Palo Alto, CA and Deerfield, IL - The US Food and Drug Administration has market-approved regadenoson (Lexiscan), a selective A_2A adenosine-receptor agonist, for resting stress-myocardial perfusion scans, the product's developer and owner CV Therapeutics and marketer-distributor Astellas Pharma US have jointly announced [1].

Lexiscan was approved based on two identical phase 3 trials [2] in which the agent produced perfusion scans of similar quality to those made using another Astellas product, adenosine injection (Adenoscan), according to the announcement. Lexiscan is administered as a non-weight-adjusted rapid bolus, which, published reports observe, is a less complicated regimen than what is required for adenosine; it's also expected to have a more favorable side-effect profile by virtue of its adenosine-receptor selectivity.