Continued Progress in Therapy for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

This editorial reviews major therapeutic advancements in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), highlighting progress from early vasodilator strategies to modern molecular interventions. Sotatercept, a novel fusion protein targeting disrupted BMPR2 signaling by sequestering activin and growth differentiation factors, demonstrated significant improvements in the STELLAR phase 3 trial. Patients receiving stable background therapy showed greater increases in 6-minute walk distance, reduced pulmonary vascular resistance, and improved quality-of-life metrics compared to placebo. While sotatercept may mark a new treatment era, the editorial calls for further studies to evaluate its safety and efficacy across broader patient populations, particularly those with connective-tissue disease-associated PAH and pediatric cases.

This editorial reviews major therapeutic advancements in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), highlighting progress from early vasodilator strategies to modern molecular interventions. Sotatercept, a novel fusion protein targeting disrupted BMPR2 signaling by sequestering activin and growth differentiation factors, demonstrated significant improvements in the STELLAR phase 3 trial. Patients receiving stable background therapy showed greater increases in 6-minute walk distance, reduced pulmonary vascular resistance, and improved quality-of-life metrics compared to placebo. While sotatercept may mark a new treatment era, the editorial calls for further studies to evaluate its safety and efficacy across broader patient populations, particularly those with connective-tissue disease-associated PAH and pediatric cases.