A new intravenous drug designed to help open blocked arteries in patients experiencing a heart attack is to undergo phase II trials in centres in the US and Europe, it has been announced.

Portola Pharmaceuticals said that researchers would recruit 200 patients suffering a ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and give them either a dose of the firm's anti-platelet compound PRT060128 or a placebo before doctors conduct a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

In a statement, the firm said: "The effect of PRT060128 will be assessed through a measurement of coronary blood flow immediately prior to PCI."

During a heart attack, the body can have trouble getting oxygen to the heart, which can result in serious long-term damage.

A larger set of phase II trails is expected to launch later in the year, added Dr Dan Gretler, vice president of Portola.

Global healthcare solutions provider Masters can help those conducting phase II and III clinical trials to obtain comparator drugs and has a controlled drugs licence, allowing it to distribute controlled substances to researchers.