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Primacor (MILRINONE)
Primacor (Milrinone) is a phosphodiesterase 3 inhibitor, a small molecule drug developed by Sanofi Aventis US, targeting the phosphodiesterase 3 enzyme. It is used to treat decompensated cardiac failure and was FDA approved in 1987. Primacor is now off-patent with 16 generic manufacturers, offering a cost-effective treatment option. Key safety considerations include its short half-life of 0.8 hours and high bioavailability of 86%. As an off-patent medication, Primacor's commercial status is primarily driven by generic competition.
At a glance
| Generic name | MILRINONE |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | Sanofi |
| Drug class | Phosphodiesterase 3 Inhibitor |
| Target | Phosphodiesterase 3 |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Cardiovascular |
| Phase | FDA-approved |
| First approval | 1987 |
Approved indications
- Decompensated cardiac failure
Common side effects
- Ventricular arrhythmias
- Ventricular ectopic activity
- Hypotension
- Headaches
- Nonsustained ventricular tachycardia
- Angina/chest pain
- Ventricular fibrillation
- Hypokalemia
- Tremor
- Thrombocytopenia
- Torsades de pointes
Key clinical trials
- Effect of Topically-applied Milrinone or Nitroglycerin on Internal Mammary Artery Free Flow (PHASE3)
- Milrinone Infusion for VAsospam Treatment in Subarachnoid hemoRrhage (PHASE3)
- Comparison of Milrinone and Epinephrine on TAPSE (NA)
- Cerebral Oxygen Saturation Monitoring In Cardiac Surgery (COSMICS) (NA)
- Opportunistic PK/PD Trial in Critically Ill Children (OPTIC)
- Milrinone in Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (PHASE2)
- Inhaled Milrinone and Epoprostenol for the Prevention of Difficult Cardiac Pulmonary Bypass Separation (PHASE2)
- Clinical Outcomes of Levosimendan Versus Dobutamine Versus Milrinone in Cases With Acute Decompensated Heart Failure With Impaired Renal Function
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| FDA label | Mechanism, indications, dosing, boxed warnings, drug interactions |
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Primacor CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Primacor updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- Sanofi portfolio CI