Molidustat thread

[Robert5091]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/kvasina-positive-for-epo-stimulator-at-fleche-du-sud/

Croatian cyclist Marija Kvasina (Team Felbermayr - Simplon Wels), 35, has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for an experimental drug known as Molidustat (BAY-85-3934) on two tests taken during his overall victory at the Fleche du Sud.
Molidustat is a class of drugs that act on the same physiological pathways as altitude training, where oxygen deprivation stimulates the body's production of erythropoeitin (EPO), leading to the enhanced ability to deliver oxygen to exercising muscles and delay fatigue.

Would seem to be a good way to keep the benefits of the high altitude training camps.

No one else has been busted for this, does anyone have any info on it?

Edit - I see it was only put on WADA's list on 1st Jan 2017 https://www.lawinsport.com/sports-l...ng-agency-wada-publishes-2017-prohibited-list

 

[vedrafjord]

It's an example of a HIF prolyl-hydroxylase inhibitors. HIFs are hypoxia-inducible factors, i.e. they turn certain genes on or off when they detect hypoxia (low oxygen levels). They can trigger, among other things, increased EPO production.

For all intents and purposes, this drug acts like EPO (although since its target is higher up the hypoxia pathway, there could be other effects like stimulation of blood vessel growth and faster recovery from injury in damaged tissue). So someone taking it would have to keep an eye on their passport values.

Here's a poster describing a clinical trial: http://www.posters2view.eu/wcn2015/data/mon348.pdf
Here's a paper about an animal study: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0111838

So how was he caught? He's on a Conti team so not monitored on the passport but it's possible his blood values were JTL-level screwy and he got target tested. The poster says "mean elimination half-life ranged from 7 to 13 hours" so it's probably detectable for several days after use.

 

[Rollthedice]

He won Tour of Croatia last year at 34, biggest win of his career riding for Synergy Baku, he was certainly on the stuff and missed the fact this year is prohibited.