Clinical trial tests SIRA for treatment of CHF
Investigators are beginning clinical trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a new antihypertensive drug, moxonidine, for the treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF). The investigational compound, moxonidine, is in a new class of antihypertensive agents, selective imidazoline receptor agonists (SIRA), which affects the sympathetic nervous system. The primary objective of MOXCON (Moxonidine Congestive Heart Failure Trial) is to compare the SIRA with placebo in regard to time to death from any cause.
The study also will evaluate the frequency of hospitalizations due to worsening heart failure. The MOXCON trial is evaluating the ability of moxonidine to treat CHF by modulating sympathetic overactivity. The SIRA class of drugs works by selectively stimulating the imidazoline receptor found in the region of the brain involved with cardiovascular control. The selective stimulation reduces sympathetic activity, thereby lowering blood pressure. Moxonidine currently is marketed in more than 20 countries outside the United States for the treatment of hypertension. The global clinical trial will enroll 4,000-5,000 patients over two years.
For information on enrolling patients in the MOXCON trial, call (609) 452-4087 to reach Covance Clinical Research in Princeton, NJ, the coordinating company.
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