▁or al ▁caps ule ▁works ▁by ▁reducing ▁the ▁action ▁of ▁the ▁h orm one ▁vas op ress in ▁that ▁blocks ▁fluid ▁ex cret ion . ▁L ix iv apt an ▁acts ▁by ▁blocking ▁vas op ress in , ▁an ▁anti - di ure t ic ▁h orm one ▁that ▁causes ▁the ▁kid ne ys ▁to ▁retain ▁water . ▁When ▁the ▁body ▁needs ▁to ▁remain ▁hyd r ated ▁under ▁certain ▁conditions , ▁vas op ress in ▁can ▁have ▁protect ive ▁effects . ▁But ▁an ▁excess ▁of ▁vas op ress in ▁is ▁counter product ive ▁in ▁a ▁body ▁retain ing ▁too ▁much ▁fluid . ▁The ▁drug ▁shows ▁promise ▁in ▁tre ating ▁heart ▁failure ▁in ▁patients ▁with ▁hy pon at rem ia . ▁ ▁THE ▁B AL ANCE ▁study ▁In ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Card i ok ine ▁and ▁its ▁world wide ▁partner , ▁Bi ogen ▁I dec , ▁initi ated ▁THE ▁B AL ANCE ▁( T re at ment ▁of ▁Hy pon atr Em ia ▁B As ed ▁on ▁L ix iv A pt an ▁in ▁N ▁Y ha ▁class ▁III / IV ▁Card iac ▁patient ▁E valu ation ) ▁study . ▁THE ▁B AL ANCE ▁study ▁is ▁a ▁ 6 5 0 - pat ient ▁Ph ase ▁III , ▁global , ▁multi - center , ▁random ized , ▁place bo - control led , ▁double - bl ind , ▁study ▁of ▁li xiv apt an ▁for ▁hy pon at rem ia ▁in ▁patients ▁with ▁heart ▁failure . ▁The ▁primary ▁objective ▁is