No Effect of Omecamtiv Mecarbil on Exercise Intolerance in Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction

Physical activity intolerance is a common symptom of heart failure (HF). Omecamtiv mecarbil, a non–FDA-approved selective cardiac myosin activator, improved cardiac performance and resulted in modest improvements in first HF events in the GALACTIC-HF trial. The current manufacturer-sponsored, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, METEORIC-HF, assessed the impact of omecamtiv on exercise capacity measured by peak VO₂ during cardiopulmonary testing.

The patient population comprised 276 individuals (median age, 64 years; 15% women; 11% racial/ethnic minority) with symptomatic HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), elevated N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide level, and reduced exercise capacity (≤75% of predicted VO₂; median, 14.2 mL/…