<div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW190521057 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW190521057 BCX0" paraid="570033598" paraeid="{048b84c1-1d37-4227-97dd-5be5830ac63c}{10}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">A </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">catheter-based treatment reduced early clinical deterioration in patients with intermediate-high risk acute pulmonary embolism compared with anticoagulation alone, according to findings from the PRAGUE-26 trial</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW190521057 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW190521057 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW190521057 BCX0" paraid="556532845" paraeid="{048b84c1-1d37-4227-97dd-5be5830ac63c}{12}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">Results of the trial, presented<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">during a Hot Line session on Monday<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">at</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span> </span>the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2026</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">, found that a</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">mong 558 patients, the primary composite endpoint of all-cause death, recurrent pulmonary embolism or cardiorespiratory decompensation or collapse within seven days occurred in 0.7% of patients receiving catheter-directed thrombolysis and 6.8% receiving standard anticoagulation. </span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW190521057 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW190521057 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW190521057 BCX0" paraid="57015363" paraeid="{048b84c1-1d37-4227-97dd-5be5830ac63c}{14}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">This corresponded to a relative risk of 0.10 (95% confidence interval</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span> </span>[CI]</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span> </span>0.02–0.44; p<0.001), an absolute risk reduction of 6.1% with 17 patients needing treatment to prevent one event.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW190521057 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW190521057 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW190521057 BCX0" paraid="1811909927" paraeid="{048b84c1-1d37-4227-97dd-5be5830ac63c}{16}"><strong><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">PRAGUE-26 trial design</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW190521057 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></strong></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW190521057 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW190521057 BCX0" paraid="1261156647" paraeid="{048b84c1-1d37-4227-97dd-5be5830ac63c}{18}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">“</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">In contrast to interventions for myocardial infarction or stroke, there have been very few advances in the treatment of pulmonary embolism over the last 20 years</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">.<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">This has led to a considerable unmet clinical need that we<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">can’t</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span> </span>ignore</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">,</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">”<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">said principal investigator Professor Viktor Kočka in a press release on Monday.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW190521057 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW190521057 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW190521057 BCX0" paraid="983192079" paraeid="{048b84c1-1d37-4227-97dd-5be5830ac63c}{20}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">Professor<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW190521057 BCX0">Kočka</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">,<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">from</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span> </span>the Department of Cardiology at University Hospital<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW190521057 BCX0">Královské</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span> </span>Vinohrady and Charles University in Prague, Czechia,</span><span> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">provided details of the investigator-initiated,<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">multicenter</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">,<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">randomized</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">, open-label trial</span><span> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">during</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span> </span>a<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">Hot Line session</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">.</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"> </span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW190521057 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW190521057 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW190521057 BCX0" paraid="427379230" paraeid="{048b84c1-1d37-4227-97dd-5be5830ac63c}{22}"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">The trial, whose primary analysis was simultaneously published in the<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">New England Journal of Medicine</span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">, compared conventional catheter-directed thrombolysis plus anticoagulation with anticoagulation alone</span><span> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">in patients meeting 2019<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">ESC</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span> </span>criteria for intermediate-high risk pulmonary embolism.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW190521057 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW190521057 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW190521057 BCX0" paraid="892408531" paraeid="{048b84c1-1d37-4227-97dd-5be5830ac63c}{24}"><strong><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">Clinical outcomes and safety</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW190521057 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></strong></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW190521057 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW190521057 BCX0" paraid="1217710892" paraeid="{048b84c1-1d37-4227-97dd-5be5830ac63c}{26}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">The difference in the primary endpoint was driven<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">mainly by</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span> </span>fewer cases of cardiorespiratory decompensation or collapse, which occurred in 0.7% of the catheter-directed thrombolysis group and 5.4% of the standard-care group. All-cause mortality at seven days was 0% versus 1.4</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">%</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">, while recurrent pulmonary embolism occurred in 0.7% versus 0.4%.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW190521057 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW190521057 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW190521057 BCX0" paraid="256060405" paraeid="{048b84c1-1d37-4227-97dd-5be5830ac63c}{28}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">Bleeding Academic Research Consortium type 2 or higher bleeding occurred in 4.6% of patients receiving catheter-directed thrombolysis and 5.0% receiving standard care at seven days. Two intracranial<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">hemorrhages</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span> </span>occurred in the intervention group and none in the control group.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW190521057 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW190521057 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW190521057 BCX0" paraid="519702716" paraeid="{048b84c1-1d37-4227-97dd-5be5830ac63c}{30}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">“Using the blueprint already employed for heart attacks, we were able to<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">demonstrate</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span> </span>that<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">specialized</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span> </span>interventional treatment can be delivered in tertiary care<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">centers</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span> </span>across our national network. This may pave the way for an improved,<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">standardized</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span> </span>approach to the treatment of pulmonary embolism, reducing the acute risks that patients face,”<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">Dr.<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">Kočka said</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span> </span>in the press release.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW190521057 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW190521057 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW190521057 BCX0" paraid="1457457013" paraeid="{048b84c1-1d37-4227-97dd-5be5830ac63c}{32}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">He<span> </span></span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">added that new ESC guidelines on pulmonary embolism are due to be published next year and said the PRAGUE-26 results could help inform future recommendations.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW190521057 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":100}"> </span></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW190521057 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW190521057 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraid="372775405" paraeid="{87af4100-904c-432c-9770-37e82c58d000}{59}"><strong><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">Image Credit: European Society of Cardiology 2026. </span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW190521057 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></strong></p> </div> <div class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW190521057 BCX0"> <p class="Paragraph SCXW190521057 BCX0" lang="EN-US" paraid="104303453" paraeid="{87af4100-904c-432c-9770-37e82c58d000}{66}"><strong><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW190521057 BCX0">Image Caption: Entrance to the conference hall at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2026 in Munich, Germany.</span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW190521057 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></strong></p> </div>