Saturday, January 28, 2006
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- A drug hailed as the United State's first new therapy in more than 20 years for reducing the attacks of chest pain known as angina won federal approval Friday.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved sale of the drug Ranexa -- developed by CV Therapeutics of Palo Alto, Calif. -- for chronic angina in patients not helped by other treatments. The company said it planned to have the drug in pharmacies by late March.
More than 6 million people in this country have angina, which can produce chest pain when the heart doesn't get enough oxygen. Angina attacks often occur when a person exercises or experiences emotional stress.
Angina often occurs when there is a decrease of blood supply to the heart muscle, so it doesn't get enough oxygen, a condition known as ischemia.