New drugs targeting the cardiac ultra-rapid delayed-rectifier current (I Kur): rationale, pharmacology and evidence for potential therapeutic value.

There is a clear unmet medical need for new pharmacologic therapies for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) with improved efficacy and safety. This article reviews the development of new and novel Kv1.5/ultra-rapid delayed-rectifier current (I Kur) inhibitors and presents evidence that Kv1.5 modulation provides an atrial-selective mechanism for treating AF. Academia and industry have invested heavily in Kv1.5 (>500 scientific publications and >50 patents published since 1993); however, to realize the full value of this therapeutic drug target, clinical efficacy and safety data are required for a selective Kv1.5 modulator. The reward for demonstrating clinical efficacy and safety in a pivotal Phase 3 trial, on regulatory approval, is "first in class" status.