The TRANSCEND study authored by Dr Salim Yusuf, Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster University, Hamilton (Ontario, Canada) concluded that the angiotensin-receptor blocker (ARB) telmisartan, when added to other reliable therapies,  proves to be of an additional advantage in treating patients who are unable to tolerate the standard treatment of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. The researchers found in a trial that mean blood pressure was lower in the patients given a dose of telmisartan. Major adverse cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack or stroke were 13% less likely in telmisartan patients as against the placebo group.

The FDA has decided to continue to regulate Vasogen’s Celacade system as a medical device. The Celacade system is a treatment for patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II heart failure. The FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) is to take over as the lead reviewer of the programme. The CBER has informed Vasogen that it does not agree with the use of a Bayesian approach in the ACCLAIM II study of the system. The FDA had earlier recommended the design.