Novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of heart failure.

Despite considerable therapeutic advances, heart failure remains a medical and socioeconomic problem. Thus, there is a compelling need for new drugs that could improve clinical outcomes. In recent years, new potential therapeutic targets that are involved in the pathogenesis of heart failure have been identified, and new drugs are currently under investigation. A repeated finding is that the positive results that have been observed in preclinical studies and Phase II trials are not always confirmed in Phase III studies. This Review analyses the new therapeutic targets (for example, ventricular remodelling, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system activation, defects in Ca(2+) cycling, and so on), the mechanism of action, efficacy and future perspectives of new drugs that are currently under development for the treatment of heart failure, and the possible explanations for the discrepancy between Phase II and Phase III trials.