Study may lead to new heart disease drugs

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- U.S scientists have found the drug darapladib can inhibit a cholesterol-and immune system-associated protein, reducing development of heart-disease plaque.

The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine researchers said the drug can reduce creation of plaques that cause death, heart attacks and strokes in pig models of atherosclerosis and diabetes.

"We've used a model that closely mimics clinical disease," said Dr. Robert Wilensky, a professor at the Penn Cardiovascular Institute. "The study shows darapladib is useful in reducing atherosclerosis, but more importantly those blockages that are thought to cause death and heart attacks.

"The (study's) results are exciting," said Wilensky. "First, darapladib reduced the overall amount and size of plaques that block the coronary arteries of animals in the study. More importantly, it reduced the number and size of the type of advanced plaques that cause heart attacks and strokes."

The study that included Penn researchers Damir Hamamdzic, Daniel Pelchovitz and Jisheng Yang along with colleagues from Thomas Jefferson University, GlaxoSmithKline, Britain's Southhampton General Hospital and the University of Washington is reported in this week's online issue of the journal Nature Medicine.