News - Hypertension Week of Nov. 23, 2003/ Vol. 2 No. 47

Study: Renin-Inhibiting Drug Shows Potential as New Hypertension Treatment

The renin-inhibiting drug Aliskiren appears to be a promising new treatment for hypertension, according to the results of a study released Nov. 19.

Aliskiren was found to significantly reduce blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension, and to be as good or better than Irbesartan in lowering diastolic blood pressure.

The eight-week study that compared the two drugs involved 650 patients. Irbesartan, an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, is an established blood-pressure lowering drug. Novartis is developing Aliskiren in conjunction with the Speedel Group, a pharmaceutical company in Basel, Switzerland.

Based on these results, Novartis announced plans to begin Phase III trials of Aliskiren in 2004 and said it hopes to submit a new drug application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration at the end of 2005.

"The high potential of this innovative antihypertensive drug was confirmed through a major clinical study against one of the most potent angiotensin receptor blockers available, said Dr. Alice Huxley, CEO and president of Speedel.

Dr. Jessica Mann, medical director of Speedel, said Aliskiren is now well positioned to become the first renin inhibitor to reach the market.

Other sources: Speedel Group