MediChem gets commercialization rights to anti-HIV calanolides

The results of the PICO study of pimobendan in patients with chronic congestive heart failure may spell the end to the development of Boehringer Ingelheim's pimobendan, a combined calcium-sensitizer and phosphodiesterase III inhibitor, after an excess mortality was seen in the treatment group.

Pimobendan's development was suspended by BI in 1992 after it became apparent that a large-scale mortality study would be required in many countries to support a license application. However, the company eventually changed its tack on this issue, and had planned to start a mortality study called EPHESUS. As it turned out, this study was dropped after the results of PICO were made available.

PICO enrolled 317 patients who were randomized to receive either 2.5mg or 5mg pimobendan, or placebo, on top of standard therapy with ACE inhibitors, digitalis and/or diuretics. The patients were followed up for an average of 11 months, and clinical evaluation and bicycle ergometry were performed at baseline, week 4, week 12 and week 24.