New Drug Could Quell Uncontrolled High Blood Pressure

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on May 5, 2025.

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, May 5, 2025 — An experimental drug might help people with uncontrolled high blood pressure, according to early clinical trial results.

People taking lorundrostat experienced twice the decline in their systolic blood pressure than people taking a placebo, researchers reported recently in the New England Journal of Medicine. Systolic, the top number of a blood pressure reading, refers to the pressure within blood vessels during a heartbeat.

“While blood pressure readings remained elevated at the end of this Phase II trial in some participants treated with lorundrostat, we find these results promising because almost all participants involved in the study were not able to sufficiently lower their blood pressure with medication before,” principal investigator Dr. Michael Wilkinson, an associate professor with the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine, said in a news release.

Lorundrostat works by inhibiting the synthesis of the hormone aldosterone, which has been recognized as a driver of persistent high blood pressure, researchers said in background notes.

“We were specifically studying a new approach to addressing imbalanced aldosterone, which is an often underrecognized cause for treatment-resistant hypertension,” said Wilkinson.

For the clinical trial, researchers recruited 285 patients who had high blood pressure despite taking two to five blood pressure medications. High blood pressure or hypertension is defined as a systolic pressure of 130 or higher, or a diastolic pressure (the lower number) of 80 or higher and is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke, according to the American Heart Association.

Two-thirds of the patients took lorundrostat for 12 weeks, while the remaining third took a placebo.

Results showed that people taking lorundrostat experienced a 15-point drop in their systolic blood pressure, compared to a 7-point reduction among those on placebo.

“Ultimately, we found that the therapy, compared to placebo, was helpful in lowering a person’s systolic blood pressure,” Wilkinson said.

These results could lead to a larger, Phase III trial for lorundrostat, which would form the basis of an application for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, researchers said.

“As we learn more about the safety and efficacy of this treatment, I’m hopeful we will identify a useful tool in addressing high blood pressure for patients in need,” Wilkinson said.

The drug’s maker, Mineralys Therapeutics, funded the clinical trial.

Sources

  • University of California-San Diego, news release, April 24, 2025

    • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Posted : 2025-05-06 00:00

    Read more

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords