The Blood Pressure Shot
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A single injection of the investigational antihypertensive agent zilebesiran (Alnylam Pharmaceuticals) effectively lowered blood pressure in adults with mild to moderate hypertension for up to 6 months, with what appeared to be an encouraging side-effect profile, in the phase 2 dose-ranging KARDIA-1 study.
"Our study demonstrates that either quarterly or bi-annual doses of zilebesiran can effectively and safely lower blood pressure in patients with uncontrolled hypertension," said senior study investigator, George Bakris, MD.
"Based on these results, zilebesiran has the potential to improve medication adherence, which will, in turn, reduce cardiovascular risk in people with hypertension," Bakris, who is professor of medicine and director of the Comprehensive Hypertension Center at the University of Chicago Medicine, added.
The KARDIA-1 study was presented on November 11 at the recent American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2023, held in Philadelphia.
Bakris noted that uncontrolled hypertension is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, and despite availability of effective antihypertensives, many adults with hypertension are untreated, and up to 80% have uncontrolled disease, both globally and in the United States.
Zilebesiran is a subcutaneous RNA interference therapeutic that binds with high affinity to the hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor, bringing about a reduction in the synthesis of angiotensinogen, the sole precursor of all angiotensin peptides. It is hoped that its hepatocyte-targeted delivery may allow extrahepatic angiotensinogen expression to be preserved, which could limit off-target effects in the kidney and other tissues.
