BridgeBio teams with Morgan Freeman to raise awareness of heart condition
BridgeBio Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ: BBIO) announced a health education campaign featuring actor Morgan Freeman and sports marketing executive Howard White to increase awareness of ATTR-CM, a progressive heart disease that can be underdiagnosed.
The campaign, called "Don't Pass On Your Heart Health," targets recognition of transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), which occurs when misfolded proteins accumulate in the heart over time. The condition affects approximately 1 in 25 Black/African American individuals who carry the V142I genetic variant associated with the disease.
ATTR-CM symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, carpal tunnel syndrome, and leg swelling, which are often attributed to normal aging or other heart conditions. The disease disproportionately affects Black communities, where patients may face delays in diagnosis and access to care, according to the company.
Howard White, who has the condition, experienced symptoms including carpal tunnel syndrome and an enlarged heart before developing shortness of breath and fatigue. He founded the Howard "H" White Center for Cardiac Amyloidosis at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center.
BridgeBio's drug Attruby (acoramidis) is approved to treat ATTR-CM in adults to reduce cardiovascular death and cardiovascular-related hospitalizations. In the Phase 3 ATTRibute-CM study, the treatment showed a 50% reduction in cardiovascular-related hospitalizations at 30 months compared to placebo.
The most common side effects reported were diarrhea (11.6% vs 7.6% for placebo) and upper abdominal pain (5.5% vs 1.4% for placebo). The majority of adverse reactions were mild and resolved without discontinuation.
BridgeBio has launched an educational website at Attruby.com with information about ATTR-CM, including a downloadable discussion guide for patients to use with healthcare providers.