TWICE-A-YEAR SHOT REPLACES DAILY PILLS FOR BLOOD PRESSURE
DAILY prescription pills to control high blood pressure could one day be replaced by a twice-a-year injectable, which would provide a more convenient option and potentially increase patient compliance, experts say.
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London and Barts Health NHS Trust are engaged in a three-year global study to determine if the experimental jab zilebesiran — delivered once every six months — successfully inhibits the production of the liver-expressed protein angiotensinogen (AGT). A reduction in AGT is believed to prevent the constriction of blood vessels, which could help manage high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.
In June, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency — the U.K.’s equivalent of the Food and Drug Administration — awarded Alnylam Pharmaceuticals an “innovation passport” for zilebesiran, which will fast-track the medication’s review in the European country.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of American adults — over 116 million people — have hypertension, defined as a systolic blood pressure greater than 130 mmHg
or a diastolic blood pressure greater than 80 mmHg. But three in four individuals with hypertension don’t have the life-threatening condition under control, which puts them at greater risk of stroke, heart attack and kidney failure.
“Our ultimate hope is that the treatment proves to be a safe and more manageable, practical solution to tackling high blood pressure,” says Queen Mary University’s Dr. Manish Saxena.
“A twice-yearly treatment with injection underneath the skin would provide a better alternative to taking daily medication, which we believe would be welcome news for patients.”