Actelion launches Opsumit for pulmonary arterial hypertension in England

Actelion has launched Opsumit as a new treatment option for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in England.

The drug, which received EU marketing authorisation in December 2013, is indicated for use as a monotherapy or in combination for the long-term treatment of PAH in adult patients. England is one of the first countries to make Opsumit available to prescribe.

Data from the landmark Seraphin study, the longest and largest PAH clinical trial to date, demonstrated the safety and efficacy of the drug among both treatment-naive patients and those already receiving PAH-specific background therapies.

PAH is a severe, life-threatening disorder, with approximately 3,000 people in England receiving disease-targeted drug therapy for the condition.

Robin Bhattacherjee, general manager of Actelion Pharmaceuticals in the UK, said: "This milestone further demonstrates Actelion's ongoing commitment to the discovery, development and commercialisation of innovative treatments, which offer real benefits for patients."

This comes after the drug was made available through NHS Scotland last month.