Biopharmaceuticals Cardiology

 News Release - May 9, 2006

Angina Patients Cost Managed Care Over Twice as Much as Coronary Artery Disease Patients Without Angina

New Pharmacoeconomic Study Also Showed ER Usage Tripled Among Angina Patients

WASHINGTON, May 9 (HSMN NewsFeed) -- An analysis of more than 165,000 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) enrolled in a large managed care plan from 2001-2004 showed that the total annual healthcare cost for an angina patient was on average more than twice as high as that of a CAD patient without an angina diagnosis. The study was conducted by investigators from Ingenix, a division of a large managed care organization, and CV Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CVTX ) and was presented at the American Heart Association's 7th Scientific Forum on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research in Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke in Washington, D.C.

The study showed that the care of angina patients is more costly than CAD patients without angina and that angina patients are more likely to use the emergency department and to have a hospital stay. According to the study, in the year following their diagnosis, 12 percent of CAD patients without angina used the emergency department compared to 38 percent of angina patients. Total average annual healthcare costs for an angina patient were around $28,000 versus approximately $12,000 for that of a CAD patient without angina. In addition, in the year following diagnosis the average annual direct CAD-related costs (medical and pharmacy) for CAD patients with angina were approximately $17,000, while those same costs for CAD patients without angina were about $3,000.

"These data clearly illustrate the substantial medical costs and increased healthcare utilization associated with angina," said Mike Sweeney, M.D., vice president, medical affairs at CV Therapeutics.

Additional information regarding the American Heart Association's 7th Scientific Forum on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research in Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke can be accessed at http://www.americanheart.org.

Study Details

This study compared real-world treatment patterns, cost of care and resource utilization among 165,536 CAD patients with and without an angina diagnosis enrolled in a large managed care plan between 2001 and 2004. Patients were considered to have a narrowly defined angina diagnosis if they had multiple diagnoses of angina and multiple nitrate prescriptions and were considered to have a broadly defined angina diagnosis if they had single or multiple diagnoses of angina and multiple prescriptions of nitrates, beta-blockers and/or calcium channel blockers. The cost of care and resource utilization was compared between the three groups. The complete abstract will be published in the May 30 online edition of Circulation at www.ahajournals.org.

About CV Therapeutics

CV Therapeutics, Inc., headquartered in Palo Alto, California, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on applying molecular cardiology to the discovery, development and commercialization of novel, small molecule drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

CV Therapeutics' approved products include Ranexa(TM) (ranolazine extended-release tablets) and ACEON® (perindopril erbumine) Tablets. Ranexa is indicated for the treatment of chronic angina in patients who have not achieved an adequate response with other antianginal drugs, and should be used in combination with amlodipine, beta-blockers or nitrates. In addition, CV Therapeutics co-promotes ACEON®, an ACE inhibitor, for reduction of the risk of cardiovascular mortality or nonfatal myocardial infarction in patients with stable coronary artery disease and treatment of essential hypertension.

CV Therapeutics also has other clinical and preclinical drug development candidates and programs, including regadenoson, which is being developed for potential use as a pharmacologic stress agent in myocardial perfusion imaging studies. Regadenoson has not been approved for marketing by any regulatory authorities.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including statements as to future healthcare costs and healthcare utilization, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including, commercialization of products; market acceptance of products; product labeling; and other risks detailed from time to time in CV Therapeutics' SEC reports, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005. CV Therapeutics disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Source: CV Therapeutics

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