New antihypertensive drug class

September 28, 2006 at 2:56 pm | In Prescribing Extra - Drugs |

A new class of antihypertensive looks set to become available later this year according to PharmaTimes. A licence application has been filed for approval for Aliskiren (Rasilez^®), which is a direct renin inhibitor, with the European Medicines Agency.

The data currently show effective blood pressure lowering, both alone and with in combination with other antihypertensives. The drug has also been well tolerated in the trials compared to placebo.

At launch the drug will be a black triangle drug, safety will need continued assessment during the early years of use. Aliskiren's place in therapy will also need to be evaluated based on relative efficacy and cost compared to existing treatments.

Action: A new class of antihypertensive is a welcome addition but initial use, once it is available, should be cautious.