Losmapimod does not reduce cardiovascular events in patients with acute myocardial infarction

The recently published results of LATITUDE-TIMI 60 (Effect of Losmapimod on Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients Hospitalized With Acute Myocardial Infarction: A Randomized Clinical Trial) investigated the effect of losmapimod, a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor, on major cardiovascular events in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) (1). The p38 MAPK is activated in the setting of myocardial ischemia, hypertension, and heart failure, resulting in amplification of cytokines [cyclooxygenase 2, interleukins 1 and 6 (IL1, IL6), metalloproteinases, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)] (2). Future vascular events correlate with elevated levels of IL-6 and TNF-α, which lead to downstream production of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the liver (3,4).