AstraZeneca's Baxdrostat hits Phase III endpoint in resistant hypertension

(Sharecast News) - Drugmaker AstraZeneca said on Tuesday that Baxdrostat had met its primary endpoint in the Bax24 Phase III trial, delivering a "statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction" in 24-hour ambulatory systolic blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension.

AstraZeneca said the drug was tested at a two-milligram dose alongside standard of care, with results showing efficacy across the full 24-hour period, including early morning hours when cardiovascular risk is typically elevated.

The FTSE 100-listed firm stated Baxdrostat was generally well tolerated, with a safety profile consistent with its earlier BaxHTN trial. It also said the findings support its continued development in treatment-resistant hypertension.

"This second Phase III trial of baxdrostat shows substantial improvement in blood pressure, which reflects its durable half-life of up to 30 hours and highly selective inhibition of aldosterone synthase. Too many patients today have hypertension that remains hard-to-control throughout the day and night, making them especially vulnerable to cardiac events," said Sharon Barr, executive vice president of biopharmaceuticals R&D.

"We are advancing our regulatory filings and rapidly progressing our robust clinical development programme for baxdrostat, as both a mono- and combination-therapy, across additional conditions where aldosterone plays a key role, including primary aldosteronism, chronic kidney disease and heart failure prevention."

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com