Keyword: Tracleer

United Therapeutics was built on Remodulin. The company grew out of a career change for CEO Martine Rothblatt, who built Sirius satellite radio before getting into pharma. Her son’s diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension inspired the move—and Remodulin, which was approved in 2002.

With pulmonary arterial hypertension blockbuster Tracleer aging, Actelion in 2013 won FDA approval for Opsumit. The newcomer and fellow PAH product Uptravi have been able to make up for the hole Tracleer’s decline has left.

The first oral treatment approved to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension, Tracleer is still pulling in big bucks. According to developer Actelion, in 2016, sales of the med declined by 18% at constant exchange rates but still passed the blockbuster barrier.

Cardiovascular drugs may not be the top field in terms of sales or market growth rate. But heart disease and related ailments remain the biggest cause of death in the U.S. We’ve put together this list as a state-of-the-market snapshot, coinciding with the European Society of Cardiology meeting this week.