GlaxoSmithKline’s Phase-III heart drug darapladib failed to hit its primary endpoint in its second late-stage study. The company said in Tuesday’s announcement that the safety profile had no major concerns but that the Lp-PLA2 inhibitor did not reduce major coronary events compared to placebo when added to standard of care.
This was the second Phase-III study among patients who had experienced acute coronary syndrome.
Reuters noted in March that success would have validated GSK’s 2012 purchase of Human Genome Sciences that brought the experimental drug in-house. “Darapladib was one of the reasons behind its $3.6 billion acquisition,” Reuters noted. The news source also highlighted that HGS rejected GSK’s earlier $2.6-billion bid because GSK underestimated darapladib’s blockbuster potential.
