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LONDON, January 26, 2011/PRNewswire/ – Today Rapidscan Pharma Solutions (RPS) EU Ltd announced it has received marketing authorisation for Rapiscan® (regadenoson) – a selective coronary vasodilator for use as a pharmacological stress agent in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) – the single most common cause of death and disability in Europe.
Rapiscan is administered as a non-weight based bolus injection and is the first and only selective A2A adenosine receptor agonist to have a licence for use in this indication.
Diagnosis of CAD uses Myocardial Perfusion Imaging (MPI) to identify areas of poor blood flow in the heart at rest and during exercise.
Patients are commonly asked to exercise on a treadmill or bicycle, however nearly half of all patients are unable to exercise adequately.
Rapiscan simulates the effects of exercise by temporarily increasing blood flow through the arteries of the heart, providing an option for such patients.
Unlike older agents, Rapiscan requires no dose adjustment for varying body weight and its bolus dosing method is rapid (taking just 10 seconds), cutting out the need for an infusion pump and its set-up.
Founder, President and CEO of Rapidscan Pharma Solutions Dr Brent Blackburn said: “I am extremely excited to bring Rapiscan to Europe. Rapiscan was designed to specifically address the needs of patients and healthcare professionals who conduct MPI tests. It’s easier to use and better tolerated than the older agents.”
Every year more than 4m Europeans die from diseases of the heart and blood vessel, accounting for almost half of total mortality in Europe.
Accurate diagnosis is vital in identifying patients who are appropriate for intensive medical intervention with more than 1.5m Europeans undergoing MPI tests annually.
Regadenoson was launched in the US in 2008 following clinical trials of over 2,000 patients with known or suspected CAD.
Today, regadenoson is currently the most widely used pharmacological stress agent in the US with more than 3m patients having received it.
