SiliconBeat

CV Therapeutics said Thursday that European officials gave it the OK to market ranolazine, its treatment for patients suffering from angina, in all 27 states of the European Union. The move comes months after the European Medicines Agency gave a positive opinion on the use of the drug in humans.

Ranolazine is approved for use in Europe as add-on therapy for the symptomatic treatment of patients with stable chest pain related to insufficient blood flow to the heart who have been unresponsive or intolerant of previous treatments.

“We expect ranolazine could be available to patients and physicians across Europe beginning in the first part of 2009, as we continue to see very strong interest from potential commercial partners,” said CV’s chief executive, Louis Lange.

Last month the company said it earned a $10 million milestone payment after the commercial launch of a product made from its drug regadenoson that helps patients who are otherwise unable to go through exercise tests to help detect and characterize coronary artery disease.

CV Therapeutics shares, which fell 6.8 percent, or 56 cents, to $7.66 on Monday, recovered all that and more by the end of the week. It closed Friday at $8.36, which is down about a third from where it was the same time last year.