Mavacamten vs. Septal Reduction – VALOR-HCM Trial Results Published

The VALOR-HCM trial results have just been published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 

This study enrolled 112 obstructive HCM patients for a 16 week double blind trial of the drug mavacamten (brand name Camzyos). All patients in the trial had been referred for septal reduction therapy – either septal myectomy or septal alcohol ablation – to treat their highly symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.   The researchers looked at whether the addition of mavacamten to their other drugs would improve their symptoms enough so that they no longer met the criteria for septal reduction therapy (SRT) under the 2011 ACC/AHA Guidelines.

You can read many more details about the VALOR-HCM study here in this recent blog post on HCMBeat.

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FDA Approves Mavacamten under Brand Name Camzyos

At long last, there is a FDA approved drug specifically intended for the treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.  After several years of testing, and based on the results of the groundbreaking EXPLORER-HCM trial, Bristol Myers Squibb’s new drug mavacamten, being marketed under the brand name Camzyos, is now available to HCM patients.

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FDA Approval of Mavacamten Delayed

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has postponed the date by which it must complete its review of mavacamten – the first drug made specifically to treat HCM. The FDA was originally scheduled to announce its decision in late January 2022, but that date has now been postponed until April 28, 2022, which is the new “PDUFA date” or the date by which the FDA must respond to the new drug application.  

The FDA has not asked Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) to submit any additional data, but it wants to spend more time reviewing the proposed Risk Evaluation Mitigation Strategy or REMS which is the safety profile of the drug.  The FDA can require REMS for certain drugs with safety concerns to ensure that the benefits of the medication will outweigh any risks.

BMS acquired the drug mavacamten, a first in class myosin inhibitor, through its $13.1 billion acquisition of San Francisco biotech company MyoKardia late last year.

You can read more about mavacamten and its journey in these past entries from HCMBeat:

2 Companies Testing Drugs for HCM

HCM Clinical Trials – the Latest News

HCM Drug Shows Improvement to Heart Structure

More Positive Data on Mavacamten Presented at ACC Meeting

More Positive Results for MyoKardia Drug

MyoKardia Announces Positive Results from EXPLORER Trial

MyoKardia’s EXPLORER Trial Big Success

Mavacamten Approaches Finish Line