Windtree Therapeutics announces presentation highlighting istaroxime

Windtree Therapeutics (WINT) announced istaroxime and a selective SERCA2a activator data furthering the demonstration of reduction in arrythmias in an animal study. The data is in a poster presentation at the European Society of Cardiology Heart Failure Conference. Windtree Therapeutics will present an e-poster at the ESC Heart Failure Congress on the impact of istaroxime and its metabolite analog in activating sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase, commonly known as SERCA2a, to reduce Ca2+-dependent arrhythmias in the STZ rat model induced by ischemia-reperfusion. This extends previous work that demonstrated a favorable impact of istaroxime and CVie216 on ischemia-reperfusion arrhythmias. The current experiments assessed the incidence of spontaneous calcium release events from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The findings identify a potential mechanism to explain the decreased incidence of reperfusion-induced arrhythmias in STZ-isolated hearts observed after exposure to istaroxime and CVie216. Arrythmias are irregular heartbeats that can impact the pumping function of the heart. Patients with heart failure and cardiomyopathy are at risk for arrythmias. Arrythmias in these patients can be caused by their underlying cardiac disease or by drugs used to treat the heart failure such as catecholamines. Arrythmias can impair proper filling of the heart with blood and, importantly, cardiac output to the body. Ventricular arrythmias are particularly dangerous and can be fatal.