New class of blood pressure drugs attracts local trial

Pharma News: Approximately half of those prescribed hypertension medications discontinue their use within the first year. Recent clinical trials have shown that injectable treatments can reduce blood pressure for up to six months. If approved, these injectables would be the first new class of drugs for high blood pressure in decades.

One notable candidate is zilebesiran, developed by Alnylam Pharmaceuticals in partnership with Roche. This drug is being co-developed and co-commercialised for patients at high cardiovascular risk.

Sydney’s Concord Repatriation General Hospital is one of the sites conducting clinical trials this year, evaluating zilebesiran as an add-on therapy for adult patients whose hypertension is not adequately controlled by standard antihypertensive medications.

Zilebesiran, an investigational RNA interference therapeutic which targets hepatic angiotensinogen synthesis, is administered as a subcutaneous injection every six months. A recent study has demonstrated its blood pressure-lowering effects and a good safety profile in younger and middle-aged individuals, even when used alongside traditional blood pressure tablets.

The potential benefits of this new treatment approach are substantial. Lowering blood pressure by just 5mmHg can dramatically reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke.

Injectable treatments like zilebesiran could transform hypertension management by eliminating the need for daily or multiple daily tablets. Instead, patients would receive injections every few weeks or months, simplifying their treatment regimen and improving adherence to treatment.

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