A new medication called zilebesiran may offer fresh hope for people with high blood pressure, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Led by Dr. George L. Bakris and his team at the University of Chicago, the study tested how well zilebesiran works and how safe it is for people with hypertension, a condition that affects millions and increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
The study was a phase 2 clinical trial, which means it was designed to test both the safety and effectiveness of the drug in a group of real patients. In total, 377 adults took part: 302 of them received zilebesiran, while 75 received a placebo (a fake treatment) for comparison. The trial lasted for six months.
Participants were split into groups and given different doses of zilebesiran: 150 mg, 300 mg, or 600 mg. Some received their dose every six months, while others received 300 mg every three months. The goal was to see how these different doses affected blood pressure over time.
The results were encouraging. People who took zilebesiran saw a noticeable drop in their systolic blood pressure—the top number in a blood pressure reading, which measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. This drop was measured using a 24-hour blood pressure monitor, which gives a more accurate picture than a single reading at a doctor’s office.
Compared to those who received the placebo, patients on zilebesiran had significantly lower blood pressure. At three months, the drop in systolic pressure was about 14 to 17 mm Hg lower, depending on the dose.
Even after six months, patients continued to show lower average blood pressure compared to those who didn’t take the drug. For example, those taking 300 mg every three months saw a drop of about 10 mm Hg, while the placebo group saw an increase of nearly 7 mm Hg.
As with any drug, safety is just as important as effectiveness. The study found that while minor side effects were a bit more common in the zilebesiran group (about 61% reported some kind of side effect compared to 51% in the placebo group), serious side effects were actually less common among those taking the new drug.
Only 3.6% of people on zilebesiran had serious side effects, compared to 6.7% of those who received the placebo.
These findings suggest that zilebesiran may be a valuable new option for managing high blood pressure, especially since it can be taken as rarely as once every three to six months. This could be especially helpful for people who find it hard to take pills every day.
It’s worth noting that the study was sponsored by Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, the company that makes zilebesiran. Some of the researchers involved in the study also had connections to the pharmaceutical industry. This doesn’t mean the results are false, but it does highlight the need for more independent research to confirm how well the drug works in the long run.
For now, zilebesiran seems like a promising step forward in the fight against high blood pressure. As researchers continue to study the drug, we may soon have another powerful tool to help manage this common and serious health condition.
If you’re interested in natural ways to manage blood pressure, look into recent studies on the effects of potassium-rich foods, vitamin intake, and blood pressure-friendly diets like the DASH diet.
Some research even explores how certain foods like potatoes can affect blood pressure levels. But as always, talk to your doctor before making any big changes to your medication or diet.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure, and natural coconut sugar could help reduce blood pressure and artery stiffness.
For more health information, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing vitamin D could improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
