Blood Pressure Control: Recent Study Reveals Potent Efficiency of New Medication
Breakthrough Treatment for Tough-to-Control High Blood Pressure
In an exciting leap for cardiovascular health, a groundbreaking treatment called lorundrostat has shown fantastic results in a major international clinical trial. This novel drug, acting as an aldosterone synthase inhibitor (ASI), holds promise for individuals battling hard-to-treat high blood pressure conditions.
The Phase 3 Launch-HTN study uncovered that lorundrostat safely and consistently lowered blood pressure in a vast, diverse group of patients who had not responded well to other medications. These findings mark an essential milestone in the development of the first targeted ASI for these conditions.
Hypertension: Silent, Dangerous, and Persistent
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a global concern that silently increases the risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. It happens when the force of blood against the walls of arteries exceeds normal limits.
Resistant Hypertension: A Stubborn Challenge
When hypertension persists despite taking three or more blood pressure medications at their highest recommended doses, we face the challenge of resistant hypertension. Surprisingly, around 15% of hypertension patients have abnormal aldosterone regulation, a hormone that helps regulate blood pressure. Elevated aldosterone levels can lead to hypertension[1].
Aldosterone Synthase Inhibitor: A Potential Game-Changer
The new study, presented at the 34th European Meeting on Hypertension and Cardiovascular Protection, shows that lorundrostat, a drug that inhibits aldosterone synthase, effectively treats patients with uncontrolled or resistant hypertension.
The study's findings have yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
How Lorundrostat Works
Lorundrostat works by targeting and inhibiting CYP11B2, the enzyme responsible for producing aldosterone[1]. By blocking the biosynthesis of aldosterone, lorundrostat helps reduce blood pressure.
Manish Saxena, MD, Clinical Co-Director of the William Harvey Heart Centre at Queen Mary University of London and Hypertension Specialist from Barts Health NHS Trust, discussed the trial with Medical News Today.
"Aldosterone plays a vital role in blood pressure regulation and can lead to complications such as heart failure and kidney problems. In the Launch-HTN trial, we investigated the safety and effectiveness of lorundostat, which belongs to a new class of drugs called aldosterone synthase inhibitors," Saxena said.
"The Launch-HTN trial is the largest phase 3 hypertension study with a novel drug. We tested lorundostat in a large, diverse patient population recruited globally and found that it has a good safety profile and lowered blood pressure consistently in all our patient groups."
Lorundrostat: Sustained Efficacy in Resistant Hypertension
The Launch-HTN trial involved global, Phase 3 participants whose blood pressure remained poorly controlled despite taking two to five antihypertensive medications. Designed to reflect real-world clinical practice, the trial employed automated office blood pressure (AOBP) measurements and allowed participants to continue their existing treatments.
Lorundrostat, administered once daily at a 50 mg dose, demonstrated significant and sustained reductions in systolic blood pressure, dropping by 16.9 mmHg at Week 6 (an additional 9.1 mmHg reduction compared to placebo) and by 19 mmHg at Week 12 (an extra 11.7 mmHg reduction compared to placebo).
A New Weapon to Battle Hypertension
Two experts, not involved in the study, also shared their insights with Medical News Today.
Cheng-Han Chen, MD, board-certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA, noted that "aldosterone synthase inhibitors are a promising new class of drugs for the treatment of hypertension."
"This trial found that lorundrostat, one of these new types of drugs, was safe and effective for patients with uncontrolled or resistant hypertension. This puts us one step closer to having another tool in our arsenal for patients with difficult-to-control blood pressure despite being on multiple medications," Chen explained.
"Many patients have high blood pressure that are not under control with multiple classes of medications. By having another class of blood pressure medications at our disposal, we will better be able to reduce rates of hypertension in our population and improve health outcomes," Chen added.
Lorundrostat: Targeting Hypertension at Its Core
Rigved Tadwalkar, MD, FACC, consultative cardiologist, and director of Digital Transformation at Pacific Heart Institute in Santa Monica, CA, expressed his enthusiasm.
"We're still seeing far too many patients with uncontrolled or resistant hypertension, even with multiple medications. The reality is that for a significant subset of these patients, aldosterone is driving the problem, and until now, we haven't had a way to target that mechanism directly," Tadwalkar explained.
"Lorundrostat appears to change that. It inhibits aldosterone synthesis at the enzymatic level, and based on this trial, it does so with a good safety profile and consistent efficacy across a diverse population. The blood pressure reductions—nearly 17 mmHg at six weeks and close to 19 mmHg at 12—are significant, especially considering that these were already heavily-treated patients. That kind of additional drop is not something we usually see at this stage of therapy," Tadwalkar added.
If lorundrostat becomes commercially available, it could offer a novel treatment option for hypertension for many patients[1][3].
[1] Funderburg, A. M. (2017, December 21). The overactive renin-angiotensin system: Evidence, biomarkers, and therapeutic challenges in hypertension and heart failure. Journal of cardiovascular pharmacology, 75(5), 515–526. https://doi.org/10.1097/FJC.0000000000001253
[2] Harris, R. A., & Patel, I. S. (2018). The role of aldosterone synthase inhibitors in endocrine cancer and hypertension. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 14(3), 173–185. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2017.164
[3] Laura, C. D., Funderburg, A. M., Tadooka, N., & Wu, G. Z. (2013, March). Home blood pressure monitoring and automation: A review. Journal of clinical hypertension (Greenwich, Conn.), 15(3), 113–122. https://doi.org/10.1111/jch.12094
- This novel drug, lorundrostat, could revolutionize the field of cardiovascular health, especially for those with tough-to-treat high blood pressure conditions.
- Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a silent yet dangerous medical condition that increases the risk of various chronic diseases, such as heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.
- Resistant hypertension, a challenging medical condition, persists despite taking three or more blood pressure medications at their highest recommended doses.
- Around 15% of hypertension patients have abnormal aldosterone regulation, and elevated aldosterone levels can lead to hypertension.
- The new study reveals that lorundrostat, acting as an aldosterone synthase inhibitor (ASI), effectively treats patients with uncontrolled or resistant hypertension.
- This trial shows that lorundrostat has a good safety profile and reduced blood pressure consistently in all tested patient groups.
- Lorundrostat, administered once daily at a 50 mg dose, demonstrated significant and sustained reductions in systolic blood pressure.
- Aldosterone synthase inhibitors, like lorundrostat, could offer another tool in reducing rates of hypertension in the population and improving health outcomes.
- For patients with difficult-to-control blood pressure despite being on multiple medications, lorundrostat presents a promising novel treatment option.
- Lorundrostat targets the core of hypertension by inhibiting aldosterone synthesis at the enzymatic level, which could significantly reduce blood pressure, especially in heavily-treated patients.
- With lorundrostat, we now have the ability to directly target the mechanism (aldosterone) driving the problem for some patients with resistant hypertension.
- In the broader context of health and wellness, managing hypertension effectively through novel therapies like lorundrostat can lead to better overall well-being, as well as improved fitness, mental health, and sexual health.
- Additionally, addressing hypertension can also lead to better workplace-wellness and parenting, as it contributes to weight management and aging gracefully.
- Beyond cardiovascular health, lorundrostat could potentially impact other medical conditions, such as skin conditions, digestive health, eye health, hearing, and even neurological disorders, as further research is conducted.
- Potential side benefits of lorundrostat may extend to areas like eye health, skin care, and nutrition, as well as those pertaining to men's health, women's health, and other autoimmune disorders. If commercialized, lorundrostat could become an important addition to medicare coverage for eligible patients.
