Alteon starts Ph IIb trial of ALT-711 in ISH

Alteon has started a Phase IIb trial, called SAPPHIRE, which willevaluate the firm's Advanced Glycosylation Endpoint Crosslink Breaker compound, ALT-711, in patients with isolated systolic hypertension. The orally-active compound has already been shown in a Phase IIa trial to lower systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure in aging and diabetic patients (Marketletters passim).

SAPPHIRE will enrol 450 patients who will receive ALT-711 once-daily for six months, on top of existing medications. The drug is thought to work by breaking the pathological bonds that cause tissues, organs and blood vessels to stiffen and lose function over time.