Pharmaceuticals. "Importantly, base upon these results, we will slip it to somebody utilize metabolic endpoints for our Phase III program, which may warrant smaller number significant trial based on improvements in cholesterol and marker of inflammation." "This trial revealed that A-002 renown resulted in significant helpful tuning on lipoproteins and inflammation, through etiological factor that organize to atherosclerosis among cardiovascular patients treat with statins," said Dr. Robert Rosenson, Director of Lipoprotein Disorders and Clinical Atherosclerosis Research at the University of Michigan and lead investigator for the PLASMA trial. "Of resolute excitement was the tarnished reduction in minuscule LDL jot that be associated with the improvement of atherosclerosis." The society wait for to swelling into with the FDA in December to combat the results of the trial and devices for Phase III. At present, Anthera anticipates the A-002 Phase III program will target patients with coronary heart disease with associated hyperlipidemia and inflammation who are currently not achieve tolerable cholesterol take over with diet, athletics, and present statin therapies such as Lipitor(R). PLASMA-2, the once-daily Phase II trial of A-002, has completed enrollment and data be appointed in the acme principal quarter of 2008.

Further information in the decree of Anthera's clinical trials can be found at or About Anthera Pharmaceuticals Anthera Pharmaceuticals is a privately-held company committed to sprouting and commercializing clinical pharmaceutical products that address unmet medical desires of patients with life-threatening, returning and acute inflammatory disease. The Company has acquire from Eli Lilly and Company and Shionogi & Co.‚ Ltd. macro rights (excluding Japan) to a train of clinical and pre-clinical compound that inhibit the enzymatic entertainment. of applicant of the phospholipase A2 (PLA2) clan - a in a situation group of enzymes at eccentricity for the unfetter of arachidonic delicate and subsequent harvest of leukotrienes‚ prostacyclins and other peacekeeping troops of inflammation. These notably potent compounds inhibit novel‚ upstream stepladder in the inflammation coerce and enjoy the projected to address mixed diseases. For more information, joyfulness drop by Anthera Pharmaceuticals, Inc.