Hospitalization not cut by Gilead heart drug-study

* Ranexa effective in refractory angina in small study

* Hospitalization rate same for those who went off drug

* Cost cited as factor in some discontinuations

By Bill Berkrot

NEW ORLEANS, April 4 (Reuters) - Gilead Sciences Inc's (GILD.O) heart drug Ranexa, while found to be effective in reducing chest pain in refractory angina patients, failed to cut hospitalizations in a small 100-patient study.

Ranexa was deemed effective in more than 80 percent of refractory angina patients -- those considered unsuitable for artery-clearing procedures and who are not being helped by medicines -- according to data presented at the American College of Cardiology scientific meeting.

Some 56 percent of the subjects who remained on the drug for one year saw a major improvement in their condition, researchers said.

However, in comparing the 59 patients who remained on the drug for one year with the 41 who discontinued taking the medicine, the rate of hospitalization due to angina was nearly identical -- 32.5 percent versus 32.8 percent.

"The high rate of hospitalization was not surprising, but it was disappointing that an effective anti-anginal medication did not decrease the hospitalization rate," said Dr. Timothy Henry of the Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, who led the study.

Angina, a form of chest pain, is a symptom of heart disease caused by restricted flow of blood to the heart.

Patients with refractory angina have few therapeutic options and significant quality of life limitations, researchers said.

Ranexa is currently approved for patients with chronic stable angina, who often are eligible for artery clearing procedures. It has not been extensively studied in refractory angina patients.

Fifteen of the patients who stopped taking the Gilead drug, known chemically as ranolazine, cited side effects, such as lightheadedness and constipation, while seven went off the medicine after suffering heart attacks.

Almost 10 percent of those who discontinued taking the twice-a-day pill did so due to the cost, researchers said.

"In challenging economic times, cost is unfortunately going to play a larger role in medication adherence," Henry said.

A 500 milligram regimen of Ranexa costs patients about $200 a month. Gilead reported Ranexa sales of $240 million in 2010.

"These findings indicate that ranolazine is a reasonable choice for refractory angina, but it also demonstrates how difficult it can be to treat refractory angina," Henry concluded. (Reporting by Bill Berkrot and Ransdell Pierson; Editing by Bernard Orr)