Scientists at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have found a new drug that could help people who have high blood pressure that doesn’t respond well to current medications.
The drug, called lorundrostat, showed strong results in a recent clinical trial. People who took it saw their systolic blood pressure—the top number in a blood pressure reading—drop by about 15 points. Those who received a placebo saw only a 7-point drop.
The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine and led by Dr. Michael Wilkinson, a cardiologist at UC San Diego Health.
It was a Phase II clinical trial, which means researchers were testing how well the drug works and how safe it is. A total of 285 people took part in the trial at different locations across the country, including UC San Diego Health.
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, affects about 120 million adults in the United States. It is often called the “silent killer” because it usually has no symptoms, but it is the leading cause of heart disease.
Some people’s blood pressure remains high even when they take medicine. These patients are considered to have treatment-resistant hypertension, and they are at greater risk for serious health problems.
This new drug works by targeting a hormone in the body called aldosterone. Aldosterone helps regulate blood pressure, but when it is out of balance, it can make high blood pressure worse. Lorundrostat stops the body from making too much aldosterone, which helps lower blood pressure.
During the 12-week trial, everyone received the same standard medication for blood pressure during the first three weeks. This allowed researchers to get a clear starting point.
Then, 190 people received lorundrostat, while 95 received a placebo. Throughout the study, participants wore monitors that tracked their blood pressure for 24 hours at the start, middle, and end of the trial.
On average, those taking the drug saw their systolic blood pressure drop by 15 points. Even though some people still had high readings at the end, the results were promising because most of these patients had not been able to lower their blood pressure before.
Dr. Wilkinson said he is hopeful about this new treatment, especially for people who have struggled with managing their high blood pressure. He also noted that the trial included a diverse group of patients, which means the results may apply to a wider population.
The next step is a larger Phase III trial, which will include more people and test the drug further for both safety and effectiveness. If successful, lorundrostat could become a valuable new option for patients with difficult-to-control high blood pressure.
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