Our Progress

In early 2010 Ischemix initiated a multi-center Phase 2a clinical trial of CMX-2043 for the prevention of peri-operative ischemia-reperfusion injury in patients undergoing elective PCI procedures.

Ischemix's primary drug candidate, CMX-2043, is a dual-action molecule. It is designed to block oxidative damage and calcium overload, the two primary causes of ischemia-reperfusion injury. It is the most advanced compound in a pipeline of similar drugs in development at Ischemix.

CMX-2043 has demonstrated effectiveness as a protective agent in a rat model of cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury. Anesthetized test animals received single dose drug or placebo injections prior to blocking a major coronary artery for a 30 minute period. Twenty-four hours after reperfusion, the area of infarcted (dead) muscle was measured and compared to the total area originally supplied by the blocked vessel.

Treated animals had reductions in infarct areas (dead tissue) of up to 45% compared to untreated animals. It also lowered levels of troponin, a blood marker of heart muscle damage, and reduced the incidents and duration of post-reperfusion arrhythmia.

CMX-2043 is effective when administered as a single intravenous dose before artery blockage (protection for cardiac surgery); during blockage (unexpected heart attack); and before reperfusion (stenting).

Phase 1 human safety studies have shown CMX-2043 to be safe at doses in excess of those anticipated to be protective in CABG and other cardiac surgical procedures.