Proteo gets drug designation for Elafin

Elafin approved to help those with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Elafin, a drug developed by Proteo Biotech for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension, has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which could see patients receiving the drug exclusively from Proteo over the next seven years.

The designation also means that tax offers to certain development costs will be offered to the company while it operates in the US, as well as the ability to take advantage of special funding opportunities such as the US Orphan Products Grants Programme.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a potentially life-threatening illness that affects around 200,000 people in the US and occurs when the pressure in a patient's pulmonary arteries becomes dangerously high.

"Reversal of this obliteration is a key goal in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. We therefore propose that Elafin treatment could be a promising option for patients," said Marlene Rabinovitch, director of research at the Vera Moulton Wall Centre for Pulmonary Vascular at Stanford University School of Medicine.