Although heart disease is the leading killer of adults worldwide, a new study shows that investment in the development of cardiovascular drugs has plummeted relative to investment in cancer and other drugs. Critical lifesaving drugs such as anti-platelet agents and statins hit the market in the 1980s and 1990s, but new heart pharmaceuticals have dropped 11 percent in the past 20 years despite the fact that the death toll from cardiovascular disease continues to rise. How can pharmaceutical companies develop the crucial medications to fill this gap in the market?
Poor Quality, Poor Funding
According to the authors of the study, the lack of approvals doesn’t come from a shortage of ideas for medications but from a lack of quality. Most trials for cardiovascular drugs ended because the drugs simply did not work, with unsafe drugs running a close second. The results of the study highlight the need for excellent clinical development.
Another serious issue is a lack of funding. Cardiovascular trials are expensive, and because there are so many low-cost generic drugs available to treat heart disease, many pharmaceutical companies and universities are simply unwilling to invest the money needed to develop a truly high-quality product.
Partnerships Required
In a separate report on cardiovascular drugs, scientists at the Frontiers in Pharmacology emphasized the importance of strong partnerships between academia, biotech, and pharmaceutical companies. These partnerships can foster innovation and encourage better funding for cardiovascular research and trials.
Additionally, in order to have innovative developments in cardiovascular medicine, it is critical to have an experienced lab team that can identify what sorts of drugs will and will not be successful before they go to trial, saving time and money. Clinical trial services such as gandlscientific.com can be enormously helpful, as weeding out trials for unsuccessful cardiovascular drugs will make those successful cardiovascular drugs that do go to trial a safer investment. Researchers can also help to determine what, if any, markers for cardiovascular disease have not yet been discovered so they can fill an empty niche in the market.
Cardiovascular drugs are both a medical necessity for the public and a financial opportunity for pharmaceutical companies. Through smart partnerships and careful research with experienced professionals, pharmaceutical companies can deliver the life-saving medications that people need.
