Actelion Ltd, a leading biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative drugs for diseases with significant unmet medical needs, recently announced that the results of its pivotal Phase III GRIPHON clinical trial for its investigational drug selexipag (Uptravi^®) will be presented in a “best poster session” during the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress taking place in London, United Kingdom. The results are highly anticipated by the PH community, as they detail selexipag in treating Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

Selexipag selectively targets the prostacyclin receptor (also called IP-receptor). The IP receptor is one of 5 types of prostanoid receptors. Prostacyclin activates the IP receptor inducing vasodilation and inhibiting proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells. Selexipag, unlike prostacyclin analogs, is selective for the IP receptor over other prostanoid receptors.

GRIPHON, (Prostacyclin (PGI2) Receptor agonist In Pulmonary arterial HypertensiON) was a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the long term efficacy and safety of oral selexipag in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

The GRIPHON study was the largest outcome trial ever conducted in PAH, enrolling patients in 181 centers from 39 countries in North and Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Africa.

The poster presentation, titled “Effect of selexipag on long-term outcomes in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) receiving one, two or no PAH therapies at baseline: results from the GRIPHON study” will be presented during a poster session in pulmonary hypertension treatment strategies. Lead author Dr. Irene Lang from the Medical University of Vienna in Austria will present the data at 3:30pm on the 30th of August at the conference.

During the conference, the company will also present a poster titled “Lack of pharmacokinetic interaction between the dual endothelin receptor antagonist macitentan and the combined oral contraceptive, norethisterone and ethinyl estradiol,” which provides further information on FDA-approved macitentan (Opsumit^®). This poster will be available for viewing on 30 August after 2:00 pm.