Pfizer’s gamble on a new lease on life for aging sildenafil franchise fizzles in PhIII

Pfizer took a Phase III shot at repurposing its old drug sildenafil as a new combination therapy for persistent pulmonary hypertension in infants. And failed.

Approved in pill form for erectile dysfunction (Viagra) and PAH (Revatio), researchers took an IV formulation added to inhaled nitric oxide into a pivotal trial in PPHN for newborns. The study proved that it was no better at reducing treatment failure or time on nitric oxide than nitric oxide alone.